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http://staynalive.com/articles/2009/06/19/twitter-declares-checkmate-on-twitter-gamers/ -
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How long before these gamers privately start paying people who are on the SUL to point to them?
What are the editorial guidelines for people on the SUL?
And why would Twitter want to enter this space? (They will eventually have to publish guidelines for SUL members.)
how this is the same thing. What Twitter did in this case is they're
now starting to suspend accounts that rapidly follow and unfollow
numerous accounts in a short period of time.
I don't see how the SUL fits into this.
http://www.scripting.com/stories/2009/06/19/twi...
Hopefully this sheds some light on the connection.
In the very early days of Twitter, the SUL idea could have made sense to help catalyze Twitter adoption. But that is not longer necessary. Now the SUL is nothing more than a significant playing-field-un-leveler. It is analogous to Google displaying a "Suggested Web Sites" that points to a fixed list of hand picked web sites with no particular relevance to what people are searching for.
Isn't it obvious why Twitter would want to enter the SUL space? It's obvious PR for them and the timing of the presentation to new Twitter users who sign up is critical - The majority of the users who are on the SUL are celebrities, so people who are "figuring out" Twitter are immediately presented with celebrity endorsement of the platform (even though it's disguised as Twitter's endorsement of celebrities). Am I wrong? I thought this was an obvious marketing ploy?
People collecting followers this way are just spammers as far as I'm concerned - I have no interest in this nonsense. It is always obvious who they are and anyone that follows them back is crazy.
After reading your post, I checked and the two best known 'twitter gamers' still have active accounts and seem to be adding new followers (according to twitterholic and twittercounter.com.
What exactly are Twitter doing to stop them gaming the system?
Jim Connolly
at. In the end it's Twitter's decision. Also, the more people that
block them the more chances their accounts will be flagged.
I assumed form your post that Twitter were actually proactively doing to stop them gaming Twitter.
can only do it with the resources they have.
Unfortunately, you're probably right: there will always be people who find ways to manipulate and abuse.
By the way, in the name of your blog, "Stay N' Alive," what is the N' short for? "No" is the only word I can come up with .... Just curious. :-)
Just being pedantic sorry. On the subject of your post, very interesting reading that's going to have quite an impact on users of some of the tools you mention. They don't come cheap either. I think that used with care, things like Hummingbird can be very beneficial, but too many people want "a gazillion followers right now" so they can bombard them with futile sales messages and they just end up upsetting the apple cart.
to fully make sense.
But in that case, I think you mean 'n' (apostrophe before and after the n) -- not N' (an apostrophe just after the n).
An apostrophe indicates the omission of a letter. One letter.
Also, since "and" is a conjunction in your title, no need to capitalize it.
(Sorry. It's the uncontrollable grammar geek in me.)
I am very interested in Twitter being successful and don't really care that some NYT reporter has more followers than me. Remember, Twitter was not created as a business tool, but rather a way for people to stay in touch. If Twitter's rules don't create the perfect business environment, how have they lost? Will you stop using Twitter? Doubt it.
On the flip side, sure... if I was a reporter, and I was competing against the NYT reporter it might make me a little frustrated... but then when I look out my window I see a world filled with frustrating turns. Not having more followers than the next guy, isn't one of the daily grinds I am going to let ruffle my feathers.
There are tons of people on Twitter who never have received the red carpet treatment. Why? Content content content. Shaq had his following a long time ago because he tweets and tweets often, interesting material. I think that most people who are upset at the SUL program are simply looking for a get rich quick scheme through Twitter and are only upset because their Gravitar isn't on that list. My .02 cents. (sorry for the ramble, guess I have just heard enough grips on the SUL finally.) Bravo Blair for providing great content! What is your Twitter addy so I can follow you?
It's the first result returned - hope that helps! :-)