The choice to follow back “a select group or all” should depend on your reason for being on Twitter. I prefer a network of people in web design or graphics to learn trends for my core business, plus meet interesting or entertaining people. I’m on Twitter to learn and contribute as I interact on a professional level plus more informally on a personal level to keep it real.

I’m not selling, so I’m not building a list or feeding the ego by acquiring a large following for the sake of numbers.

I don’t follow back 100%. If a follower tweets to provide value and interact on a personal level (even if not directly to me), that’s ok. Others who don’t reveal a real name, company, or organization, never @ or RT, only tweet hard sell and self promotion, or offend my sense of morality won’t be followed.

While the real character of someone you follow on Twitter can be disguised behind false information like age, gender, job title, photo, and more, I tend to follow those who I would be just as likely to entertain or interact with in a real world situation and assume their online personna is accurate.

I have talked by phone or Skype with a handful of followers, and actually met the very first person who followed me when they visited Florida recently. Their real information was easy to confirm, and the nature of their tweets was mature and professional. Still, we met over breakfast in a public setting as opposed to a truly private meeting. Otherwise, I urge caution for anyone considering a one on one tweetup.

Want to learn more about my tweets or those I follow? View my web design related Twitter account @JimDegerstrom for a preview.