What does follow Friday or #FF mean to you?
@VANetworking shouted out to me several weeks ago on Twitter and asked “Why so many #FollowFriday recommendations?” and I have been thinking about this every since.
I do give quite a few #FollowFriday recommendations because it has several meanings to me:
- I recommend people that share great content.
- I recommend people that have a great business model.
- I recommend people that are my friends.
- I recommend people that have a service I highly value.
- I recommend people that to me – are just plain great for one reason or another.
#FollowFriday was started originally as a way to help our friends grow their Twitter following, especially the new Twitter users that were getting started and didn’t have any followers yet. Over time, as we have all grown our followings and it has turned into the above Items #1 thru #5. Some quit giving #FollowFriday altogether.
Do you even have time to click on the Twitter ids that your friends are recommending anymore? I know for myself I try to, but between giving all the #FollowFridays, Tweeting content and RT’ing, plus thanking everyone for the mentions and RTs it is quite hard to keep up and I am a social media professional. I can imagine who overwhelming it can be for everyone else out there.
I myself have stopped doing all the “Thanking for each #FollowFriday & Retweet”. I do my thanking on Sundays or Mondays for the #FollowFridays and do my RT thanking about three times a week. It gives me more time to have the real conversation that is so important and the reason for Twitter in the first place.
I often write blog posts to get myself back in line on what I should be doing or want to do differently. I am still going to do my #FollowFriday’s as I have been in the past (so don’t worry – I won’t forget about you), but I am going to add in throughout the week a #SoloShout to new friends and businesses that I want to introduce you to.
Why don’t you help me out with this mission? Commit to sending one #SoloShout Tweet per day. (Or maybe for your schedule it will be once a week.) Don’t send hundreds – pick one person or business and help get the word out about them that day! Perhaps you could send the same Tweet out three times that day – to hit the morning, afternoon and evening users. Just think – if you focus on helping your fellow man/woman grow their business and spread their brand, they will want to help you in return!
Please comment below your thoughts on this idea and your commitment! Looking forward to seeing and reading your #SoloShout recommendations in my stream in the coming weeks! Adding a search column in my Tweetdeck right now — #SoloShout!
P.S. Here is to my first #SoloShout to @VANetworking – Thanks for your question about #FollowFriday & your inspiration!
I think #FollowFriday is a great way to network and meet new people/companies with similar interests. I try to follow friday companies that are in the same line of work, or have the same interests. Other people or companies return the favor and typically there are other great/similar companies that they’ve included that I can then in turn follow. I’ve had great success growing my Twitter network – in fact Friday is the day I typically see an influx of new followers.
I love the idea of #FF, but did get tired of the stream of shout-outs after awhile. So, I took it one step further: I post a #FF spotlight on my blog, shining the light and introducing someone I admire and follow to my readers every Friday. It’s fun, I get to connect people, and find out more about the peeps I’m spotlighting!
Sandi, love this idea! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Chuck, #FollowFriday is a great way to grow your network! I am glad to know it’s given you the opportunity to network and expand your following! After all, that is what #FollowFriday is all about!
I can’t follow all the follow fridays either. I try to do some each week. I used to thank people for RT or #ff but realized it was boring. So if I thank them, I try to make it more interesting than just thank you.
Always nice to see the “F” word being used 🙂 lol I have noticed that Focus is one of the dirtiest words in Social media. You are absolutely right in saying people get overwhelmed, especially when they have no clue why they are on social media. Except the ones that were told by an “expert, guru, D-bag” of course.
What I started doing is the #Honoring Women Wed – And every day I promote someone from my time line. I actually take a moment go to their site/blog/tumblr and promote it. Look I’m not saying #Follow Friday is dead, it’s a nice tradition but I don’t see the connections I see during my weekly hootsuite posts.
Gabriella, thank you for your feedback! Love the humor in the beginning of the post. Made me think of @RedHeadWriting. If you don’t know her – you should!
Lissa:
I’ve been out of the #FollowFriday game for well over a year now…as a matter of fact my very first blog post ever was on #FollowFriday.
Every once in awhile I will get one that is very specific – those are the ones I treasure and value because the person writing it actually took the time to single out something about me. Those have meaning – the ones with as many Twitter handles as can fit in the 140 – those don’t have any value as they give me no reason as to why I should follow that person.
I may or may not do the #SoloShout — I am trying to get into the habit of doing the #marm on Monday’s, which has the same premise as your #SoloShout – maybe eventually I will do one or both of them.
I have mixed feelings about Twitter’s #FollowFriday. I think @ginidietrich does a great job with it, by posting one #ff recommendation on her blog every week. I have certainly participated in #ff a lot, even blasting out recommendations of 5 or more friends. Some of my favorite tweeters like @mmangen don’t participate at all in #ff. It comes across as spam at a certain point. Does it add value? If the recommendations are categorized by niche, then I think it does add value to some newer tweeters. Moving forward I’d like to be much more selective. Because as I slowly tweak my strategy and set my sights on interacting with twitter elites like @LissaDuty, @ReheadWriting and @ShellyKramer I think that solo #ff shouts or none at all will be more relevant to my audience.
Michelle, thank you for your input! I always appreciate your perspective! Bear Files mentioned you above as one of his favorite Tweeters!
Bear, thanks for your feedback! Appreciated as always! PS. You are one of my favorite Twitter users and I’m honored to be considered in the Twitter elites club! Wow! Thanks!
I found this blog through a post on Redhead Writing. I had never heard of the #followfriday idea. But, I am adding it to my Hootsuite now. I will also be adding the #SoloShout. I really like these networking ideas and am looking forward to meeting lots of new people!
Thanks!
Great post Lissa,
One of the things that I think people miss the boat on with Follow Friday’s is adding a little social proof to some of the people they recommend.
#FF is a great way to endorse people who you think add value and are credible. Initially it started out as a way to recommend one or two people and provide reasons, but then it turned into #FF group mentions.
great article Lissa!
Great post Lissa. I think I’m finally beginning to understand what #FF is all about! 🙂
@vipclouds
Shane
Great post Lissa! Question please… I have a page of #FF ‘s that I send on on Friday mornings. Every time I connect with new influences, I add the to my #FF list. I’ve saved this document. Is it a good idea to #FF the same group of people every week to help them promote themselves and their business? Thanks for your advise! Best regards, Terry
Terry, it is a good strategy to give #FF to influencers, so they notice you. However, if you get to the point were you are giving an overwhelming amount out, the sincerity will not have the same value.
Try rotating the list out and cleaning it up from time to time. Influencers you give #FF continually and they are not receptive doesn’t provide you the value you are looking for anyway. Remember, you want to influence the influencers and if they are not noticing you, then you are not influencing them anyway.