On Twitter, I’m @chriscoyier.
I tweet about webby stuff a lot. But I also tweet about my life and random stuff I happen to be interested in from moment to moment. That’s just how I use Twitter. I love it.
Some people don’t like that. Once in a while people ask me to separate “web stuff” from “life stuff.” It’s tempting to just say no. I think it would suck the fun out of Twitter for me if I had to always think about what sub-set of followers I think I should send out particular tweets to. Or more to the point: if you don’t like my stream, don’t follow me. I mean that as advice. You should closely curate the people you follow on Twitter so reading tweets is enjoyable not just noise.
So I decided to be more accommodating to the folks who are interested in my “web stuff” and that’s it. There is a new Twitter account just for this site:
@real_css_tricks
This is a totally automated account. It will automatically tweet new articles, new screencasts, and new snippets. Occasionally I might retweet some in-development stuff that I post from my real Twitter account or things like particular interesting forum threads. This account probably won’t follow you back or ever reply to you. It’s just for “Twitter is the new RSS” style people that prefer to use Twitter as a stream-of-links kinda thing.
THANK YOU for not segregating your Twitter account – I’m following you as a person, not as a feed, and I can get targeted content from RSS feeds anytime. You are a web person, thus you will tweet about both web and personal stuff.
This is social media after all. :)
I second that!
and I have second that as well!!
definitly,
just don’t tweet too much about very personal stuff, but really, we need to stay in the human field…just for you to know we care about you as a person, we(b) can be sensitive !
;-)
http://www.d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y.com/
@chriscoyier: I’m all about following a “real” Tweeter vs. a digital robot.
Thanks for all the great info!
The link to your personal twitter account is wrong.
Greetings
Derp. Thanks for letting me know. Fixed. (and burying since it doesn’t matter anymore).
Chris,
I was thinking about this same dilemma this morning. Because I tend to only have a few users. Some friends pertaining to golf and some web people. I know my golf friends could care less about the latest article I read on CSS-Tricks etc. But I have also decided that it is something the will have to live with. Cheers!
Thanks for posting this. I like the random tidbits you tweet, and that its all not just web design is why I follow.
Yes like you Chris I too automate new web content on my (current) twitter account via Feedburner. That’s fine up to a point – but surely that’s what RSS feeds are for eh?
So thinking about your example here I may have a less site-bound account for general ‘chatter’.
Cheers
I
I thinks that’s kind of lame that some complain about that. Your not a robot with no personality, your allowed to talk about wtf you want.
Aww, I like you for you Chris, and not some automated script object of web-tips.
I was actually contemplating the opposite, creating one twitter account for all the web stuff/people i follow, and one for all the other stuff.
no, this is wrong, Chris, you know it. don’t separate things
And already 250+ followers. I guess there’s a need….
Not keen on automation but I will end up following anyway!
Love the advice – there are so many people out there that want to tell others the “right” way to use Twitter, Facebook, etc. There’s only one right way – the way that works for you!
I learned this lesson early on: I followed an awesome web design guru I admired, only to realize he mostly tweeted about lunch. Since this wasn’t very interesting to me, I un-followed and stuck with his books and blog :) Fixed!
That was easy.
Totally agree Chris, Twitter is about personal relations and interactions between people and should be a mix of all facets of your personality, skills and other interests.
If people what pure techie news they can just subrcibe to your RSS feed.
Keep up the great work you do on this site.
Cheers…John
PS – Feel free to follow me @SeasidersPod
I respect your decision, but i don’t think that you should change the way you tweet just because some people don’t like your tweets. I love your site, please never change the way you post.
<—! There is a white man in a circular bubble attached to a stick atached to this comment, should I be concerned?
I never knew that CSS-Tricks have an altogether different Twitter account. Thanks Chris for pointing it out.
Ok, following it too :)
I feel happy being your follower….
:)
I can understand where you are torn, because CSS Tricks has become such a living breathing thing…people expect it to mirror the larger sites that have the generic feeds.
Problem is, this site is still you doing your thing…I personally enjoy variety, if my twitter account was filled with links to articles all day long, I would never go on it.
Keep it up.
Sul