The Twitterverse is in an uproar over the semi-automated methods of attracting new followers to Twitter. Is it all spam? Or a legitimate method of gaining exposure to a wider audience? Or is there a middle ground that can keep the Twitter-purists happy while giving new Twitter users a quicker start on growing their circles of influence?

The argument centers around a few different methods of making it easier to post messages and get followers. Specifically, I’d like to get your opinion on these three methods…

  • 1 Click Tweets
  • Viral Tweets
  • Tweeter Getter

I’ll share my opinion and look forward to your comments below…

1 Click Tweets are a specific method of making a tweet just one click away for a reader. I’ve been using these personally for some time (in fact, I believe I was the first to use it inside an affiliate program).

They take the form of a pre-written tweet with a specially coded hyperlink. Such as this:

reading @bobtheteacher post about the viral-tweeter controversy

(click it and see what happens inside Twitter)

I’ve also been using it in my blog. At the end of each post, you’ll see the following link, which dynamically changes for each post to link to that individual post.

Retweet This Post On Twitter

BTW – Here’s the code to do that in a WordPress or Blogi360 blog:

<b><a href=”http://twitter.com/home?status=@BobTheTeacher+enjoyed+reading+your+tips+<?php
the_permalink() ?>” target=”new”>Retweet This Post On Twitter</a></b>

My rationale for thinking this is perfectly kosher for the Twitterverse is that the person that clicks the link knows what they are saying, and they give permission to say it. In fact, they can even change the message before they hit Update (perhaps it should be “2-click” tweets).

More recently, Mike Filsaime began using it with a rotator inside FreeMikeFilsaime.com.

Viral Tweets came along a couple of weeks ago. With this software, the owner creates a pre-written tweet and posts a form on any webpage. When someone enters their username and password for Twitter, and clicks submit, the message goes out. If they have the pro version, the owner gets to set up their form so the reader becomes an instant follower.

You also redirect the reader to a new page of your choice – your blog, a sales page, your Twitter profile, etc. (Here’s an example of Viral Tweets in action)

Again, I personally like this set up if it’s used with a  rational pre-written tweet. The person clicking the button has the option of unchecking the name of the person they get to follow. And they also can choose not to hit the button in the first place.

I would personally prefer the ability for the users to change their own message. But so far I can’t personally figure out how to make that happen in the code.

The advantage of Viral Tweets over the 1-click method I started with is the form acts as an “opt-in” – they are now following your future tweets. They can always unfollow.

The third, and perhaps most controversial method is Tweeter Getter.

This is like co-registration for Twitter. When you arrive on the page (TweeterGetter.com), you’re told you can get over 19000 followers in 30 days. When you submit the auto-tweet at the bottom, you follow the TG creator, and up to 5 or 6 people that were users before you in the chain (@deucehartley cleverly called it a “twain letter”).

(By the way, everyone has a TweeterGetter page whether they want one or not. Simply by adding the username and then filling out the form, that person is attached to your auto-follow routine).

The Twitter purists and moderates are slamming this software as a pyramid scheme.

If you tell 5, and they tell 5, and they tell 5…. Personally I have no problem with these types of systems per se. It’s the foundation of the network marketing model of business. So I think calling it a pyramid scheme is disingenuous, and misses the point of why it’s a bad program.

When it comes to SOCIAL media, the whole point is the quality of the relationships and connections – not the quantity.

Which is why I don’t think you should use Tweeter Getter. Yes, having 19,000 followers in 30 days will look impressive to those who don’t really understand Twitter.

The trouble for you will be a clogged email and DM box – and a cacophony of tweets from people who believe quantity is more important than quality.

Sure, you’ll get up to 10,000 or more followers quicker than doing it “by yourself”. But 80% or more of your following will be people who were led by the hype of the landing page at TweeterGetter. So it’s likely your followers will be hypists and leeches more than contributors to the conversation.

How could Tweeter Getter get better? I’m not sure Tweeter Getter could ever be acceptable to the purists, but for moderates out there, we’d probably be happy if these changes were made:

  • Allow people to change the message,
  • Make it possible to uncheck the boxes of people we don’t want to follow.
  • Link to the profile pages of the people up the ladder so we can decide to follow or not.

So that’s my take on these three methods.

What’s yours?

Bob Jenkins
www.DiscoverSocialNetworking.com

p.s. Follow me the old-fashioned way… Twitter.com/bobtheteacher

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