Twitter desaturation

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Due to the quantity of people using twitter it’s purpose has changed. From being a place where you tell people what you’re up to it’s become a place where you discuss what you’re up to and what you’re thinking about. As a result of this following people without them following you back is pointless.

I went through my twitter list this morning and it was at over 530 people being followed. I went through that list and started to remove people according to four factors. If they’re not following are they A) personalities, B) Amusing, C) active or d)responsive. If they met none of these criteria they were removed from my following list. Even those with attractive avatar pictures were removed.

That’s because twitter is a noisy place. People are tweeting about their activities 24 hours a day 7 days a week 366 days a year (since this year is a leap year) and if we start to listen and respond to those that can’t hear us then there’s a huge amount of noise generated.

It was a fast and easy process which too no more than half an hour to an hour and there is a big change. Now as I look through my timeline I find that I care about everyone in it. I know many of them well and there are quite a few I’ve met in person.

Yesterday for example it meant a lot to me when Jamie told me she was happy to have met me. It’s nice to be shown that you’re not just another piece of text on a screen. It’s nice to use twitter as a multiplatform instant messenger to chat both with old friends and to make new ones. That’s why so many people like twitter. That’s why I like it.

If you’re on twitter take the time to check who is following you and whether they react to your @ messages. If they don’t then it might be worth removing them from your follow list as they’re creating noise. Let’s keep the noise to a minimum and conversation to a maximum.

Twitter’s purpose has changed and I wanted to reflect it.


Comments

2 responses to “Twitter desaturation”

  1. I think that is right. Although I don’t see it changing because even now that I see that happen, I still see more of the other aspects of twitter like a quick news channel, a discussion, just a feed of events or happenings, etc… Although I do think it has become a bit more morbid in nature, people say when they are brushing they teeth and whatnot, but still I think that is a reflection of how twitter has embedded itself in the pop-cyber culture.
    But yeah, that may mean that you need to desaturate your twitter.

  2. We all use twitter differently, but to me it’s a two-way deal. There are people I follow who don’t follow me back – but they’re senior and respected members of he community from whom I’ve learned a great deal. Otherwise, the conversation, the interaction IS the community and unless it’s two-way, then I do find it pointless…

    …feels like standing outside a room with your ear pressed to the door – uncomfortable and pointless!

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