Followers: Just a Number... Right?

11/1/2013

You've read it, you've watched it. If you know me, you'll know that I think Twitter is an amazing place to build an educational PLN.

But lately I've noticed something. Something that, if changed, might change everything as us Twitter-ers know it…

That “something” is a something that I, too, have experienced: A tweeter’s voice tends to be only as big as its follower count. We typically revere and idolize those who have large followings and set them on a pedestal, especially when we are just at the beginning. “They must be smarter and more brilliant; they must have more to offer than... me. I’m just me, after all...” I remember saying these things to myself six months ago. And sometimes, I catch myself still doing it.

I’m not here to say that the folks with large following counts aren’t brilliant or worth holding in high regard - we know that is not true in most cases. But I am here to say, in the most sincere and respectful way that I possibly can, that we all need to listen to different voices and perspectives, regardless of their follower count. Behind every educator’s Twitter handle, there is a person with a valuable opinion and outlook on education.

So in my reflection of this, I got thinking… Can you imagine what would change on our PLNs if no one knew how many people were following you?

Ask yourself these questions...

If no one knew how many people were following you, what would change?
...Would your voice change?
...Would your contributions change?
...Would you tweet more? Less?

Could you begin to inspire others if no numbers were attached? Or could you continue to?
...Would people listen?

Could conversations be further enriched?
....Would more educators feel safer in making contributions?

Would there still be "rockstars"?

How would leaders emerge? Is that a natural process?

Would more people decide for themselves rather than going with trends?

Would our connections with one another change?

Just some food for thought. Some consideration. Some questions. If we didn't see quantitative follower/following information, I genuinely believe that the attitudes of the learning community might change.

It doesn't matter if you have ten followers or ten thousand, everyone has something to add to the conversation. Twitter is a tool that I use to share with, learn from, and offer help to other educators. What do you use it for?

I'd like to send a big thank you to Karl Lindgren-Streicher for helping me to draft and finalize this post. He was an immense help in assisting me with ensuring that my ideas were well-communicated, thought-provoking, and fair.

Bryn link

11/1/2013 02:13:39 pm

I agree that we need to listen to a multitude of voices. We can't have a real growth in our thinking if we aren't pushed on our ideas or challenged on our statements. When I use twitter, some retweets are ways of supporting ideas, and some tweets are thought balloons, trials on ideas around education, and some tweets are simply a way to connect with other educators. The number of followers doesn't matter, the number of following doesn't matter, but the number of tweets might serve as a hint as to how much a fellow tweeter might overrun my feed. In any case, I follow as many educators as I can, not necessarily to see every tweet, but to help me catch the gems that pass by through the tweetdeck flow of information.

Victoria Olson link

11/1/2013 04:47:13 pm

Thanks for your comment, Bryn. I don't feel that all users share this sentiment equally, though. I have become disillusioned with the "fame" ideal as of late. We need to ground ourselves in the reason why we do what we do... and the answer is that it should ALWAYS come back to kids. Added bonuses (friendships, getting recognition for doing great things, opportunities) are great, but kids and learning should remain at the centre of our connectedness.

Melissa

11/1/2013 10:04:19 pm

Thank you for this, Victoria. You prompt discussion about something important, even if it seems like a hard topic to acknowledge. Personally, the numbers are not much of a factor in how I use Twitter, but I share your concerns about what numbers and statistics are doing to real people, their perception of self-worth, and their relationships. I think the concern assessing our own value with numbers applies to blogging and Facebook (and probably other social media platforms) as well: likes, shares, comments, hits, etc. Thank you for a thoughtful challenge and reflective questions.

Thank you also for your acknowledgement at the of your post. I'm sure Karl is appreciative, and it speaks loudly to your kindness and the way you value his collaboration.

11/2/2013 07:27:24 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment, Melissa! I completely agree that this discussion transcends beyond Twitter as a social media platform. Hits, blogs, likes, +1, endorsements... whatever the "label" - it's the obsession with quantitative back-patting that I struggle with. It's important to honour each voice, consider it, and give it thoughtful response. And while no one can be perfect at reaching out to all, it very clear who makes an effort and who does not.

Katie

11/1/2013 10:24:08 pm

Maybe it is an issue of how people might define influence when it comes to Twitter. Perhaps it goes back to " why Tweet". I am a relatively new Twitter member trying to grow my PLN so I might grow my capacity to better serve teachers, principals, parents, community, etc. to whom I am responsible.

11/2/2013 07:29:11 am

The important aspect of your comment, Katie, is that you've pinned exactly the "WHY" for yourself. You have a focus on your community and student learning - or at least it sounds that way. All the added bonuses of a PLN are just that: bonuses. Don't lose that focus.

Misterabrams

11/1/2013 11:44:29 pm

A great post and something that we all might need reminding of from time to time. Especially when we introduce new people to Twitter.

11/2/2013 07:29:43 am

Thanks for the kind words and taking the time to comment!

David Truss link

11/2/2013 01:12:28 am

I have a fairly big following, but I think that comes mostly from 2 things: 1. I got on Twitter 6+ years ago. And 2. I follow back EVERY educator. In fact, if I see a Twitter "egghead" then I actually go to see a) are they tweeting about education or b) are they following other educators. If yes to either of those, I follow back and will often DM them a link about getting started on Twitter.
As a result, I have conversations with many new educators on twitter. That said, I probably retweet the more prolific tweeters because I see them more. The consequence of my friendly followback policy is that I can't read me regular timeline because the new tweets come too fast... So I refine my stream to hashtags and a twitter list of people that inspire me to think.
My point though, is that I usually don't know how many followers a person has when I retweet them. Usually I retweet links to things I've followed and read, or quotes that I think are gems. In both cases it is content and not quantitative data that inspires my tweets.
Do I think that is the case for most people? I don't know, but I do know there are some very popular people, who also happen to share great stuff! Does the popularity bring the retweets or can the retweets of good things shared bring on the popularity?

11/2/2013 07:34:50 am

Hey Dave, thanks for commenting. It is clear to me that your dedication to researching who you're following - going beyond that initial click and actually looking to see the content - is indicative of your use of the tool. You are a fantastic example of a someone who is well-connected who looks beyond numbers and strikes a balance of what is important. With that being said, I get the feeling from others that this is not the case. In my opinion the search for quantitative validation of what you share doesn't push your learning and thinking as an educator. Connecting with purpose does.

Glenn Hervieux

11/2/2013 04:12:31 am

I love the question, "Can you imagine what would change on our PLNs if no one knew how many people were following you?" That's really something to think about as we connect with others on Twitter, Google+, etc. What is motivating me in my connections with others? I like sharing my learning and it's a major part of my personal/professional learning - it's to "learn to share & share to learn." Does our passion for learning = the number of followers or Tweets we have? Or does how many people getting my Tweets validate me as an educator? I hope not...and we just have to understand that we need to build professional "circles" where we can enjoy encouraging and stimulating each other to excellence in our work as educators. Thanks for sharing!

11/2/2013 07:37:47 am

Thanks for commenting, Glenn! Your comment really resonates with me as I, too, hope that we can remove ourselves from the "number game". Instead, let's focus on what really matters: learning and growth for our students and for ourselves as educators.

Maureen Devlin link

11/2/2013 09:33:34 am

I rarely to never look at the number of followers a person has. I generally follow people who follow me if their profile looks reputable and honest. I also follow anyone who has ideas that inspire me. It never occurred to me to follow people by their numbers of followers. Also I love to follow people who represent view points, geography, lifestyles and professions unlike mine--broadens one view. Thanks for bringing this discussion to mind.

11/2/2013 09:49:28 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment, Maureen. I really like your criteria for following others; it is important for professionals to display themselves as such through an honest bio. Glad that despite having a sizeable following yourself, your growth mindset is always apparent in your posts. Thanks for being a part of my PLN!

Catina link

11/3/2013 05:10:59 am

I like the point your making and questions you're raising.
For me, the description of the person is key to the follow along w kinds of tweets & pics shared. Will this person help me grow as an educator? The number of followers I find an interesting stat but not a number by which to make decisions.
Now the real question for me is--Is that last statement true? Or am I swayed by the number without realizing? Thanks for making me think.

11/3/2013 09:54:49 am

Hi Catina, thanks for your comment. I think that a bio/description, location, and quality contributions on the person's profile helps me make a decision of whether I follow them. I have been guilty of following people because a number of others do, and this post is a product of that reflection. But I've also considered unfollowing people that don't add insight or challenge to the conversation, but rather, only share their own posts/materials. This is a loaded conversation and one I won't stop thinking about soon.

Dean Shareski link

11/3/2013 09:47:16 am

I don't really actively look for new followers. My rule is generally, if someone starts a conversation with me, I'll most often follow them.

That said, those with the loudest voices often get the most RTs which means, I don't necessarily have to follow them to get there good stuff. I'm more interested in finding those folks with fewer followers that I might miss that I find interesting. For me, interesting, isn't necessarily about the value to me as a learner. That always seems a bit consumerish, in that we determine people's value. I'd rather just find people that are interesting, not because they send great links or provide brilliant insights but because they seem like people I'd like to have dinner with. I always advocate for us to consider the fact that we call it "social media" for a reason. It's social.

I really try to assess people not on how much "value" they add but whether or not I'd like to hang out with them. I suppose that's a value of sorts too but hopefully a bit more human and less about me ranking them as an educator based on links or pithy quotes.

11/3/2013 10:01:59 am

Thanks for commenting, Dean. I think that you have valid points about how we measure "value" in a conversation. That will keep me thinking for awhile.

My view is that there are some users who are only in it to hear their own voice. They have lost the view of making those social connections, whether for educational or otherwise, and instead are focused on:

a) plugging their own materials
b) gaining following/"edufame"
c) shutting down those who disagree with them without another thought

That close-mindedness concerns me greatly as we discuss a push for growth mindsets in education. Progress won't happen until we listen to one another. I do not think you're one who is guilty of not listening.

11/3/2013 10:20:21 am

The moment someone pulls that crap, I'm done. I want to connect with real people, not people acting like "brands", carefully crafting every tweet as a marketing tool. In the end, those folks get called out.

I know in this case, you're fearful to reference any specific examples, and I understand that but maybe it's difficult to address some of these issues without referencing examples. To be truthful, I'm having a bit of a hard time thinking of many that fall into this category, perhaps because I'd never follow them.

Zoe Bettess link

11/3/2013 10:44:23 am

You have asked some thought provoking questions. I don't think the number of followers we have should influenced how and what we tweet yet at times it might. Personally, I still contributed and made useful connections when I only had a few followers. Those earlier followers are still the ones I have the most engaging conversations and connect with the most. My thoughts are still my thoughts regardless of the number of followers I have. Thanks for this great post.

11/5/2013 11:09:18 am

Thanks for your thoughts and taking the time to comment, Zoe! You are a valuable part of my PLN!

Justin Stortz link

11/5/2013 08:35:12 am

Very interesting ideas. I've had a discussion like this with my 11-yr.-old many times. Younger people especially seemed preoccupied with follower counts. I see it on Instagram the most.

For younger people, it seems to be what it's all about. The metric is the same as fame and influence.

I honestly don't think some of these social networks would exist without the follower counts. It's what makes it a game and gives it that addictive quality. It's the same with likes, favorites, retweets, loves, and to a certain extent, comments.

I think far fewer people would post if there wasn't such a simple and immediate feedback mechanism.

Definitely food for thought.

<a href="http://twitter.com/newfirewithin">- @newfirewithin</a>

11/5/2013 11:20:07 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment, Justin. I would agree that this is more problematic in circles external to the online edu-world, particularly with kids. That opens up another great discussion about digital citizenship, footprint, and how anything kids post can come back to haunt them. That micro-expressive "like" isn't always doing you the favours you want it to.

Glen link

11/6/2013 06:12:37 am

As much as I'd love these types of numbers not to matter, we can't control public opinion. Right or wrong, numbers will influence opinion. Generally, those that have higher numbers will have higher influence in communities that they participate in. Human socializing will always involve an "in-crowd" to some degree. Great post, thanks!

11/6/2013 11:15:02 am

Thanks for commenting, Glen. I agree that public opinions on numbers will never go away. But I do think that sometimes users can let their large numbers fog the greater purpose of the tool. In our case, educators need to focus on one thing: betterment of student learning - and that's not a number to be quantified on Twitter.

Sergio Villegas link

11/6/2013 11:36:10 am

Victoria

First off love how you maintain and encourage your "contributors" e.g. people who comment. Solid Modeling (people watching at home: take notes).

Gladwell (Canadian) makes a similar comment to this about University Graduation. If he were EduCzar for a day, the Gladwell rule would be that once you graduate from a University, no one can ever talk about where they went, only what they did and what they learned.

The question you dropped is solid and I full on intend to spend the rest of my days asking people that question (full citation for sure) because it that good.

Keep it up!

11/10/2013 04:35:23 am

Hey Sergio,

Thanks for commenting and for the kind words. Very appreciated.

vicky link

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