As you might imagine, I’m continually monitoring how companies, organizations, and people are using subconscious tools of influence in Web 2.0. As a result of that focus, I’ve noticed effective and ineffective uses of subconscious influence by each of these groups. However, I’m only going to reveal how the third group, individual people, are wrongly implementing subconscious influence tactics. In this post, you will read about one mistake they make when attempting to use subconscious influence in their Web 2.0 marketing strategy.
Ready?
I imagine that each and every day you and I both get new people following us on twitter. That’s fantastic! I’m grateful to connect with people on twitter, facebook, LinkedIn, etc. And before I go on, I want to welcome and thank you for following my updates and/or connecting with me on the various Web 2.0 medians! I look forward to getting to know you.
I’m curious. Have you had this experience yet?
After opening your email, you see a message from twitter indicating someone has started following your updates. Upon making this discovery, you open the message, click on the link to their profile, and you start following them as well. Moments later, you see the message below in the public stream:
“Welcome new followers @yourusername, @keyinfluencer, @recognizedexpert, and @industryleader!”
Yes, this is a Web 2.0 influence mistake people are making! Why is it a mistake? Admittedly, it’s courteous to welcome new followers but the mistake lies in the way the message is written. Written as such this welcome conveys only a “half-truth.” The message correctly relays that you, and three others, started following @welcomer. The problem is that it doesn’t indicate that your decision to follow @welcomer was induced by the fact that @welcomer followed you first. When @welcomer’s followers see that he is now being followed by such notable people as @yourusername, @keyinfluencer, @recognizedexpert, and @industryleader their decision to follow @welcomer is reinforced.
Think about it. The fact that @keyinfluencer, @recognizedexpert, @industryleader, and you started following @welcomer’s updates leads people to believe @welcomer is someone to follow and get to know. Are you with me?
You know, I was going to reveal what subconscious tools of influence @welcomer has implemented improperly but it will make this post more interactive for you to tell me. While you’re at it, also tell me how this hurts @welcomer’s credibility. That is, if you’re up for the challenge. When you’re ready write a comment below. Thanks for playing along!
With your success in mind,
Ron
P.S. I also invite you to write a comment about any questionable uses of influence you’ve noticed.
I’m wondering if this kind of behavior isn’t a bi product of the nature of tools such as Twitter.
The people who adopt them tend to like the 140 character format and the efficiency of the format. Thanking 3 people at once for following is in line with that, but having to use a separate message for each to convey that they followed first would go against the “natural” mode of tools like Twitter.
It’s an unnecessary expenditure of energy so to speak.
Paul OFlaherty´s last blog post..Three is the magic number… at least for tech support
Hi,
Interesting post. That is why I follow only people that have something to say in the area I’m interested(and already have many followers). Those kind of people know what Twitter is about and don’t post twitts just to say thank you for following.
Thank you
Toma Bonciu – SEO Services´s last blog post..What types of articles a business blog should contain
some people are on twitter to communicate and network and some people are in an arms race.. which.. i did on myspace at one time and had 500k friends, which allowed me to put people in clubs on a weekly basis and get paid for it.. yet.. i never did the whole “thanks for the add” poo poo.. which is akin to what you speak about..
on on twitter to give input and receive input not be the wal-mart greeter..
plus i have people just for the cool rss music stream..
paisley´s last blog post..Search Engine Optimization All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)): Bruce Clay, Susan Esparza: Books
There might be 2 things missing apart from the welcome:
a thank you and
a question to the new followers
Your thoughts on the above Ron?
rafiq´s last blog post..rafiq: @stereo_type the answers lie in the questions, get the trackback?
Part of this has to do with intention, I think. I wonder if people who welcome their new followers (which I have been guilty of myself, on occasion) are really doing this because of some intent they have to pump themselves up?
But then again, as you say, on a subconscious level this intent could be there. Or maybe they are just trying to be polite and inclusive?
In the end, it comes down to that fine line between quietly promoting yourself and being obnoxious about it.
Thought provoking, to be sure…
Susan Murphy´s last blog post..Why Angle is Important
It could be an importance issue. Picture doing something for someone else. They could thank you as they pass you in the hall (which I compare to “thanks for following me” to several people at once). Or the person who sends a handwritten thank you note in the mail. Some people are of the opinion that doing something is better than nothing. Sometimes, that’s not the case.
I used to publicly welcome new followers but now I DM my thank you to them individually. It seems a bit more personal and genuine…and I seem more approachable (which I am!) Now that I’ve started doing this, I find that new followers are more likely to share tweets with me publicly or directly ask me a question. It’s sort of an ice breaker that lets them feel more comfortable tweeting with me. Just my two cents and a different view of the public vs private DM “welcome.” Great post, Ron.
Deb Lee´s last blog post..Domestic Delight!
I tend to unfollow people who do that. As Susan said, to me, it seems to be a way to “pump oneself up” ~ as in “Look at me! See how many/who is following me!” When I see someone doing that too often I’ll look at their profile, see what they actually have to offer (especially if I’ve not seen much else) and often, unfollow.
I enjoy when someone sends me a DM and thanks me for following… not posting it on twitter and taking up space.
Um, was that the question?
I think that if you’re going to thank people for following, you should do it in a DM, not an @ broadcast/reply.
I don’t think that we know enough about @welcome’s intent to try to figure out why they’re doing what they’re doing.
Personally, I never pay attention to those “welcome” messages.
Rafael´s last blog post..Free tool of the week for 10/20/08
I think people do things they see others doing, without really thinking about how things can really be perceived
Great stuff Ron!
Maria Reyes-McDavis´s last blog post..Must Read Blog Posts from Across the Net
Hi Ron,
I am a bit confused.
The only time I would see such a message is if I were currently following that person. I am following because I already enjoy what they have to say or maybe am just checking them out (as a new follower). I would make my own decision as to their intent on doing the Welcome @ based on other tweets. If they have a different intent oh well. My perception of their meaning is the only one that counts.
If I felt they were being deceptive then I just stop following and go about my day.
Maybe I am just not understanding what your post is about.
Sheryl Loch
Sheryl Loch´s last blog post..Great Moxxor Team Support
I follow people to build relationships and have a conversation. I have unfollowed people who do these regular “thank you for following” broadcasts. It adds nothing to the discussion.
Denise O’Berry´s last blog post..Don’t Let Your Small Business Die Alone
Hello Rafiq!
I believe that if only a “Thank you for following my updates! I’m following you as well,” would be great! Some tweeps believe such tweets should been sent privately. Your thoughts?
Warmly,
Ron
Paul, you bring up an interesting point. I wonder if the people who are being welcomed feel special when someone decides to follow that mode of welcoming. Sounds like a question for Poll Daddy.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Warmly,
Ron
Toma, thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m curious. What areas or topics do you and your follows find the most interesting?
Ron
Paisley, twitter is a great place for giving and receiving input. Tweeting in that manner helps to build and nurture relationships. The folks at twitter probably had that as the core purpose for developing the technology. You think?
See you on twitter!
Ron
Susan, it does have to do with intention. Unfortunately, sometimes determining a person’s intention is difficult. That’s why I often remind myself of this belief:
“The meaning of your communication is the response you elicit.”
You see, no matter how good someone’s intentions may be, the meaning of their words and actions can and are misinterpreted sometimes. Therefore, I often pose the following question to myself: “What else could the person’s behavior mean?”
That reminds of situation I dealt with a few months back. I won’t write about here because I’m seriously considering making it a blog post. Anyway, thanks for stopping by Susan and leaving your comment!
Warmly,
Ron
Hi Julie,
When you wrote the,”It could be an importance issue,” were you making reference to the human need of significance?
I’ll await your answer.
Tweet me, please. http://twitter.com/ron_hudson
Thanks!
Ron
I agree with Revvell above, that the bulk “thanks for following” message sounds show-offy (look how many people are following me!)
It also squanders the chance to make an individual connection (“Thanks for following me – I see you’re also in the widget business, how are things in S. Cal?”)
And though everything on Twitter is public, the practice to me also violates a fair expectation of privacy — it seems dicey to report on the activity of others
I tend to look at other people on Twitter when I see an “@” response from someone that I like. The topic of the “@” response gives me an idea of whether I want to look at a prospective person to follow. Some gal on a business Web 2.0 site I belong to (not LinkedIn) sent me a message today to check out her blog and Did Not mention what type of blog she has. That is like selling a product without saying what the product is. The “welcome @” is just that for me: advertising without indicating what the product is.
Good opinion Ron! You are again, very accurate and on the dot for some Twitterers’ behaviour!
I’ve had this happening to ME when it was clearly someone else following me first!! I was like HUH? So now I make it a point to welcome new followers first, and i take my own sweet time to “follow back”!
kelly´s last blog post..Christmas Card for You, My Friends!
Kelly, that’s an interesting approach. How has it been working for you?