If you use twitter you probably noticed hundreds of people claiming great success because of the number of followers they have amounted. Much like having an extensive e-mail list for marketing many believe that having the largest number is the key. The truth is that the quality of the list is in the quality of the individuals on that list.

Sure Affiliate marketing is a numbers game, but it’s also about maximizing the return on your investment. This includes time, as well as capital spent on generating the sales/leads. While it doesn’t cost a thing to tweet with an affiliate link, you could still be wasting time if your followers are out of the demographic you are targeting.

Another way you could be wasting time on twitter is if all you post are links to merchants. Twitter followers are looking for quick bursts of information. It is pretty easy to tell when a Tweeter is simply there to sell things. If you offer good content on a regular basis; then when your links come up your followers are more apt to believe that they are actually getting that good information or deal they are accustomed to seeing in your tweets.

Having a lot of followers looks good to potential new followers, but if your content stinks, so will your sales. Remember, Twitter is an extension of you and your products/services. Trust must be built in order to have a mutually beneficial relationship. So go after those 1,000+ followers, but make sure YOU are someone worth following.

Check out these related articles on monetizing your twitter account:

http://www.shoemoney.com/2009/07/30/how-do-i-make-money-with-twitter-past-present-future/

http://www.affiliateblogonline.com/2009/07/17/twitter-spam-a-real-problem/

-Dan Spivak

The Smartest Search