Spam or Bad Bio
Nolan Nardecchia | @NolanNard First there was the computer. Then came the internet. Then came internet spam. Something that all of us have to deal with on a consistant basis is spam thanks to social media platforms in today's world. But when the point of social media is to connect with users, how can you tell when someone is real or if they are spam (as in a "bot")? To clear up the confusion, I have come up with a few ways as to how to tell if an account is phony or real and how to devise a good bio for your profile so that others know that you aren't a fake account.
Ways to tell if an account is not legitimate
1. If the user keeps reposting the same thing over and over and over again
If a user tweets to you and the grammar is correct, you may think that it is a real user. However, you should first go to the user's profile and see if they are tweeting the same thing to many users. As shown below, many bots post the same thing and direct them to many users to gain attention.
2. When a user instantly replies to one of your tweets
It may seem as though you have a stalker because of the immediate response you get from someone concerning one of your tweets. It's almost as if they didn't even have enough time to read your tweet or go to the link you provided. This is most times because they didn't and that they are just a bought searching for keywords and phrases to send an instant reply to. Beware!
3. When their following-to-follower ratio is a little off
At first your personal following-to-follower ratio is going to be a little off until you gain momentum and gain followers. However, when you have an established account you will have more than 10 followers without a doubt. Make sure you check this when checking to see if an account is just spam.
4. Last but not least.... The most obvious sign: If they tell you that they are a bot!
It’s the most obvious signal if you are following a bot or not, still many people don’t realize it: they are telling you that they are a bot.
Simple Tips to Improve Your Bio
- Tell Twitter what you do in life. This may be your job or your hobbies depending on what you thinks important.
- Show a side of your personality. If your a comical person then incorporate a joke or something humorous.
- Add something a little personal but not TOO personal. This gives your readers something to know about you on a more personal level.
- To maintain a professional account, do not incorporate politics, religion or sex unless it is your profession to be speaking about such topics.
- Be real. People don't want to read something that seems like it could've been from a text book. Add voice to your tweets.
- Do not copy other user's bios! This could lead to an awkward moment when they follow you and realize you have the same biography.
Be sure to update your bio to include such important information so that people don't think that your spam. This way your communication with your followers will increase and give your followers confidence that your posts are of value.
How do you screen for spammers? Share your tips below in the comments.