14

Do you care about your Twitter follower count?

by Donna Johnson

I've been having some interesting exchanges on Twitter about whether or not small business owners should concern themselves with the number of followers they have. The conversation started when I Tweeted this: "Saying you don't care how many people follow you on Twitter is like saying you don't care how many follow your site, newsletter and blog."

This statement is addressed to professional small business owners, not to obnoxious people who constantly Tweet about themselves all day long. If you own a business, Twitter is one of your websites, and just like all of your other sites, it has to reflect a professional image. Twitter is about sharing things that you think are important, interesting and entertaining. As a small business owner, you want to know that, when you Tweet something, people are listening or have at least chosen to have access to what you are sharing. While obviously not 100% accurate, Twitter follower counts are a measure of the number of people who are listening to what you have to say.

Do you know how many blog subscribers you have? Of course you do! That number doesn't mean that every single subscriber reads your blog each time you update it, but it does provide an indication of the level of interest in what you have to say. Twitter is the same thing. It's just a different kind of blog.

How many of you would publish a newsletter without knowing how many subscribers you have, and the rate at which you either gain new subscribers or lose existing ones? Would you maintain a blog if no one ever commented or subscribed?

What if your Twitter follower count was not automatically publicly displayed, just like your number of newsletter or blog subscribers is not automatically publicly displayed? Would you check the number every now and then to see if anyone was following you? I would, and if no one was following, I'd either close the account or change my strategy in an effort to gain new followers.

Twitter follower numbers are a tangible indication of how many people are interested in what you have to say. As a small business owner, I think that's a number you want to keep track of and maintain.

Question: Do you keep track of how many people subscribe to your blog? Your newsletter? Your Twitter updates? Why or why not? I'd love to hear what you have to say in the comments section below.

You Might Also Like:

Tagged as: donna maria, follower, indie business, indie business minute, small business, twitter

posted on May 22, 2009 ·

Facebook comments:

  • http://bravewriter.com/ Julie

    I really don’t care about number of followers on Twitter and I probably don’t spend enough time caring about numbers who read my business blog either. Yet what is interesting is that what I produce and write and disseminate has created a successful business over the last nine years virtually through word of mouth and the sheer volume of “wasted” hours I’ve spent chatting with and caring about people – on their blogs, tweeting them, posting to their forums – as much as it is focused on drawing them to mine.
    I think numbers of followers is irrelevant for me anyway since my business is in a niche market (homeschool). I do follow any hs tweeter I come across. But I don’t keep track of the total.

  • http://bravewriter.com Julie

    I really don’t care about number of followers on Twitter and I probably don’t spend enough time caring about numbers who read my business blog either. Yet what is interesting is that what I produce and write and disseminate has created a successful business over the last nine years virtually through word of mouth and the sheer volume of “wasted” hours I’ve spent chatting with and caring about people – on their blogs, tweeting them, posting to their forums – as much as it is focused on drawing them to mine.
    I think numbers of followers is irrelevant for me anyway since my business is in a niche market (homeschool). I do follow any hs tweeter I come across. But I don’t keep track of the total.

  • http://dr-flower.com/ Regina

    I think having access to this information- number of followers whether it’s blog, newsletter, twitter is essential when you are wanting to gauge your audience reaction. However, it is really easy for techie types to sit and obsessively “watch the water boil” to the detriment of the message sent. (I don’t know who I could be speaking of! *points finger at my ownself*) So having the numbers and knowing WHEN to look at them is key. :-D ~Regina

  • http://dr-flower.com Regina

    I think having access to this information- number of followers whether it’s blog, newsletter, twitter is essential when you are wanting to gauge your audience reaction. However, it is really easy for techie types to sit and obsessively “watch the water boil” to the detriment of the message sent. (I don’t know who I could be speaking of! *points finger at my ownself*) So having the numbers and knowing WHEN to look at them is key. :-D ~Regina

  • http://www.awildsoapbar.com/ maggie, soap bartender

    Of course I care about the number of followers…if not.. what’s the point of doing it? Does the success of my business depend on Twitter? Obviously not since I just became a tweeterer and I’ve had a successful biz for years. Nevertheless, it’s another tool in my arsenal. Never look a gift tweet in the mouth!

  • http://www.awildsoapbar.com maggie, soap bartender

    Of course I care about the number of followers…if not.. what’s the point of doing it? Does the success of my business depend on Twitter? Obviously not since I just became a tweeterer and I’ve had a successful biz for years. Nevertheless, it’s another tool in my arsenal. Never look a gift tweet in the mouth!

  • http://not-rachel.blogspot.com/ becca.elpy

    I care, but I try not to obsess. I think often, in terms of web stats, those two words become synonymous and they’re really not.
    I want the number of followers I have to increase or, at worst, plateau. When I go through a dive, I always wonder if it was something I said, didn’t say, or if Twitter’s going through deleting spam accounts. (that’s my fave reason I give myself.)
    Same is true when I lose blog subscribers or favorites on Etsy, etc. I wonder why and it was sparks me to work harder, tweet more carefully, interact more…reach out, help others, promote, get more connected. And I do it because I care.
    There is a fine line between caring and obsession and I toe it more often than I like. When I get manic and check the numbers all the time try to take a step back, breathe and remember that there is more to life than how many people subscribe to my blog, that if I want more the better way is to work at it. Repeatedly refreshing does nothing.
    Whew, I’m getting long-winded. Great question, though.

  • http://not-rachel.blogspot.com becca.elpy

    I care, but I try not to obsess. I think often, in terms of web stats, those two words become synonymous and they’re really not.
    I want the number of followers I have to increase or, at worst, plateau. When I go through a dive, I always wonder if it was something I said, didn’t say, or if Twitter’s going through deleting spam accounts. (that’s my fave reason I give myself.)
    Same is true when I lose blog subscribers or favorites on Etsy, etc. I wonder why and it was sparks me to work harder, tweet more carefully, interact more…reach out, help others, promote, get more connected. And I do it because I care.
    There is a fine line between caring and obsession and I toe it more often than I like. When I get manic and check the numbers all the time try to take a step back, breathe and remember that there is more to life than how many people subscribe to my blog, that if I want more the better way is to work at it. Repeatedly refreshing does nothing.
    Whew, I’m getting long-winded. Great question, though.

  • Ana

    I recently learned a new word in the English language: hyperbole.
    According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, hyperbole means “extravagant exaggeration”. After reading this definition, Twitter immediately came to my mind.
    When I first started twittering, I noticed the majority of my followers and I had many things in common (i.e., entrepreneur, pet lovers, etc.). Now, I find myself amazed at the amount of profiles of new followers where it is obvious they follow for the number and not the substance.
    This has led me to the conclusion that Twitter is fast becoming a fad of numbers, therefore, the number of followers, in my opinion, is irrelevant.

  • Ana

    I recently learned a new word in the English language: hyperbole.
    According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, hyperbole means “extravagant exaggeration”. After reading this definition, Twitter immediately came to my mind.
    When I first started twittering, I noticed the majority of my followers and I had many things in common (i.e., entrepreneur, pet lovers, etc.). Now, I find myself amazed at the amount of profiles of new followers where it is obvious they follow for the number and not the substance.
    This has led me to the conclusion that Twitter is fast becoming a fad of numbers, therefore, the number of followers, in my opinion, is irrelevant.

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/ Donna Maria @ Indie Business

    @Ana: Hmmmm, yes that happens.
    Your comment makes me think of this. Maybe the more relevant way to assess whether Twitter is a good investment of one’s time is to count the number of replies and/or retweets you get, not the number of followers.
    Replies and retweets indicates that people are reading and engaged in what you say. If they are engaged and also reply and/or retweet, they are also sharing your conversation with others who may then become interested in you.
    Now that Twitter is so full of people with different agendas, maybe replies and/ore retweets arae a more realistic indicator of a return on your Twitter investment.
    What do you think?

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria @ Indie Business

    @Ana: Hmmmm, yes that happens.
    Your comment makes me think of this. Maybe the more relevant way to assess whether Twitter is a good investment of one’s time is to count the number of replies and/or retweets you get, not the number of followers.
    Replies and retweets indicates that people are reading and engaged in what you say. If they are engaged and also reply and/or retweet, they are also sharing your conversation with others who may then become interested in you.
    Now that Twitter is so full of people with different agendas, maybe replies and/ore retweets arae a more realistic indicator of a return on your Twitter investment.
    What do you think?

  • Ana

    I agree with you dM. I think the number of replies, retweets and direct messages, vis–à-vis number of followers, are more relevant indicators of whether people are engaged in what one says.

  • Ana

    I agree with you dM. I think the number of replies, retweets and direct messages, vis–à-vis number of followers, are more relevant indicators of whether people are engaged in what one says.

Previous post:

Next post: