Archives For twitter

See how many fake Twitter followers someone has

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Social media allows anyone to look popular and credible. You can buy 5000 Twitter followers for $5 (or Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube friends) and this makes it difficult to see who you can really trust.

Fakers @ Status People is a tool to help. It lets you see how many fake Twitter followers someone has:

Fakers Wall

 

How to use Fakers to find out how many fake Twitter followers someone has

1. Sign in for free with your Twitter account

Click 'Connect to Twitter' to sign up for free

Click ‘Connect to Twitter’ to sign up for free

2. Click to authorise Fakers to login with your Twitter details

'Authorise app' to login to Fakers using your Twitter account. No Tweets shall be sent from your profile.

‘Authorise app’ to login to Fakers using your Twitter account. No Tweets shall be sent from your profile.

3. Wait as Fakers scans your own Twitter account to see how many fake followers you have

Watch a pretty blue spiral spin as Fakers calculates how many fake profiles you have following your Twitter account

Watch a pretty blue spiral spin as Fakers calculates how many fake profiles you have following your Twitter account

4. Either sulk or celebrate your score

If you have a good score, share it to show off and boost credibility with your followers

If you have a good score, share it to show off and boost credibility with your followers

 

5. Try someone else’s Twitter profile

Take a look at some other Twitter profiles - maybe people you follow or tend to recommend. Are they who they say they are?

Take a look at some other Twitter profiles – maybe people you follow or tend to recommend. Are they who they say they are?

Future of social media influence scores

Future social media influence scores such as Klout may take fake followers into account. There’s no reason why Fakers cannot share their APIs with third-party applications and make their fake-scanning technology available for all.

What does this mean?

Being found to have fake Twitter followers tinges your reputation. For example, Tim Ferriss above has 11% fake followers – that’s over 44,000 profiles.

Yet before rushing to judge, this does not mean he, or anyone else with a similar score, added these themselves. To look legitimate fake Twitter profiles follow real people. They also use computer bots to re-tweet real Twitter users. If a fake Twitter profile is trying to look like they’re interested in outsourcing, book publishing and lifestyle design, it’s only normal that they’d follow someone like Tim Ferriss who is an author on all those subjects.

Should I, or should I not buy fake Twitter followers?

Large Twitter followings do give instant credibility to onlookers, but not influence. You’ll be Tweeting to a wall. Best Twitter practice is to find real and relevant Twitter users and build your following slowly over time (read my eBook, Tom’s Twitter Blueprint).

I’ve bought thousands of fake followers, what should I do?

If you’ve already bought thousands of fake followers and want to reduce your risk of being caught out and receiving negative publicity, there are a number of options you can do:

1. Confess – Write a blog post outlining exactly what you did and why – you were experimenting with digital marketing to see what would happen. Describe the results (if they’re positive i.e. drove organic growth, then you were smart and it’s a win for you. If they’re negative and nothing happened, then say you’ve stopped and are sharing the insight to others – a win for you.) Now, if anyone does raise the fact, you can point them to your blog post and show them that it’s old news.

2. Reduce the proportion – Win real Twitter followers quickly by advertising on Twitter, engaging in popular #hashtag conversations and conducting large quantities of legitimate Twitter action.

3. Block your followers – You can block your fake followers (follow WikiHow instructions) one at a time. This might take a while.

4. Delete your account – Delete your Twitter account and start again.

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I want a toffee

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New Year: New Desire

 

New years bring new ideas and new desires. Last year, I felt I had dived into the startup world by creating the networking group London Startups. But, whilst spending Christmas with family in Malaysia, I read about Nick D’Aloisio – a 17 year-old who gained a million dollars investment for his startup, Summly (read my article about it on Huffington Post). Realising then that I knew depressingly little about startups and only knew of them, my resolution was/is to get behind the faces and figure it out: Who are these 17 year-olds having all the fun, and how are they doing it?

If you’re signed up to my newsletter, you’ll see I’ve begun asking startups and entrepreneurs for interviews. Already a dozen or so have come forward and I’m extremely grateful. To my surprise, they’re not all technology buffs like Nick, but a whole range of new companies and ideas: Bikini lines, pop-up camping, condoms, autographs… The nice thing is that they blend technology seamlessly within their companies. With no idea where this will go, the aim is really to discover the who, what, how and why of startups. It’s a journey that guides itself – people introduce me to others, and really, the story will be led by opportunity.

Through the interviews I’m discovering that the story may well have to be more than outsiders’ observations. Otherwise, it’d just be a series of interviews and that’d be a bit boring wouldn’t it? Somewhere along the line, I know I’ll have to get involved. And I am.

Ruby on Rails is a web application framework that I’ve committed to learning outside of work hours. You can follow my painstaking progress on Twitter (@tomchurch). I interviewed an incredible man called Ian, who realised after months of searching that sometimes you just won’t find a developer willing to build your idea for equity. So, despite having three kids and a full-time job, he taught himself Ruby on Rails and built the thing himself (you’ll soon learn what it was). That kind of determination and grit is what I’m looking for in the interviews – learning about the truth behind startups; it’s not all cosy ego-stroking.

The journey, the interviews, the lessons, the progress, will all be shared in the spirit of the internet world we live in. No, that doesn’t mean for free. It means truthfully. Communication Is The Key, the blog you’re reading now, was originally created with a how-to perspective in mind. That’s boring as hell to write, and more boring to read. How many times do you now see things like:

  • 7 Steps to Social Media
  • How to be amazing in no time at all
  • Free everything: Simple tricks that work

I’m guilty of writing such headline diarrhoea - but no more! This blog is now fast, simple and honest. A second commitment to you and to myself is that I only have 20 minutes to write each post; Preventing over-contemplation and philosophical waffle that, let’s face it, is dry as a bone and not what you want to read when you’re short on time.

This is now set to move quite rapidly, so make sign up to the newsletter and learn when interviews become available.

In Communication Is The Key, startups , , , , , ,
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Kill the marketing stamp

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When people first start looking online for marketing advice they’re swamped with things to do: Make a Twitter! Do it on Facebook! Keep a blog! Google! Upload YouTube videos! Advertising!

It’s like someone’s created a stamp with these words carved into it and every new business that comes along gets it pressed on their forehead.

But that doesn’t fit for every business. Should a laundromat really keep a Twitter profile? Should a bailiff company create a Facebook fan page?

If you just do it because everyone says you should, then you’re missing the point and will get bad results. Having no profile is better than having a dead profile.

To know what and where to market, ask yourself these two questions:

  • Who is my target audience?
  • Where is my target audience?
When your washing machine breaks down and you need a local laundromat, will you turn to Twitter? No. When your business requires professional bailiff services, will you go to Facebook? No.
Flip your thinking and start looking through the eyes of your customer.
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Integrated Communications

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If you want your message to ripple across the pond of noise, you have to use an integrated communications strategy. It’s true in life that some people listen to the radio on the way to work whilst others watch TV before going to bed; Some pick up the newspaper on the train, others read Tweets. Focus solely on one channel, and you miss everyone else.

Unlike what most ‘modern marketers’ say these days, social media isn’t everything. 7 million people in the UK listen to BBC Radio 1 every morning and 2 million tuned in to Channel 4 to watch people getting high on Ecstasy live. There are so many more channels than just Twitter and Facebook.

To get across all of them, you have to create a narrative that will stick on TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, blogs and on social media. If you can make a message work well on each and every one, you’ve got a winner. So how do you go about doing that?

First, look inwards. Who are you trying to reach? Bring them in to your organisation and ask them to be a part of it. Ask the very people you’re trying to target to help you design the campaign. This in itself is a story – you could make it a competition and invite a relevant magazine to a behind-the-scenes exclusive.

Then invite bigger names to get involved; it’s kind of like getting sponsors for an event. If what you’re doing is noteworthy, you’ll pick up some interest from bigger brands (or individuals) quite easily. Don’t be afraid to pay for it either, celebrity endorsement is as common as odd socks. Partner with them and stand on their shoulders. This will open the media’s doors as they’re already interested.

Use everything as content. Get interviews on local radio and TV networks for your partners – ask them to talk about your message in return.  Write press releases quoting the partners from the interviews: ‘As Tom Church recently said on Sky News…’ Send the releases to all news desks and relevant blogs (where possible, call first). Take pictures of your press cuttings, and share them (and/or links) on your social media channels.

If you’re really smart, you’ll get the last part to feed back into the top, keeping the conversation going and the ripples ever flowing. So when you’re thinking about how to get your message out there, don’t worry so much about what tools you’re going to use – whether it’s a Twitter account or on blogs – focus on your narrative and how it could work on every channel.

In Communication, Communication Is The Key, Public Relations, Social Media , , , , , , , , , ,
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Free eBook: Tom’s Twitter Blueprint

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Twitter is a minefield. Take the right steps and you can reach your goal. Take the wrong steps and it can end in disaster. Today, I’m giving you my eBook, Tom’s Twitter Blueprint, completely for free.

Gain access by clicking ‘like’, ‘tweet’ or ‘G+’ below:

The content will then appear beneath.

 

 

 

 

For the last few months, I’ve been experimenting with over a dozen Twitter accounts (fake, of other participants, and my own @tomchurch) testing a whole host of things.

I purchased every premium software package and professional service available online. I bought thousands of fake followers to see if they lead to organic growth (they don’t). I advertised on all the social networks and interviewed people who have learnt to gain Twitter success the hard way: Through trial and error. And together, these lessons have been put into one succinct and free eBook: Tom’s Twitter Blueprint.

Download it today by clicking one of the social media buttons above. A unique download link will then appear (as a .PDF). Enjoy it, try it, and share it.

Thank you for being a reader of Communication Is The Key. This is my way of giving back and showing that I really appreciate it! Let me know what you think on Twitter.

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How to get a better Klout score: Cheat

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In three weeks, you can be more influential than Warren Buffet. Or can you?

Cheat your way to the top of Klout

Klout claims it ‘measures your influence on your social networks’. It doesn’t. It measures how many re-tweets and Facebook likes you get (alongside a few other meaningless statistics) and then churns that into a single score.

Anyone can cheat their way into getting a killer Klout score, which is why you should take it with a pinch of salt. In this blog post, I show how easy it is to artificially boost your Klout score (and thus how pointless it is).

To experiment, I created a fake account on Twitter, Facebook and various other platforms, then used Klout for about three weeks, got my score to level 59 (higher than Warren Buffett, David Cameron and Angela Merkel – but was I more influential?) and then stopped.

If you’re using Klout, want to know what it’s all about, or are basing any kind of decision on it, read this post.

Continue reading “How to get a better Klout score: Cheat” »

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Why I’ve Said Goodbye To Twitter

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Friends

The Twitter follower count is the world’s largest insecurity index. All day and all night, teenagers, adults, businesses and charities spend all their time watching this number. Is it going up? Why is it going down?!

At the same time, there is the invisible understanding of Twitter which when revealed is a great big paradox: If you follow me, I’ll look popular and influential. I know you’re not really reading my Tweets, but that’s OK, as long as you don’t tell anyone. Furthermore, I’ll do the same for you back!

The Twitterverse is full of people pretending to follow eachother. Yes, there are a few that really are followed. Yes, there are a few that really are influential. And yes, there are a few that really do make money. But they have something to offer, and normally that offerring is outside of Twitter (and normally those people aren’t really those people, because they have a team of PR experts working fulltime on their social media profiles).

So now that I’ve uncovered the truth that you already knew, what do we do? I don’t want to waste my life staring at a meaningless number. It would be different if that number represented people I knew face-to-face. It would be different if that number represented people who knew what I do and would recommend me. It would be different if I cared for that number and the sum of its parts, and it would be very different if that number cared for me.

Thus last night, I turned my back on Twitter. I said goodnight and logged off.

Now I’m working on a new number: 250. I want to have a contact list of 250 people that I care about and that care about me. I want to know them by a first name basis, I want to know what they do, and how they do it. I want to keep in touch on a consistent basis and I want to have the confidence that they would recommend me to any friend.

That is a much harder challenge then getting 10,000 Twitter followers. It’s also more rewarding, fun and (believe it or not), social. I hope that you will join me in this venture, to stop being so connected and start being more social.

Frowning

Arguments against:

10,000 followers obviously gives you more reach, more opportunities, more potential. Does it really? If each of the 250 people I knew had 100 friends they were close to, that gives me a social network of 25,000 (via one degree of separation). And they’d be far more likely to recommend me to their friend, then someone they’ve never met on Twitter.

It’s not scalable, you’re stuck at 250. This is only true if you assume close friendships require a high frequency of meeting. In truth, friendships are based upon quality not quantity. If it were the other way around then your milkman or grocery store shop assistant would be your best friend. I can think of dozens of people I spent only a day or two with, but would welcome them into my house in two years time without any intermediate contact. It’s about the quality of the interaction, not the quantity.

But you said you want to keep in touch consistently. Yes, and unlike Twitter that doesn’t have to be ten times a day, everyday. All that’s required is a phone call once a month. A Christmas card, a birthday card, a lunch here and a dinner there. You can do things together that you enjoy – go to the same gym, play in a sports team, work together or even live together. Very rarely are all your friends in different circles. Often you can meet as a group, organise something and do an activity together. And that memory is infinitely more powerful then any Twitter conversation.

It’d be impossible to remember all those details though! There are tools that you can use. I’ve been trying out Highrise and that’s the best by far. It enables you to import your contacts, tag them, and keep notes. You can set automatic reminders about birthdays, and create scheduled tasks (reminders etc.). You can BCC emails so they automatically get grouped under the contact, and you can upload files if needed. It does take time however. For example you have to upload a photo of each contact individually. You have to manually type the notes and make sure it stays updated. But it’s this very process that maintains the high quality of your relationship. If it were easy, if you could just sync it to Facebook or Twitter, there’d be no point. The fact that you’ve invested your time and effort into it, will reflect in how you use your tool. (Oh, and it’s free for personal use).

How is Twitter any different to blogging? This is the toughest question, and for now I believe that blogging allows one to develop more of an argument and discussion, to go into depth and to analyse something in full. Blogging gives a richness that 140 characters does not.

Conclusion

I may not be off Twitter forever. First I want to develop a core group of 250 contacts through which opportunities arise from a referral basis. Once that solid foundation is set, then, if there is a need, I will start contributing through Twitter again, but always with the goal of converting the relationship on Twitter to that of in person.

In Marketing, Opinion, Social Media , , , , , ,
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