Twitter: join in, be nice!

I'm following over 300 accounts on Twitter. Some because they're entertaining or informative, others because we share some common interest. I can't control who follows me, currently almost 300, and haven't tried to analyse our followers!

If I see a tweet that made me smile, I 'favourite' it so that I can easily find it and smile again another time! What I enjoy about most using Twitter is interacting with friendly tweeters but this isn't as simple as it seems because many tweets are statements that do not invite or encourage responses. For example, some of my tweets provide links to blogs I've read or written, therefore the response is more likely to be in the form of a comment posted on the blog rather than a reply-tweet.

However, amongst recent tweets, I've specifically invited responses. It all depends, of course, who is on-line at the time and their particular circumstances: time available, cheerful mood, etc. In response to "And why do so few people respond to tweets? (here's your chance...)" there was nothing although a similar tweet "while we're on the subject of blogs, what does it take to encourage people to add comments?" did receive an amusing response from a local pub-restaurant account, Twitter.com/RadcliffeArms.

I like to respond to tweeters who are reaching out but the mind is a complex mass of What-ifs, such as: will they take my comment in the spirit it was intended? Am I being intrusive/ presumptuous /original? Will they think I'm stalking them or will they become a hanger-on? And so on.

Anyway, please respond to tweets and be nice!

Twitter Lists and trends

I read a blog on using Twitter lists and it made me realise that I must be horrendous to follow - no wonder my number of followers goes up and down like a yoyo. If I was following me, I would have to put me in a few lists because my tweets are so random. I would put me in a THFC list (someone already has) and a F1 list, also a sci-fi list, a 'local' list and a hashtag list (because, recently, I've been very bored on the evenings and joined in lots of twitter hashtag games - this must be incredibly annoying for some followers).

I've created lists and, during THFC matches, I can restrict my interaction to a single topic with other Spurs supporters; during the Grand Prix coverage, I'll just have exchanges with F1 fans watching the Grand Prix.

This is because, during other times, we may have nothing else in common. For example, fellow Whovians might like cricket or politics - or worse: they might be gooners! Of course, if someone tweets about Sci-fi and F1, they'll be in two lists.

Of course, there are loads of people who I follow in a regular way. These are usually people with a similar sense of humour who make me laugh every day or deliver useful or local information for my everyday life.

Update re hashtag gamers... I've noticed a trend recently where some people are tweeting without socialising. The result of not bothering to read other tagged tweets is that 'original' ideas appear in several similar tweets; it also means that tweets which deserve a fave or retweet are getting overlooked.

I don't know why people follow me (thanks if you do) but I choose not to follow those who tweet TOO MUCH or who use bad swear words!