Twitter #followbackgame
Rules of the #FollowBackGame
Short Rules(more guidelines, really):
Tweet 2 users who are likely to follow back a question with the tag #followbackgame, they reply to your question, to all users mentioned and add one of their own who will follow back. After answering your question, they can ask one of their own if they want.
Important for momentum of the game: When space is limited(which, you know, it's twitter) add the new follower to the middle, replace the user at the end.
The Long Rules:
The first rule of #followbackgame, is there are no rules! Consider these guidelines, heck, invent your own game if you like I'm just starting this so it's a brave new world!!
The idea is to get followers while having fun and not just thwacking people with #followme requests!
1) Send a #followbackgame tweet to 2 people who allready follow you, or you have good reason to believe will follow you and others back, ask a question in the middle, and put the #followbackgame hashtag in there too! If you have room, throw @followbackgame in there, because I'm definitely going to be playing!
2) The general format I use is:
#followbackgame @<1st target user>, @followbackgame (optional), <question> @another follower that follows back!
-or-
#followbackgame <question> @followbackgame to just ask a question to the world!
That way, if people feel like asking questions, they can ask, if they feel like answering, they can answer! Easy huh!
3) Replies should include the question somehow.
Kind of like this:
@patrobertson asks: @ladygaga What's your favorite kind of oatmeal? @justinbieber @followbackgame #followbackgame
@ladygaga replies: @patrobertson My favorite kind of oatmeal is Quakers @justinbieber @davidhasselhoff @followbackgame #followbackgame
If the reply is just "Quakers" you're going to mess up the rotation! so, you're call..
In fact, the hashtag can be anywhere... the question can be anything, the people can be who you want, mention @followbackgame if you want, or don't, up to you! Do your thing, it's your twitter!
Heck, don't even mention you're playing the followbackgame and tweet out the answer or just "David Hassellhoff", that is ALWAYS a valid option!... may not get you followers except some rabid Hoff fans, and you aren't technically playing the game, but what the heck, right? Tweets like "Sausage" or "I got my hair caught in the locker when I was 12" all by their lonesome need love too! :)
Tips:
-Take some care in finding the people you recommend. It's to your benefit, not just to the benefit of the people you are tweeting. If you recommend people who don't follow back, it makes you look bad AND they don't add to the chain reaction. Not to mention, having a follower you are likely to actually talk to in the future is it's own benefit!
-I don't know how this will compare to the #teamfollowback sort of promo activity in numbers, but I am pretty sure the quality of follower relationships gained will be enhanced. (The game promotes a follower that is interactive, something you want more than anything else on twitter!) That, and a lot of people get sick of seeing you tweet stuff like:
Follow @mymom #teamfollowback #400millionfollowers #DontUnfollowThisTimeGrandma @spammers @creepyguy @whothehellareyou #TFB #Youprobablyhatemebynow
Anyway, you get the picture. Promotion is promotion but if you can have some fun and learn about the people following you, your experience on Twitter will be a better one no matter what your goals on twitter!
