Twitter is one of my favorite social networking sites. It’s quick, easy, and fun, and thanks to a mention over at Mashable, I’ve been getting an extra influx of Twitter followers lately. As of this post, I’m following 435 Tweeps (a term used for those on Twitter) and I’m being followed by 629 Tweeps. Yes, that’s correct: I don’t necessarily follow everyone who follows me. That’s because, even though I really can’t keep up with 435 people, I try to select who I follow based on some basic criteria:

– Does the Tweep have a bio that tells me who he/she is? If no bio, no following!

– Does the Tweep have an interest in jewelry and/or crafting of any kind? If yes, then that’s a person I follow back.

– Does the Tweep seem to have any coherent updates? If not, I don’t follow. What’s the point?

– Does the Tweep DM five minutes after I follow trying to sell me something? If yes, then I un-follow the Tweep, and generally, any Tweep that DMs me with any sale info (unless requested by me), I un-follow. That’s just not cool. It’s actually spam IMO.

– Does the Tweep have any shared interests (outside of crafts) such as books or pets? If so, then I follow.

– Does the Tweep seem to prefer preaching about any number of topics, from religion to politics? If so, then I don’t follow.

I get all kinds of great information on Twitter, and it’s a good place to feed my blogs into or just post about new crafting tutorials I publish on-line. And, yes, I admit to providing other information that isn’t necessarily Earth-shattering, such as the fact that I may be tucking my cats in for the night or what I’m having for lunch, but that’s what Twitter is all about, an on-going, big, crazy conversation with hundreds of your web friends and associates.

Tweet on! Oh, and of course, feel free to follow me!