How to Get Ignored on Twitter

Twitter is a fantastic tool for people and business but many still use it incorrect or just have no clue what’s going on. Some of these people are mis-informed and some know their terrible practices but just don’t care. I’m guessing most people don’t want to get ignored on twitter. It’s kind of like showing up at a party and not having a single person talk to you. Who wants that?!

So here are some things that will get people to ignore you on twitter!

1. Talk about yourself

This is simple. People don’t want to hear all about you! Twitter is not a platform to yell and scream your message, thoughts or show off how smart you are. Well really it can be but it has to be done tastefully. You need to be asking people questions. Don’t sit back and talk about how smart you are. Question others what their take is or if they have something fascinating to read or simply how their day was.

It’s just like a party. Would you approach a weirder and say “Hi my name is and I do this and I live here and I like this etc etc”. No! You want question them something and get them talking and before long they will be asking you questions.

2. Auto DM

Auto Dms are a sure way to get you ignored. It’s simple to tell when someone sends an auto DM and no I don’t ever want to randomly check your stuff out. The huge thing with auto dm’s is they make you look like you just want to sell something or use twitter to drive traffic. You don’t care on an individual level you just want to see if a few people will click through and then its a success. But you will generate a lot more sales and a lot more traffic by taking the time to manually DM people or simply by engaging on twitter.

At the same time some auto DMs are not that terrible. Example: “Yup this is an auto DM but I just wanted to say hi and I’m looking forward to chatting on twitter. Have a fantastic day!”

I can live with that and even though I don’t know how much excellent it does I don’t reckon it hurts you in anyway.

3. Question anyone to sign-up or buy something

This is an automatic ignore! It’s perfectly fine to question someone after a few conversations and if your product is on topic with what you have been discussing. But if you lead with or simply blast out messages about how fantastic your product is or newsletter is I am turning the other way. Possibly even unfollowing because I don’t want to hear your pitches if I haven’t had a chance to talk with you yet.

This is also a sure fire way to look like a spammer. Spam can be a huge problem on twitter and accounts are constantly getting shut down everyday to try and keep up with the problem. So if you start pitching anything you’re walking a fine line because people are constantly on the lookout for spammers and will be quick to judge you.

4. Don’t @answer anyone

The point of twitter is to talk to people. So start talking! I have heard from multiple people and I do this myself, if I check out your twitter profile and I don’t see any @answers in your stream I am immediately turned off from your account. It’s not the end of the world but its not a positive mark. People want to follow people who are going to talk with them. There are only a few select huge shots who can get away without replying to people. But if you’re new in the game you have to not only start conversations but make that effort to answer to every single person who engages you even if it is just a retweet. You still should say thank you!

5. Talk about making money online

Have you ever heard “I can teach you to make money online” or “I can make you rich”. If you’ve been on twitter then you have. You might very well make people rich or teach people very effectively to make money online. But you can’t lead with that on your twitter account!

Show people you know what you’re talking about by linking up resources and providing actionable advice. But just saying you’re going to make someone rich will send followers running!

6. Don’t follow anyone back

Reckon you’re to excellent to follow anyone back? Well that’s ok because you won’t have anyone following you soon enough! Its by no means mandatory to follow everyone back or follow 10’s of thousands of people. But show that you are willing to follow people back if they are fascinating enough. If you have had numerous conversations with some one and they come to find you’re not following them back that is a mis-step. It’s nearly a slap in the face to find that you can’t DM the person you’ve been talking to for weeks or months because they don’t want to follow you.

But don’t be worried to point it out to some one before you jump to conclusions. Some times they don’t even realize they are not following you!

7. Use all capitals

Maybe it’s just me but I can’t stand when someone is writing in all caps. It can be very awkward to read and gives off that sense that you are yelling something. It’s fine to highlight a word but avoid using all caps when having a normal conversation with someone.

8. Place people down

It’s ok to not like someone or to unfollow someone but to announce it to the world? That is looking childish. Don’t make announcements that you are unfollowing someone or constantly blasting and company or service. If I see that in a persons twitter feed I am immediately turned off because they come across as a very negative and childish person.

Also don’t constantly engage in arguments or fights on twitter. It’s all public and not only can it be looked up forever but I sure don’t want to be following someone who seems like their out to pick a fight. I’m not on twitter to stir up controversy just to do it. I’m there to meet fascinating people and hopefully make some new friends along the way.

My favorite is when someone combines my previous point about writing in all caps and announces that they are unfollowing someone. I guess they are making their statement but I sure won’t be following someone who finds it necessary to announce something like that.

What are things that set off an alert in your head to ignore someone on twitter?