Twitter Reputation: How to Build a Meaningful Following

I just found this article at Search Engine Land by Eric Ward about a potential “Twitter Reputation Algorithm” and how it should work.

The article is very interesting on a number of levels. First, Twitter’s real potential is as a real time search engine. When Gmail crashes, I check Twitter to see if it’s just my account or if it’s a global issue. When the USAir plane crashed into the Hudson, the news broke on Twitter. So, now that Twitter is starting to index links, this will create more value for the real time search aspect.

However, Eric’s article is also useful for those of you new to Twitter. Eric discusses what should and should not influence the potential algorithm:

Follower Count Shouldn’t Matter
Age of Twitter Account Shouldn’t Matter
Frequency of Tweets Shouldn’t Matter
Co-Follower Rate Should Matter
Followers of Your Followers and Their Tweets Should Matter

I completely agree with Eric on these main points. If you’re new to Twitter, head over to SEL and read the whole article. Think about why Eric makes these suggestions and, as you develop your Twitter presence, keep all of these suggestions in mind.