This post has been about a year and a half in the writing. Yes, really!
It started as an email conversation with a friend while I was flying back from the 2009 PRSA International Conference in San Diego.
I was flying Virgin America, and couldn’t let the several-thousand-mile-high wifi go to waste.
The question was: what is the importance of lists (specifically in social media), and how does one get on them?
1. Lists are as important as you think they are.
Remember when Twitter lists first appeared? It was a big deal to get on someone’s list at the time (or so it seemed to me).
We probably reached list overload a while back and yet we keep seeing them surface.
You know why? They get attention, that’s why.
Of course it’s pleasant if you see your name on so-and-so’s “X number of Twitter hotties” list, or any iteration thereof.
If this takes the form of a blog post, it usually includes some kind of disclaimer (“this is my list,” for example), and a question at the end as to who you would add.
And the comments invariably include, “How could you leave out So-and-So!” “You must be blind if you haven’t noticed how great Such-and-Such is!” and so on.
Remember, it is that person’s list. Most lists, by their very nature, are subjective, and s/he has every right to include/exclude anyone they want.
So we have no business crying about not being on someone’s list.
2. If you want to be on a list, get to know the person who’s compiling that list.
If it’s that important for you (you as in the general “you”) to be on someone’s list, get to know them.
Talk to them, engage with them and their content and show them that you should be on that list.
There are some obvious and not-so-obvious ways to do this. For example:
Obvious:
- Share their content.
- Comment on their blog posts.
- If it’s a publication list you want to be on (or want your client to be on): apply. You can’t get on that list if you don’t even apply!
Not-so-obvious:
- Use hashtags smartly. If you’re sharing PR-related content, an obvious hashtag is #pr.
A not-so-obvious hashtag to include is #solopr, which is related to Kellye Crane‘s Twitter chat. Because even if your content is not relevant solely to independent PR professionals, it might still be of interest to them. And perhaps one of them has a list you want to get on.
- Ask them to contribute to a blog post… or profile them in one.
- Put them on a list of your own. Nothing succeeds like flattery.
The caveat here is that while flattery is almost always pleasant, don’t overdo it.
Once you cross the line between fleetingly flattering and outrageously obsequious, you will likely fall flat on your face.
3. Which lists are the best lists to be on?
I can’t give you the answer to this, except refer you back to #1.
You have to decide whether or not a list is important enough for you to warrant wanting to be on.
The key thing here – in my opinion – is to dispassionately evaluate why that list is important to you.
Is it going to raise your profile in some way? Is it going to help you bring in more business?
Or is it just something that will make you feel good?
If it’s the latter, then honestly, fuhgeddaboudit.
Remember, context is everything.
4. Do lists make a difference?
The short answer – and one that some of you probably won’t like:
Yes.
The longer answer:
Think back to pretty much every event in your life.
When you were a kid, you made a list of who you wanted invited to your birthday party and gave it to your mom.
When you went to college, you were put on a list of people who were in… and were not on the list of everyone else who was out.
Any time you got a job, you made your way up various lists; first, a shortlist of all candidates who seemed qualified, then an even shorter list of candidates the hiring manager liked, and then finally, you were on a list of One.
Everything we do, every decision we make, is influenced, in part, by some sort of list.
Sometimes these are more obvious; sometimes they’re not. Sometimes they’re written down, sometimes they’re in a person’s head.
But you can bet your bottom dollar that you and I are all on someone’s list of people to call for something, somewhere, somehow… or on someone’s list of people not to call for something, somewhere, somehow.
The question is
Will you behave the way you think people want you to behave in order to make one of these lists?
Or will you be genuine, sincere and honorable, and let your actions speak for themselves… and get you on that list?
I know which one I’d choose. What about you?
Image: Paul Schultz via Flickr, CC 2.0
![[EVENT]: PR Hacks for Small Biz (online)](https://shonaliburke.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/FB-Ad-1200x800-01-01-01-Copy-500x383.jpeg)
[…] often been asked how to get on that list, and my answer is always the same: apply. You can’t get on lists, particularly if they have an application process, if you don’t […]
[…] that photograph… it looks even better in print than online! Now, I’ve always said that lists are only as important as you make them out to be. This is one that does make a difference to me, so I was very happy, and I wanted to share it, and […]
[…] media has been a huge factor here; I think it was when I attended the San Diego conference a few years ago, having been active in social (particularly Twitter) for a while, that I realized what a […]
[…] often been asked how to get on that list, and my answer is always the same: apply. You can’t get on lists, particularly if they have an application process, if you don’t […]
I appreciate the post Shonali because I tend to run hot & cold when it comes to twitter lists and I don’t think there’s been enough written about them. Or perhaps, I’ve not read enough about them to truly reap their full potential. For me, I tend to side with Kirsten. I use lists the help me filter through content that I seem most interested in at the moment I’m using twitter, be that chatting with locals, like professionals or simply reading content from people who make me laugh, think. I’ll admit I get a kick out of list names. I’ll share this post as to help encourage the dialogue about lists; why we’re on them and why we may want to care.
@rajean Thank you!
Yes, I think lists can be great when used as filters. The concern I have is that a lot of people, IMHO, try to get on lists for the sake of it. On the flip side, it’s possible that business decisions are made based on what list someone is or isn’t on. Like anything else, lists – whether in Twitter or elsewhere – are just one measure of “who” one is.
What I hoped to do, when writing this post, was point out that, whether we like it or not, lists are a facet of life. Getting on them is great, but it shouldn’t affect how we think of ourselves. In some cases, maybe they can act as a spur to work better, thus getting on whatever one’s “top” list is – but hopefully not become the be-all and end-all, as I think it might be for some people.
[…] of how you feel about lists (Twitter, or otherwise) or what everyone had for lunch (me, I’m much more interested in […]
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Shane Jacob, Jonathan Hearty. Jonathan Hearty said: On Lists, Their Importance, And How To Get On One | Waxing UnLyrical – http://bit.ly/hvRmkR […]
I personally love twitter lists for my own use – it allows me the opportunity to really filter out the content and to feature some of my favorite people. I can also admit that I get excited when I see that I have been featured on some of the lists with other top people. & of course, I wholeheartedly believe in the second question of how to be represented…
@KirstenWright I think many people use Twitter lists in the same way, Kirsten, as a way to highlight the people they like to interact with. I think that’s a very nice thing to do, which is why, when I look at the (relatively few) lists that I maintain, I’m fairly sparing about how and when I add people to them. Because if everyone’s on them, what’s the point… right?
There’s no denying it makes us feel good when we’re on a list with the “top so-and-so” – of course it does, we’re all human. Nothing wrong with that! It’s just important to keep it real, right?
When I see others in my niche blatantly trying to get on a list (such as asking for nominations or votes), I unsubscribe from their site, unfollow them on Twitter, etc. It’s pathetic at best; whoring themselves out for their ego at worst. And the same goes of anyone encouraging people to look to be “listed.”
Funny thing, when these stupid lists come out I notice one of two things depending on the niche:
1. It’s the same old folks (often because the companies use the same old faulty metrics — evidenced by the AdAge Power150, especially when they introduced Alexa — or because the more subjective lists are published by groups of pals who like to pat each other on the back).
2. Or, it’s less about highlighting those in a field who are truly successful at what they do and more about featuring whoever happens to be the loudest that month, year, or whatever (like the beggars who nag you endlessly for votes if they’ll play a part in the rankings).
Frankly, if you deserve to be on a “top list” of any kind you don’t have to actively do anything at all to get there. Only the people who shouldn’t be there in the first place (on the merit of their content and genuine relationships within their network) go out of their way to pursue it.
@queryfreewriter Now I’m trying to figure out if you just told me I’m pathetic at best or whoring myself out for my ego at worst…
Part of the reason people ask to be nominated for lists is that particularly in SM, the list “makers” have made this a popularity contest – e.g. Shorty awards. The first year it happened, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Then I quickly got bored of it; I mean really, what difference does it make to anyone whether or not I can spew the most PR blubber in 140 characters or less?!
Re: 1 – yes, that’s something I see as well. I forget where I saw it, but there was a comment on a blog post on one of these “big” blogs, which listed the Top X SM people – and it was same old, same old. The commenter – I wish I could remember who it was! – pointed out very calmly that these people are essentially part of an “old boy’s club,” or an SM version of one.
Re: 2 – yes, again people who make a lot of noise can get noticed more quickly. But that’s the way of the world.
I don’t agree that you don’t have to do anything active to deserve to be on a list. Particularly with lists that are compiled by the media, there is usually a submission/nomination process, and if you aren’t nominated/submit a nomination, you don’t stand a chance in hell of even being considered for it. The point is, IMHO, for people to determine on their own which these lists are, and then pursue them appropriately.
@Shonali No one makes it a popularity contest but the people who think it means they’re popular or makes them popular. When you stop giving into the linkbait these contests and lists really are, they popularity contest can stop and we can get back to worrying about our readers and not who so-and-so thinks is most popular. Blogging doesn’t have to look like high school.
Thanks for the insights, Shonali. I undertand why lists are important and you give really great tips, but sometimes I can’t help but feel that lists are part of a big Twitter popularity contest. As you said, the relationships are an important part of it, and that’s not a bad thing, but sort of gets to a – it’s who you know not what you know type of thing. I don’t know. I’m probably just in a bad mood due to lack of sleep :)
@ericaholt Of course they are – part of a popularity contest, I mean. But that’s the point I was trying to make towards the end; in one way or another, everyone’s on some kind of “list,” whether they know it or not. With Twitter specifically, I stopped caring about what list I was on a long time ago, UNLESS it was a specific list being created and curated by someone I deeply respected.
There are so many ways to “automatically” get on lists now: Twibes and heaven knows what else – IMHO those don’t have particular meaning, though I’d be delighted if someone changed my mind.
You don’t have to be in a bad mood to disagree. :) Though I hope you get more sleep tonight!
I have to admit I have Twitter lists but don’t really use them. The main reason is Hootsuite doesn’t connect with Twitter for Lists. So to add someone I have to go to Twitter to put them on a List. I have viewed some lists for a client of Tweeters to see who are the local industry players instead of having to Google. So there is value in being listed.
That said I do look at the number of lists people are on to gauge the quality of the connection to expect. I also know people who have a gazillion connections using them to manage what they see. I have not gone there yet. But since we miss easily 90% of tweets in our stream wouldn’t seeing the ones from the connections you value the most fill that 10%?
@HowieSPM HootSuite does connect with Twitter lists; I know because I have a few streams set up in my HS dashboard to monitor a couple of lists, and I can add them to a list directly from HS as well. Check your settings, my friend. :p
I personally don’t look at the number of lists someone is on to estimate the quality of connection; and I don’t do that when I’m deciding whether or not to follow someone back either. One of the most useful ways to use Twitter lists, IMHO, is when you want to stay on top of a particular kind of conversation, but don’t want to follow X number of people automatically – so in that case, following a list can do that for you.
I’m not sure I understand your 90%/10% question…?
Interesting post Shonali, I’d go with the latter, Im definitely don’t start a relationship with a person looking to be on a list. Invariably common interests etc lead to connection with the person and we end up valuing each other. If it means that I end up on his or her “top 10 list” it would be nice and as you said pleasant, but it is not all that important as long as we continue to value and respect each other.
@timepass I think that’s a great way to go about it, because nothing can be perceived more quickly than when you’re getting to know someone to get something out of them.