I am going to start this post by whining.

Every Friday, I get several hundred followers.

Ok, done whining.

Every Friday, I get several hundred new Twitter followers. When it first started, I would try and follow everyone back. “How nice these folks are,” I thought to myself, “they are following me because of the whole #followfriday thing.”

Then starting Saturday, I start to lose followers. By Thursday, about 80% of the original batch of new followers is gone. Then Friday rolls around, and the same thing happens again. It doesnt matter if I follow folks or not, about 80% of the people who follow me on Friday disappear by the next Friday.

Which got me thinking. Why do people follow someone else on Twitter?

I wrote about the six reasons why I unfollow people. Perhaps it would be interesting to list the 6 reasons why I follow people. (Sort of a ying to the yang.)

1) I know you

That is actually not true. There are a lot of people that I know that I dont follow. I dont follow folks that tweet too much, or tweet links constantly, or tweet things that I just dont find interesting.

2) I like you

Ok, this is really not completely true either. I do follow people I dont really like. Mostly because they are interesting, but also because its as important to hear things from people you dont like as from people you do like.

3) I want to know you

When Twitter started there was this concept of ambient intimacy, which basically meant that I could get to know you just by reading your tweets, and, of course, in return, you could know about me. That look into the banal existence we all lead creates an intimacy. This ambient intimacy also occurs through interaction. If we interact, I am much more likely to follow you.

4) I want you to know me

Im a cool dude. I know this. Sometimes, there are folks I wish also knew this. Im vain. What do you want?

5) I want to try you on

Im not sure if I really do like you. Im not sure if you would like me. So I try people on. Follow them for a bit, and then either keep following them, or unfollow them. No harm done. No ill intent meant.

6) you teach me without trying

Pretty sure you dont mean to, but you say things that are educational to me. Not sure if they are educational to anyone else. Sometimes I learn humor. Sometimes I learn heartache. Sometimes I learn that you had 51 cans in your first cooler and 39 can in your second cooler. Even if I dont know whats in the cans (but can guess).

Here is the bottom line: I make my rules.

There is no obligation on my part to follow you (or you to follow me). I dont care if you included me in a #followfriday tweet, or even tweeted that I should follow you, because I make my rules. I choose to follow or not follow.

And, here is the most important takeaway: You make your rules.

Dont follow me because someone suggested it.That should just give me the honor of you checking me out.

Please allow me to earn your follow. Please require me to adhere to all your rules. Please force me to live up to your expectations.

And if I dont?

Please dont follow me.