20 Reasons Why People Stop Following You on Twitter
I want to chat about something important: why people might decide to stop following you on Twitter. It’s not something we like to think about, but it’s worth exploring so we can make our Twitter experience better for everyone involved. Let’s dive into it!
1. TMI (Too Much Information): Sometimes, I may overshare details that are better kept to myself. It’s important to find a balance and share things that are interesting and valuable to others.
2. Spamming: Nobody likes being bombarded with endless promotions or irrelevant content. So, I’ll make sure I share only what’s meaningful and helpful to my Twitter followers.
3. Lack of Engagement: To build a strong connection with my followers, I need to actively engage with them. That means responding to tweets, participating in discussions, and genuinely interacting with others.
4. Being Negative: Constantly complaining or being overly negative can push people away. It’s important to maintain a positive and uplifting attitude, spreading good vibes instead.
5. Too Much Self-Promotion: While sharing my achievements and work is great, I need to avoid overwhelming my followers with constant self-promotion. It’s important to strike a balance between promoting myself and sharing valuable content.
6. Lack of Personality: Twitter is all about showcasing my unique voice and personality. If I’m too bland or generic, people might lose interest. Let’s keep things interesting and authentic!
7. Inconsistent Posting: Staying consistent with my tweets helps keep my followers engaged. If I’m only active once in a blue moon, people might forget about me. So, regular and meaningful updates are key!
8. Not Following Back: Social media is a two-way street. If someone follows me, it’s polite to follow them back if their content aligns with my interests. It shows mutual respect and helps build relationships.
9. Irrelevant Content: Sharing content that doesn’t resonate with my followers can lead to them hitting that unfollow button. To keep everyone interested, I’ll make sure to share content that’s relevant and timely.
10. Constantly Retweeting: While retweeting is a great way to share interesting content, doing it excessively can annoy my followers. I’ll use this feature wisely and ensure I contribute with my own original tweets.
11. Lack of Authenticity: People appreciate honesty and transparency. If I’m constantly trying to be someone I’m not, it can come across as inauthentic. Embracing my true self will attract genuine connections.
12. Too Many Hashtags: Hashtags are fantastic for reaching a wider audience, but using too many in a single tweet can be overwhelming. I’ll make sure to keep them relevant and use them sparingly.
13. Offensive Language: It’s crucial to treat everyone with respect and avoid offensive language or derogatory remarks. Creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere is important for everyone involved.
14. Ignoring Direct Messages: When someone reaches out to me directly, it’s important to acknowledge and respond to their message. Ignoring them can make people feel unvalued or unimportant.
15. Overly Political Tweets: While discussing important social issues is essential, constantly bombarding my followers with political tweets might turn them away. I’ll aim for a healthy balance and respect diverse opinions.
16. Excessive Retweets of Praise: Sharing compliments and positive feedback is wonderful, but doing it excessively can come across as self-absorbed. I’ll strive to strike a balance and show humility.
17. Lack of Variety: Providing diverse content keeps things fresh and interesting. Sharing only one type of content might bore my followers. So, I’ll mix it up and offer a variety of topics to keep everyone engaged.
18. Lack of Respectful Discussions: Disagreements can happen, but it’s important to engage in respectful discussions rather than resorting to personal attacks. We can learn from different perspectives and grow together.
19. Not Getting Personal: While it’s essential to maintain certain boundaries, sharing personal anecdotes and experiences can help build stronger connections with my followers. Let’s make it personal, but not too personal!
20. Being Inactive: Inactivity can cause people to forget about me and lose interest. By staying active on Twitter and participating in conversations, I can ensure that my followers stay engaged and interested.
So, there you have it – the reasons why people might stop following you on Twitter. By being mindful of these points, we can create a positive and engaging Twitter experience for ourselves and our followers. Happy tweeting!
Yesterday, I decided to tidy up my list of people I follow on Twitter. I do this every month to get rid of the voices I no longer find interesting and hopefully discover new ones. This got me thinking about why other Twitter users might choose to unfollow someone. So, I decided to ask. And let me tell you, the results of my little Twitter poll were fascinating, and I just had to share them with you.
Basically, people will unfollow you for any reason at all. #128521;
Here are some of the reasons that were mentioned by my Twitter followers:
1. You’re all about self-promotion: A lot of people mentioned that they didn’t like Twitter users who only talk about themselves and their own stuff. While many of us have businesses and blogs that we want to promote, it’s important to also take the time to listen and support others. You don’t want to be the person who only cares about themselves on social media.
2. You can’t control your anger: Twitter users like @kevinmarshall mentioned that they unfollow people who argue too much or are always negative. No one wants to be around someone who is always angry. If you tweet angry things all the time, we’ll unfollow you and hope you can find some peace outside.
3. You’re too self-centered: You know, there are some people out there, like @EcoEndeavors and @rhythm7a, who don’t really appreciate it when you only talk about yourself. I mean, sure, it’s nice to share what you’re up to or how amazing you think you are, but it’s also important to show some interest in others. Trust me, people like it when you’re genuinely curious about them, even if you have to put on a little act sometimes.
4. You hurt people’s feelings: Now, I shouldn’t have to say this, but I will. Making racist, sexist, homophobic, or just plain offensive comments is a surefire way to lose followers. I talked to @michellerobbins and @conniereece, and they both agreed on this one. So, let’s be kind and respectful, alright?
5. You’re not very professional: Okay, so we all have our moments, but going on and on about how wasted you got last night or how much you despise your colleagues can make things awkward for everyone. And you know what people do when things get awkward? They unfollow. So, it might be a good idea to keep some things to yourself, just to avoid any uncomfortable situations. Trust me on this one.
6. You’re a flood tweeter: You know, I heard from @Vancetera and @KevinMSpence that flood tweeters aren’t exactly beloved. So, here’s the deal – a flood tweeter is someone who just can’t stop tweeting, one tweet after another, so all you see is a constant ‘flood’ of their avatar in your feed. I mean, it can be a bit overwhelming, don’t you think? Trust me, I’ve seen it myself. Take a look at this screenshot tweeted by @CynthiaLaLuna.
7. You’re fake: Now, listen closely. If you’re always happy-go-lucky, brace yourself for some unfollows. You see, people like a little balance. I mean, just ask @ThoughtsHappen, @TheRedHeadSaid, and @KevinMRyan – they all agree. Being happy all the time just doesn’t seem real. It’s like there’s no way you can love something without having a little dislike for something else, right? So, show people both sides of yourself. It’s only fair.
8. You auto-DM: Let me tell you, there’s nothing worse than following someone you think is cool, only to be bombarded with those dreaded auto spam direct messages. Ugh, talk about a disappointment. It’s like a punch in the gut. So please, spare us all from the auto-DM torture. We’d really appreciate it.
10. No Fresh Content: Some people, like @justjulie and @rickstoner, mentioned that they will stop following you if you don’t share anything new. This usually happens when you keep retweeting what Mashable and other famous people are already sharing. We know they’re clever, but what about your own unique contributions?
11. Overuse of Automation: According to Twitter users like @skitzzo, they unfollow accounts that seem too automated. Nobody wants to follow a robot. A robot. A robot. Sorry…
12. Not Enough Chitchat: I noticed that Twitter users, like @jeremymeyers and @hilzfuld, tend to unfollow you if there’s not enough chitchat or if you never respond to their messages. Makes sense, right? People come to Twitter to talk and create real connections. If you want friends, you’ve got to be a friend first.
13. You’re Boring: Pretty self-explanatory.
14. You Tweet Too Much: @rhythm7a thinks that tweeting more than 25 times a day is excessive, but everyone has their own comfort level. Personally, I can easily tweet 25 times before even having lunch. #128521;
16. You’re absolutely obsessed with the iphone/ipad: Okay, so maybe @CherylMcKinnon just cracked me up with this one. But seriously, it’s true!
17. You’re just a spammer: You go around promising people that you can magically grow their followers overnight (thanks @jakelacaze) or you bombard me with tweets that look like this:
18. You have zero personality: This one really hits home for folks like @shakez. If you don’t let your true colors shine and give people a glimpse into who you really are, they’re gonna find someone else to follow. I mean, come on, it’s called social media for a reason!
19. You just drop links left and right: @dj_justjay, @kristinmc, and @rongraham1 pointed out that this is a major turn-off. If all you do is share links and never engage in conversation, then you’re not bringing much value to your Twitter feed. And trust me, people won’t stick around for that for very long.
Rule #20: Don’t use the official Retweet button: Can you believe it? There are people out there who get angry when you use Twitter’s new Retweet feature. They might even unfollow you for it. @godhammer and @sugarrae are firm believers in this rule.
I was really surprised by the reasons people gave for unfollowing others. Personally, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to use Twitter or make friends online. But it is important to know what kind of tweets your particular audience finds helpful so you can increase your value in their eyes. I know I break at least half of these don’ts every day, but it works for me. You have to find what works for you. Why not ask your followers why they followed you in the first place?
What makes you unfollow someone?