ParisLemon » How to Lose Followers and Alienate a Community

How to Lose Followers and Alienate a Community

It seems like there have been quite a few Bitchmemes this week, but the one from yesterday/today about Andrew Baron (founder of RocketBoom) auctioning off his Twitter account takes the cake.

Part of me is thinking: Who the hell would buy someone else’s Twitter account? But then I think I know who. Someone who either a) is really lonely b) wants the small amount of publicity they’ll get from being the first to buy a Twitter account or most likely c) someone who wants a way to easily spam the followers Baron has accumulated.

No matter the reason, I find the whole thing a bit silly because I am simply going to stop following Baron’s account. Sure, some people will either not know or care that Baron sold the account, but if whoever buys the account simply keeps spamming their new followers, they will lose those followers. Twitter isn’t mainstream enough yet for its users to be as naive as they might be with some other services.

The bidding is already up to $1,125. Insane.

Even crazier though is that I think Baron has gained a lot more followers on Twitter since the auction began (which he says is now in question because of a possible eBay TOS violation).

This kind of reminds me of the the Digg user who auctioned off his account in 2006. That was basically a one-time deal (I’m not sure it even ended up happening) and hasn’t happened again (as far as I know).

There is a larger issue here, which Chris Brogan and Mathew Ingram talk about, what does it mean in the social Internet age if your community is for sale? But really, as time goes on, what isn’t for sale? It’s situations like this that remind us the value of the ‘remove’ button.

Post by MG Siegler on 04/13/08
Comments

Andrew Baron

Some good points. Was there a reason why you were following me before?

mdoeff

Regarding the possible TOS viloation, I think he was referring to the Craigslist listing (his other PR stunt). He was selling a 2-day guest host slot on his Twitter account for something like $150.

MG Siegler

@andrew - don't remember when i started following you, but assume I did so because I like to use Twitter to keep up to date on latest things in the tech world, of which you are obviously a part.

MG Siegler

@mdoeff - hmm interesting, i didn't know about that, thanks!

Andrew Baron

@mg, so its prob not the same use as Linked-in? I use Linked-in, Facebook, Myspace (a bit), YouTube (my fave), Friendfeed (a new like), but Twitter is just a microblog where "followers" are not "friends" or even "subscribers".

All very interesting stuff. Anyway, no harm meant.

Ross

People used to sell "low number" ICQ accounts, saying they were valuable because it was easy to remember the lower number. I've seen LiveJournal accounts for sale as well - usually the ones with "Early Adopter" or Permanent status. Whatever 'it' is, physical, digital or other - someone out there will buy it.

MG Siegler

@andrew - sure, they all have somewhat different uses with varying amounts of overlap but I would disagree that twitter is just a microblog, it can be, but I have both friends (i know they don't technically have that, but I would consider those who you follow and follow you back 'friends' of sorts) and followers who use it differently.

Maybe my favorite thing about it is how when I'm in a city in which I don't live and tweet that, I get responses from people who want to meet up.

As myself and others have written before , Twitter is defined in the eye of the beholder - it can be different things to different people. But yes, interesting conversation.

MG Siegler

@ross - interesting stuff - yes, anyone will buy anything.

Andrew Baron

Well one thing for sure, so far, the title of your post is exactly the opposite of the case. I have gained a huge amount of followers and I have become apart of my "community".

MG Siegler

@andrew - i know, i noticed that as well and mentioned that in the post. of course my title refers to when/if you do transfer the account - i havevn't stopped following you yet because i want to see where this all goes, but rest assured - i will :)

Sam

Why do people who push the edge/limits of what what is appropriate in social media always get criticized? Among our group of supposed cutting-edge innovators it all seems contradictory to me.

@Andrew. What you are doing is great in the sense that it has created a great conversation.

LeveragingIdeas.com

Ferodynamics

Twitter is easy and a great way to promote your work, whatever it is you do.

Anonymous

THis to me is just another example of people who have no life. WHo really cares about the whole virtual world when its some guy like you in a room with a monitor and keyboard rather than visiting the REAL world. Nerds and socially inept people will find this interesting but to me its just like people who watch too much news, boring........

jollyjo

I guess Andrew totally misses the point. He obviously gets the publicity thing though because now I will never forget the name...

Anyways, on a lighter note...I wonder if he will share the stash with all the followers...after all those are the people who make up this "golden asset"...