How to Double your Twitter Followers in Two Months

It’s been humbling to watch my number of Twitter followers fluctuate but ultimately double in the last two months. That’s about two hundred new followers since mid-July when gaining my first two hundred followers took over a year.

photo credit: ~Ilse via photo pin cc

Here are some things that have worked for me:

1. Follow back.

I don’t follow everyone back. Namely, if you’re showing cleavage or kissing in your profile photo, I will not be following you back. I also will not follow back if the three preview Tweets I see are off-color, posted mere minutes from each other (or months ago), or are highly self-promotional.

2. Join the conversation.

If someone Tweets to you, Tweet them back. Tweet people back until there’s no possible way you can keep up with everyone talking to you.

The cool thing about Twitter is that it’s not some hierarchy where only certain people can talk to certain people. With Twitter, no one is off-limits. I’ve Tweeted to people like Bob Goff and Michael Hyatt, and they’ve Tweet me back. If even they can keep up with people Tweeting at them, I definitely can.

Of course, don’t go over-board, respect their time.

I’ve read it’s socially acceptable to Tweet six to twelve times a day with twenty-one personal responses. That means spend more time answering others’ questions, telling them their dinner looks yummy, and actually talking to people rather than you spend talking at them.

Converse with people rather than just promoting your blog, book, or product.

3. Get Involved.

There are neat things happening around the cyber world.

Tweet chats are great ways to make new friends. Two chats I know of are the #writestuff chat on Tuesday nights at 9pm eastern and the #CompassionBloggers this Thursday at 7pm eastern. (Warning: your first Tweet chat will be overwhelming. Use Tweetchat.com to follow along rather than Twitter).

Guest posts are also a great way to find new friends. I’m now a regular contributor at The Write Practice which apparently makes me cool. I got a plethora of new followers the day that was announced. Really, I’m still some nobody who can’t even finish the novel she’s been writing for too many years but whatever…

4. Promote Others.

When someone else promotes my post, retweets my statement, or says something nice about me, I feel good inside. I bet you do to. Thank these people.

Help others enjoy that good feeling by Tweeting their stuff too.

5. Be present while absent.

An in-real-life friend called me out on this when a Tweet appeared but I hadn’t touched my phone. I have this thing called a day job (and a nice handful of other jobs) which means I can’t be on Twitter constantly. It’s unfortunate, I know. Instead, I run my Tweets through Buffer. I set up how many Tweets I want to send throughout the day, what times I want them to run, and what I want them to say. Then, while I’m at work, Buffer does the Twitter work for me.

Of course, don’t forget to check and participate in the conversation as you’re able.

What has worked for you? Got a Twitter trick you’re willing to share in the comments?

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