This is a guest post written by P.S. Jones, writer and consultant extraordinaire. I love Ms. Jones, and now I’m obsessed with her even more after this post. I couldn’t agree more and sometimes feel like autofollow programs devalue those of us who use Twitter “organically.” But Princess is right, those who use these programs are just screwing themselves over. We’ll be curious to read what your thoughts are in the comments!

So I hear it’s your birthday and you want to have a big party. Either because you think it would make you look really cool to the popular kids or because you’re lonely. I don’t know. All I know is you want a lot of people to come even though you don’t necessarily know them. So how much would you be willing to pay me to go?

Okay, maybe you’re on a budget. Well if you aren’t willing to pay me to come, how about standing on the corner by my neighborhood grocery store and passing out fliers offering free cake to anyone willing to show up your party? Too much work?

Alright, then let me tell you about this really cool service that puts like-minded people together. You promise to go to someone’s birthday party if they’re willing to show up to yours. It’s a win/win situation because both of you look like big shots. Who cares if nobody knows your name, sings the Happy Birthday song or gives a damn how old you are? They showed up, didn’t they? And the headcount is all that matters, right?

Using Twitter Autofollow Programs is Like Paying Someone to Show Up to Your Birthday Party

I always say that Twitter is like a party with all the most interesting people you can assemble. You can flit from conversation to conversation. You can lurk or join in. Tired of talking shop with fellow writers over by the chips and dip? Head over to the dance floor and get down with some silly hashtags. Comment on the pics of this chick’s cat over by the punch bowl. Or meet a friend of a friend who loves The Real Housewives franchise as much as you do. Network for your business or just chatter about your day. It’s up to you and as long as you’re making real connections, a good time is had by all.

So when you use an autofollow program on Twitter, it’s like paying someone to come to your party. You don’t know them and they don’t want to know you. Most of the time, you have nothing to talk about. You could be standing right in front of them chatting (tweeting) away and they couldn’t care less. In fact, you end up hanging around with some really creepy characters because you’re just letting any warm body in the door. (Ever wonder how some of the biggest Twitter big shots end up following porn stars and spammers? Autofollow software made them do it.) And because autofollow requires you follow these people to keep you follower count up, your Twitter stream is full of crap you don’t care about and you get spam DMs like your bio says “Sucker” in capital letters. Basically, you’re missing out on every benefit of Twitter and exposing yourself to every drawback.

I think you’re missing the point.

I’ve never had a Super Sweet Sixteen. (Come on. You remember that MTV show a few years back that featured the children’s birthday parties of the rich and famous that rivaled the pomp and budget of a 16^th century royal coronation.) When I was younger, my mother made or bought me a cake and my family sang Happy Birthday to me. I could have a friend or two sleepover or do some special activity, but no huge party. As an adult, I continue that tradition. My birthdays are spent with close family and friends out to dinner or celebrating quietly at home. Although I’m pretty sure they’ll never do a reality TV show about my celebrations, I know everyone who shows up is actually interested in being there.

I’m not social media guru, ninja or grand wizard (or whatever the hell they’re calling themselves these days). I just really like Twitter for personal and business networking. And while I know that watching that follower count climb can be a dizzying experience, the importance of follower count is relative. Some people say autofollow software is cheating, but if it is, I think it’s only cheating the people who use it. I’d rather have five followers who are really interested in conversing with me than 5,000 followers who couldn’t give a damn if I live or die. Because tweeting to a huge audience that doesn’t care is like singing Happy Birthday to yourself in a room full of people who don’t know your name.

What do you think of autofollow software? Is it cheating or just savvy social media management?

P.S. Jones is freelance writer and consultant. She’s the voice behind Diary of a Mad Freelancer and an avid tweeter. For more information, send her a tweet at @iampsjones.

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Tagged as: autofollowing, guest posts, Social Media, tips, twitter