My Twitter Follow Algorithm

Every week I take a look at my new Twitter followers to see who I want to follow back. I want to follow as many genuine followers as possible.

So I realized I go through a simple assessment each time I look at a new follower. It goes something like this:

• Do I know who you are? (+10 pts)
• Do I like you? (+5 pts)
• Do you know who I am? (+5 pts)
• Do you live in within 50 miles of my home? (+10 pts)
• Have we had a meal together (+5 pts)
• Was it at one of our homes? (another +10 pts)
• Does your Twitter description include the word “coach” (-10 pts)
• Wait… do you actually coach an athletic team (+10 pts)
• Does your Twitter description include any of the following: “Global”, “Strategist”, “Thought-leader”, “Client” (-15 pts each)
• Did we attend the same conference or seminar (+5 pts)
• Do you @reply people? (+5 pts)

Score Assessment

45-65 – We’re buds! I probably have you in a Twitter list, and we text message each other more than tweet.

20-45 – My network! We’re probably not getting the kids together this weekend, but we’d drop each other a DM if we needed an opinion. I will probably follow your links. You just make Twitter better.

0-20 – You were at that thing I went to that one time.

Less than 0 – Sorry. I wish you the best in your upwardly mobile endeavors. I just can’t come along for the ride.

Anything else? What is it that makes a good Social follow for you?

(photo: flickr)