How Effective is the “Follow Friday” Post?

Each Friday, thousands of Twitter users around the world list their friends, family, or favorite tweeters as a suggestion for others to follow them.  It’s called “Follow Friday“, and it’s a tradition on Twitter that’s been around for a few years now.  It’s effectiveness, however, seems to be waning.

It used to be a welcome sight to find a tweet from a favorite user suggesting a few people to follow.  But, today, most of these tweets get passed by as quickly as the mouse can scroll.  Some have even suggested that it’s a form of spam. Perhaps it’s the fact that too many people suggested users that weren’t good tweeters at all, but it was simply a friend doing another friend a favor.  With 140 characters, you could typically list 5-7 people.  It simply takes too long to look at all of them.

With that said, you should abandon this method of helping others gain followers.  It’s outdated, ineffective, and could actually cost you followers if you’re overzealous with it.  However, if you’re not convinced that you’re ready to give it up, there is an alternative.

Limit your follow suggestions to one person at a time.  Post a tweet that genuinely shows why you follow the person, or be specific about what type of person should follow them.  You’re much more likely to help that person out as opposed to simply listing them without any context.

Twitter trends come and go, and “Follow Friday” seems to be one that is on its way out.  To continue to be effective on the site, you must be willing to adapt and change.  Take advantage of the up-and-coming trends, and know when to let go of what is no longer effective.