I use the mnemonic V-I-P when looking at someone’s profile. First is V, “vitals” – looking at their following and follower numbers and number of tweets. Second is I, “interaction” – I look first for replies and second for retweets. I also see if the user’s tweets consist of engaging other users and not just spouting quotes or links or promotional pabulum. Most of the time, I’ve decided “yay” or “nay”. If I’m still undecided, I look at the “P, the profile information and (maybe) their web site.

I can sum up in four words how to get me to follow back a Twitter user: “don’t be a blowhard!” This is the term I use for spammers and others who just broadcast on Twitter and don’t interact with others.

Thanks for your reply! I’m glad you liked the chart. Definitely the chart is only a simple representation of how we make our follow-back decisions. People use Twitter differently , of course, as some use it to broadcast, to comment, to retweet, to engage, to teach, and to learn. The only rule is that you can’t expect anyone to act in any sort of expected way.

Looking forward to your tweets!

Personally I also look to those people who will answer any of my questions or comments that I make to fellow tweeters.

This may sound a bit iffy to some, but I have noted, that some people are saying things, people respond, but then they think they are too good to reply or is it that they are so into tweets that they forgot that this is about conversing and it helps to respond?

Anyways, that is a very important criteria for me personally.

Thanks for the food for thought and I really got something out of your chart.

eh2 quality following

@blogneta