Over the last couple of weeks, I have been asked for an abundance of retweets (RT) on Twitter. From straight out begging, "please, please, please RT" to bribing with the promise of a "super prize", "RT & Follow for a chance to win an all paid vacation to beautiful Macomb, IL".For Twitter nOObs, a RT is simply asking your followers to tweet your tweet to their followers hence, in all likelihood, getting you more followers (and some think Twitter is complicated).
I generally have never asked for a RT. Actually, up until last week, I never have but after receiving a good fifteen requests for RTs, I went ahead and sent a tongue-in-cheek, "let me join in the fun...RT and Follow @bbradley1975 for a chance to get really good karma."
Is asking for a RT bad netiquette? That is the tough question. Make you look desperate? Maybe. Bad netiquette? Probably not. The purpose of Twitter is to spread information (and to find out what you are eating at this exact minute or what time you plan to go to bed tonight) and if your information is worth the world to see, asking for a RT is acceptable.
That being said, please use this criteria before asking for a RT.
1.) Current content. I try to stay on top of current geeky happenings as they happen. I even have a weekly round-up of things that happen at the end of the week. Posting a link to last week's Geeky Round-up three months from now would be poor netiquette. And, asking for a RT would be really bad netiquette.
2.) Good content. Asking for a RT on an article that is two paragraphs long about the author's favorite flavor of Popsicle may not be the greatest example of the power of the RT. Asking for RT should be reserved for links or tweets that either, a.) you feel is entertaining; b.) is a useful link; c.) shows something unique that your followers may take interest.
3.) The prizes are real. I keep getting the "RT & Follow for a chance to win..." and always instantly wonder, how do I know there is even a prize to win? If you think about it, if some random user posts a, "RT @myname and follow to win a iPad" and you do it. Then some time goes by and you don't think about it again. Neither does the twelve-hundred other followers this user got from the promised prize that no one won. But you will be swamped with spam until you unfollow that user. I try to reserve my "RT & Follow to win" for sites that are established and I may actually win the prize promised.
In the end, asking for a RT should be reserved for the rare occasion where you feel your content is directly worth it. Doing it too often may make your followers feel used and make you look desperate. That being said...for the love of all that is worth anything in this world - - - please, please, please RT this article for a chance to win four delicious fruity pebbles.
To follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/bbradley1975
And for those curious about the title of this post, I just grabbed this from eTree and was listening while I wrote this - Phish 4/24/93 (SBD) - Give it a listen
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