Twitter — If Everyone is Following, Then Who is Leading?

June 18, 2009 · Filed Under Twitter · 2 Comments 

I finally have to admit it.

twitter

I just don’t get Twitter.

There, I said it. And you know what?

I feel better.

It’s not that I don’t understand what Twitter is.

I just don’t get the point.

I consider myself a fairly bright guy. I graduated from college with a 3.8 cumulative average. I received a Ph.D. in Physiology at age 23. I’ve done a postdoctoral appointment at Harvard Medical School and I’ve worked at some of the best hospitals on the East Coast.

But the real purpose of Twitter? Nope, don’t get it.

Maybe its because I’ve watched all my Network Marketing friends spend hours upon hours following anyone and everyone they can find that may even remotely be interested in what they have to sell, hoping they will follow them back and then unfollowing them if they don’t. I hear these major proclamations of having reached 500, 1000, and even 1,000,000 followers.

I guess that’s good, but how can anyone listen to anything if they are following so many people?

I know I can’t, and I only follow 200 people. Even that is a challenge to me.

I know, I know… I can use Tweet Deck to segment my followers. I can use Tweet Later to automate my tweets. But why?

What’s the purpose?

I don’t go on Twitter with the purpose of buying something or joining another home business opportunity. I’m perfectly happy with the one I have. I don’t go on Twitter to hear the next best inspirational or motivational quote that is copied off the Internet. I am pretty motivated already.

Should I really be honest?

I go on Twitter for only a couple of reasons.

  • First, to see what guys like Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, and Mike Dillard (yes, Mike I am a follower) do on a daily basis. I’m curious.

  • Second, I follow established people in my industry who I respect, not because I think they’ll be handing out any unique tidbits of knowledge (although they might), but more because I want to see what they consider important to post on Twitter.

So if the idea is to follow as many people on Twitter as possible, so they will follow you back, then it seems to me that everyone is following and no one is actually leading.

But I’ve discovered that I’m wrong. I think I’ve figured out who the leaders are on Twitter.

The leaders are the ones who follow the LEAST number of people.    Check this out –

  • The “real” Donald Trump — 2549 followers…. Following 2.
  • Robert Kiyosaki — 10, 148 followers…. Following 9
  • My favorite example…. Al Gore — 1,015,073 followers …. Following 8!
  • And we all remember how Mike Dillard “purged” his follower list (a move I strongly agreed with).

The ultimate leader on Twitter? It must be Jay Kubassek.

Jay had to actually APPROVE me before I could follow him. Now he must be THE LEADER! (I say this tongue in cheek. Jay is, in fact, one of the strongest leaders I have had the pleasure of knowing).

In all seriousness folks, what’s the damn point!

Someone straighten me out here. Help me understand the real meaning and purpose of Twitter.

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