by Neal Wiser (@nealwiser)
Unless you are a Twitter user who immediately follows everyone who follows you, we have all experienced losing Followers because, for whatever reason, we did not follow them in return. To be sure, deciding when to follow or not follow is not only a personal decision, but one which is driving a growing debate in the Blogosphere. How this debate plays out may have a profound impact on how people use Twitter and how the service will grow in the future.
Although it’s still early in Twitter’s Evolution, the Follow Question is one that has no easy answer. Indeed, deciding whether or not to follow someone is a vexing question for both new and veteran Tweeters alike. The decision ultimately depends on a variety of factors as numerous as there are users of the service and while there isn’t any one right answer, two diametrically opposed positions have emerged. The challenge is that both present valid arguments. For analysis, I call them Reciprocals and Discriminators.
Reciprocals take the view that not only does etiquette require you to return a follow, but reciprocity is the quickest way to increase your Follower numbers. However, as your Followers increase, your timeline can become clogged with superfluous discussions. Even with tools such as TweetDeck, following multiple conversations is not easy.
Discriminators take the opposite view. They feel, among other things, that quality of followers, not quantity is the important factor. Ultimately, the decision depends on one’s reasons and goals for using Twitter, but there are Pros and Cons to each position.
