To Follow Or Not To Follow?
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
September 7, 2016 8:24am CST
When I first joined Mylot I didn't really see what advantage there was in following anyone. In those days (a year ago), there wasn't the option of clicking on 'their discussions' in order to see the posts of those you were following. Now that we have that, it is worth doing.
I was talking to @Inlemay about this, and I must admit I've been a bit lax in following people because I wait and see if they are worth following, then forget to do it when it seems that they are.
So I have lots of people that I should be following, but I'm not. Then if I realise I'm not, I'm sometimes too embarrassed to do it as it will let them know I wasn't doing it before.
. Lol - does that make any sense? These may be people who I'm interacting with on a regular basis, who would perhaps assume that I do follow them.
Do you have a 'following' strategy, or do you just follow everyone who follows you?
Photo is mine of geese following each other
. Lol - does that make any sense? These may be people who I'm interacting with on a regular basis, who would perhaps assume that I do follow them.
Do you have a 'following' strategy, or do you just follow everyone who follows you?
Photo is mine of geese following each other86 people like this
85 responses
@LadyDuck (472004)
• Switzerland
7 Sep 16
In the beginning I followed several users that after a few days disappeared. Since than I have become more cautious and I do what you do. I check their profile first. I see if they write interesting discussions and finally I wait a few days to see if they interact with me. This is what makes me decide, if they do not interact, I do not follow.
13 people like this
@andriaperry (117138)
• Anniston, Alabama
8 Sep 16
Well I can say that I have had to disappear from time to time because of work or work and sickness. But I always come back.
9 people like this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
7 Sep 16
I tend to (but not always) only follow people who have read and commented on something I've posted. Similarly I rarely just follow someone without first having responded to one of their discussions.
That strategy tends to keep me away from the 'here today gone tomorrow' types who are mistaken in their impression that they'll earn loads of money by getting as many followers as possible without actually interacting with them.
11 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80659)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7 Sep 16
@jaboUK I usually follow those who follow me. However at first I had a tendency to follow those whose discussions I really enjoyed so I am following more than those who are following me. However right now I have a nice group that I enjoy interacting with and I love it when I can recognize everyone's name and can look forward to see what they've been up to
5 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
7 Sep 16
Beautiful photo.And the geese are" following "each other.Once in a while I do search for the discussions of those I am following.
And you are right.There are many with whom we interact on a daily basis.But if we check we can see we are not following each other.These days If those who are interacting with me follow me I follow back.
5 people like this
@vandana7 (100545)
• India
8 Sep 16
@silvermist .. I guess many arrive here hoping to make more monies, and then leave.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Sep 16
@silvermist Thanks, I thought the photo was appropriate.
Sometimes people follow us without having any interaction at all - those aren't worth following back.
3 people like this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14351)
• West Haven, Connecticut
7 Sep 16
Nice pic, I usually follow anyone who takes the time out to follow me!
8 people like this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14351)
• West Haven, Connecticut
7 Sep 16
@vandana7 Aww thanks Vanny! You amongst my favorite and active followers
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
7 Sep 16
Funny you should bring that up @jaboUK . On Monday I decided to go and check who was following me and came across several that I had been reading their posts but hadn't followed them. I thought I already had. Oops.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Sep 16
@nanette64 Oops indeed, but it doesn't really matter whether we follow or not - we usually find people anyway. But it can be convenient to find them under their discussions button.
2 people like this
@much2say (55912)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Sep 16
I know what you mean by being too embarrassed to do it . . . but I think of us here as family - so no one will really mind . I don't really have a strategy . . . if I really like you, I will find you whether we follow each other or not. And in that sense a follow list would help in case a name is not ingrained yet or if I need a reminder of who I haven't gotten to in a while (we have a big family here 
).
. I don't really have a strategy . . . if I really like you, I will find you whether we follow each other or not. And in that sense a follow list would help in case a name is not ingrained yet or if I need a reminder of who I haven't gotten to in a while (we have a big family here ).4 people like this
@much2say (55912)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Sep 16
@jaboUK Well, I noticed there were some folks I didn't "follow" but for some reason I always see them either in recent discussions or in my notifications . . . so they are just "there". As long as we are communicating, then I'm following them without the follow button .
.2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Sep 16
@much2say Lol - you are the first one to say that you know what I mean about being embarrassed - I just don't like to call their attention to the fact that I wasn't already following them
Yes, we usually do find the posts of our friends anyway, but sometimes it's handy to go straight to them without wading through the 'most recent' list.
Yes, we usually do find the posts of our friends anyway, but sometimes it's handy to go straight to them without wading through the 'most recent' list.1 person likes this
@rebelann (112962)
• El Paso, Texas
8 Sep 16
I love the photo, makes me wish I were there trying to capture those geese.
There's no reason to be embarrassed about deciding to follow since in all likelihood many of us have done and are doing the same thing. I began following those I'd come to know on other sites right off and sometimes I come across someone I thought I'd already begun to follow but apparently the system glitched when I hit that button ..... I just hit it whenever I remember to look but I don't worry a lot about it because the most important thing here on mylot is to have conversations and boy do we have conversations, it's so much fun here.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (51485)
• Canada
7 Sep 16
When I first joined the site I think that I had the old mindset that it was all about following members, but I don't think that is the case here really. I find that I have so much fun with so many members, following or not, it doesn't seem to matter really. I have a list of those that I follow, but at a certain point, I just stopped adding members, but still love to read their discussions and wouldn't miss them for anything.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
7 Sep 16
i tend to test the waters a bit myself 'fore followin' someone. i used to read 2-4 discussions 'f theirs 'n make a decision...that's proved unwise 't times so 'm now a tad more cautious.
i dunno how many e'en pay mind to who's followin' 'em? most 'f the folks that 're followin' me i've ne'er heard a peep outta 'n though i've read some 'f their discussions (e'en responded to some) they jest aint my cuppa tea.
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Sep 16
@crazyhorseladycx The only time who is following me matters is when I want to suggest a post, and then I have to go through a whole lot of dross to get to the ones I want. That's why I go through the list occasionally to delete the 'non-participants'.
Myself, I only follow those I really like, but as I said in the post, I don't always do that. It doesn't make much difference, it's just that you can get to their posts quicker through the 'their discussions' button if you follow them.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Sep 16
@crazyhorseladycx Yes, some people don't like getting the 'suggestions' - I pretty much know who they are. I don't often suggest anyway.
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
8 Sep 16
@jaboUK ugh, i gave 'p tryin' to suggest anythin' to anybody, lol. got reamed by several folks via p.m. fer doin' such.
i know what'cha mean, hon. swimmin' through 'em all can be most dauntin'. these days i've no method to my madness :)
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
7 Sep 16
A very good question. I have a trick I learned from @JolietJake to rid myself of a Follow from someone who contributes little... which coincidentally keeps my Suggestion list manageable.
And though it takes a while before I'll Follow someone, their track record is what makes me take the plunge, regardless of whether they follow me or not.
Is that what you hoped to learn? 
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Sep 16
@pgntwo What do you mean? How to rid myself of unwanted followers? I do already know how to do that, and cleanse my list periodically.
What I'm really talking about here is who and why I choose to follow, and they are easily unfollowed if I so wish. I do the same as you - their track record means more than whether they are following me.
What I'm really talking about here is who and why I choose to follow, and they are easily unfollowed if I so wish. I do the same as you - their track record means more than whether they are following me.3 people like this
@akalinus (43334)
• United States
8 Sep 16
I don't have much of a strategy. I look at the page. If there are no discussions, comments, mentions, followers, I don't follow right away. When I see some activity and it looks okay, I follow. I will unfollow if the person is a nuisance or they just joined to sell something or promote something.
3 people like this
@just4him (317249)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
8 Sep 16
I usually wait to find out if they are going to be around for a while, or will disappear like the mist at daybreak. I sometimes forget to follow a person, but I do follow them when I realize I haven't and thought I did. No worries if you haven't followed me in the past. I quite understand.
3 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
8 Sep 16
Well I followed you...and even asked questions about it.No specific strategy,
A follow quote. just for fun:
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.... Albert Camus
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Sep 16
@responsiveme You went about things the right way when you first joined (I don't mean by following me
), so you didn't just follow willy nilly.
I love the quote.
), so you didn't just follow willy nilly.
I love the quote.1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
8 Sep 16
@jaboUK hee hee I followed my heart but took my brain along....and thats not original its a take off on a quote.
But always glad you were around when I first joined .
But always glad you were around when I first joined .1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
8 Sep 16
I tend to follow people I knew before more than new people I see about the site. I'm much the same as you. I think we were burnt in that sense at bubblews and for that reason we want to make sure people are really active before following them.
It doesn't bother me at all if I choose to finally follow someone long after I've been seeing them around the site, in fact, a few folks have followed me recently so they must not have been too concerned about that.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Sep 16
@MarshaMusselman Those three that you mention were all on Bubblews.
As you say, we need never be short of posts to read here.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Sep 16
@MarshaMusselman When I first joined I followed most of my Bubblews friends to give myself a base, but only added the occasional one after that.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
8 Sep 16
@jaboUK Well after being here a few months, I'm sure a lot of those of us that were at bubblews also are following many of the same people that never wrote there, like Barry, Arthur, Owl and many others.
With this site showing all the activity we all take part in, even if we've not followed as many as some do, we can always find someone new or different to check out by looking at the activity pages. In fact, sometimes I get lost looking at those rather than visiting with the person I planned on in the first place.
2 people like this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
7 Sep 16
I'm really very haphazard about following people on myLot. It's a matter of not paying attention. I do try to respond to every response I get but I forget to follow people. I'm still learning on this site.
2 people like this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
7 Sep 16
@jaboUK Good idea. I'm going to try that.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Sep 16
@TheHorse I do that too, but use the 'their discussions' button to try and make sure that I haven't missed any posts from my good friends. I also frequent the 'most recent' list and read anything of interest there - it doesn't matter if I'm following the posters or not.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40317)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Sep 16
I'm the same way. I tend to interact the most with people I feel a relationship or connection with.
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
7 Sep 16
Great picture. I usually follow people who follow me. I am not really sure of the benefit of following people though.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Sep 16
@Happy2BeMe The trouble with following everybody who follows you is that a lot of them 'fall by the wayside' and you never see them again. I've literally had hundreds of those - I go through my list periodically to weed them out.
The only time it affects me is when I want to suggest a post (which I do very rarely), and have to wade through the list of unknown people clogging it up. We can only 'suggest' to those who are following us.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
7 Sep 16
@jaboUK Oh ok..thanks for explaining that to me. I wasn't sure how it worked.
1 person likes this
