The Twitter experience is a good one (actually, it’s awesome!)…and being unfollowed should never negate that. Here are some reasons why I think you shouldn’t care when someone strikes that pesky little “unfollow” key.
Firstly, this post was inspired by a comment I started to make on a fantastic blog post by my newly and gratefully found Twitter friend @MASisMore , where he outlines the futility of fretting over followers (sorry, alliteration…I DID warn you of this tendency in my “About” page). I had also been contemplating certain aspects of the unfollow scenario and was getting too long-winded (what else is new?) and I spared him the soap-box rant. So, here are my thoughts on why people might unfollow, and why you might wish to focus your anxieties on more important things, like who IS @joeygiggles and what is this #JGF thingy? 
I find that when people unfollow me they tend to fit into one of two main categories:
1) Teens who tweet incessantly about @JustinBieber and I’m pretty sure get completely disillusioned and devastated when they realize, to their horror, that I don’t share this particular obsession…and,
2) People who are following fewer than 100 people. I cringe-I really do!-when newbie Tweeps follow me and they innocently and naively believe I might add a lil something to their stream, and I see it coming from the moment I follow them back. I sigh wistfully at the connections we might have made were they not about to be overwhelmed by my effusive and prolific tweets. Then – EGADS! They discover I am a uber floody Twitterer type person and they…well…they just can’t hack having one person monopolize their stream. No hard feelings when they unfollow me. In fact, I think maybe we’ll meet again when the bulk of my blather gets diluted by other blathering Twitter-maniacs! 
Bots have feelings, too.
Personally, I have trouble hitting the unfollow button even for bots! What did a bot ever do to me? I think…well…gee…what if one day I’m feeling a little flabby, or my smile is a little duller, or I need to find out all of Donald Trumps’ secrets…what then? Who will I turn to?
A few more thoughts on unfollowing: Sometimes its accidental, as many Tweeps utilize software that can be merciless in its culling. Sometimes its strategy, and people are trying to streamline their ratio of following to followers. I don’t agree with these Twitter imposed limitations of follow vs follower, by the way. There are many people whose Twitterings I’d like to include in my stream yet who I know won’t follow back (celebrities, gurus, iguanas ) and it makes me feel silly mulling over the statistical ramifications of selecting: “follow”.
Anyways, whatever the reasons people either don’t follow back or unfollow, it’s rarely personal, but when it is, it just may be because you just don’t jive with their groove. (I’m trying to sound young and hip here– oh damn, using that word just ensured I’m NOT! ugh) Worry not. If someone doesn’t relate to you, chances are, you’d cock your head sideways at their musings. It’s really best you part ways in these instances anyways. There are, what, at last count over 100 million people on Twitter? With over 300,000 new users joining daily. Don’t you think maybe you can drum up a replacement person who giggles at your antics or pauses in deep thought at your 140-character prose? I do! Try me – haha. No really, put no more energy into who unfollows you. Focus on those who follow you loyally, are mesmerized by your stream…who eagerly await your next tweet. And enjoy the embrace.
If you liked this post, read more about the following/follower conundrum on my guest post here: Twitter Trifles: A Follower Conundrum
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I am SO loving this blog!
While I am not a savvy Twitter-er (?) a lot of this makes sense (and in such a fun way) – I will check back often as your posts refresh my spirit and humor!
Yay! Thanks
You betta check back 
Thanks so much for popping in!
Right on! I started using Qwitter and actualy enjoy watching the folks I think are bots and don’t follow at first–unfollow me after a few days. I’ve had one unfollow in the last couple weeks I was initially sad about, but some of the humor or tweeters I like didn’t suit her. Not sure what other reasons she may have had, but I tried not to be sad for long.
I didn’t stop following her because I still enjoy her tweets and will still @reply to her and engage. No hard feelings. There’s no way I can read everything in my stream, even though I want to, but I set up searches to follow the people who consistently entertain me with content and fun (yes, you’re on one of my searches). I love your blog, your tweets, and have enjoyed following you. I hope I never do anything that leads you to unfollow me, but if so, I’ll do my best not to feel crushed. I might however ask you if you meant to if I can’t see a “reason” for it, but just tell me, no problem. 
Loving your blog. I do a couple blogs that I don’t link to from this account but I need to do more!! You’re inspiring that way.
Now why on earth would I ever unfollow you?!
You bring mega doses of cheer into my Twitter stream – you’re a keeper! 
Thanks so muuchly for your very generous comments..I’m glad I can bring a smile every once in a while. And by the way, I tend to be a communicator, if you hadn’t noticed yet! lol It’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine when people drop off with no explanation..I think we should always allow friends the opportunity to explain, clarify or apologize…so this is how I operate. I’m so glad you stopped by and that I can inspire a wee bit! Cheers!
Is it cute when men blush? lol. I’d sorta noticed the communicator thing. I feel weird sending someone an explanation for why I’m unfollowing them. What if they don’t care? Now I just look like an egotist telling them how to do things. On the other hand, if I’m not following them, they can’t dm me to ask why, so I’d be sort of making them publicly ping me if they want to know, so that would suck. What a Quandary.
Anyway, you don’t inspire just a wee. I’m thinking about starting a list of the awesome things people have said to me that I can read when I’m feeling down. Your comment about cheer & being a keeper and many of your tweets will end up in that list.
Definitely let me know if you ever discover I’ve unfollowed. It’ll be a glitch, I guarantee it.
Thanks!
Oh, and by the way: #BellyDanceBlackmail #CharityVideo
URKidnRite, you bring up very good points…It’s delicate…you care that someone you used to engage with has dropped off and it’s their prerogative, but what if it was accidental? They very likely would want to remedy that. I can think of ONE time I gently prodded someone on the public stream for an unfollow cause I was pretty certain we got on fine and just LOL’d lightly…sure enough, he came right back and refollowed, as it was purely unintentional. Who knows..maybe we could initiate a subtle code for #HEYWHYTHEHECKDIDYOUUNFOLLOWMEBUDDYWERENTWEFRIENDS? lol something more like #yoohoo
Thanks for all of your comments and support! Cheers to you and your menagerie of animals! 
Well said and timely. Thank you!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for reading and commenting. Cheers!
Ok, your note about bot followers inspired me too. I followed one who looked like they may not be a bot today, they dm’d me a link and I sent them back this message:
I usually block people that send me links before any introductions. Any reason why I shouldn’t?
If I haven’t heard back from them in a day, I’ll be blocking them, but thanks for making me a slightly nicer person.
URKidnRite, lol anytime! Glad I could help
Thanks for your input. I think it’s a topic that could be mulled over in many ways. Cheers!
Hey Gina
I so agree… There are people that I have unfollowed over time on twitter but it is never personal. Its just like you said “they just don’t jive with my groove”.
That said if someone unfollowed me, depending on circumstances and situation I might -
1. Ask them why
2. Try and make a connect if thats missing
3. Just ignore
My two cents…
Cheers
Freya
Hi Freya,
Cheers!
Thank you for your comments! I love your 2 cents…feel free to return and add another 3…we’ll make it a nickle!
It doesn’t matter who unfollows you except in political accounts. What I find interesting is the way political tweeters, who are otherwise backing the same political party, will unfollow those in their party whom they disagree with but not offer opposing viewpoints to counteract what caused them to unfollow, try to find common ground nor show any concern that the topic might become an issue in the primaries. If the unfollower is a politician, it sets them up for a lobbyist to categorize them as being negative on a given issue, etc. The offended tweeter (the one that was unfollowed) can then follow all the followers of the unfollower to make up for the diss. In the end, someone who follows thousands should not quietly unfollow any specific account simply because one disagrees…unless one wants to say “I am your political enemy but I don’t want others to know where I stand on the issue, categorize me and note that I don’t want to let my followers see that we disagree”.
Hey Matt, thanks so much for your comments and a new aspect of the unfollowing syndrome
I think it’s hard to really guess why someone unfollows. Of course it’s kinda fun to surmise…and you bring up some really interesting points and political motives. I still find I get unfollowed by people with under 100 followees – sighhhh….lol 
Cheers and thanks again. G
LOVE this post~!!! I am often paraded through the streets of Twitter as an "UNFOLLOWER" by a Justin Bieber fan who must have unfollowed me, cuz that's when I unfollow people-unless they're stars
I find this parade ridiculous, but it makes me laugh out loud even now, since the leader of the band is almost ALWAYS someone who has just unfollowed all of their followers and expects me to remain – loyally~!! Not happening for the Bieber fan, maybe for the Bieber – lol
x0x
Anita @ModelSupplies
lol Anita! I love how you describe your public shaming for unfollowing! Too funny! Thanks for visiting again and for your hilarious comment – you know how I love to see your smiling cheer-bringing presence! I just finished a guest post on another aspect of a silly follower dilemma… http://sem-group.net/search-engine-optimization-b... This one is even MORE tongue-in-cheeky
I was just "outed" shouted for an unfollow…funny thing, she wasn't following me at the time of my unfollow…so, hmmm….I'm supposed to follow loyally without reciprocation? She has 50,000 followers, so I imagine it reached a lot of eyes, but if someone unfollows me due to a mean-spirited shout out?…I say they're not enjoying the same Twitter experience I am, and I wish them the best! Thanks again for your awesomeness. Cheers! xoxoxoxo Gina
Good blog! (angel huggs)
Thanks so much!
Did u read about the hiking oops? lol I need your Snoopy band-aids! 
Cheers, Gina
It's hard not take unfollows personally but I try not to fret about it. What puzzles me is folk who follow and then as soon as you follow them they unfollow you. Okay, maybe I said something that got up their nose, but I don't think so. I got the feeling they were trying to alter their follow/follower ratio and saw me as expendable!
Love your always cheerful comments and helpful advise
Greetings Dawn
Thank you for visiting and for your comment. I recently noticed what you describe on epidemic proportions…people following you and immediately after you follow them – whooop – they unfollow you. Maybe sometimes it's a glitch in some software they're using, but – ugh! lol – it is such a ridiculous waste-of-time game they play. You're in New Zealand, yes? I'll follow you there! 
I had a blissful albeit waaayyy too short 3-week visit to the north and south islands a couple years back, with my mom. (Some posts on here). I still keep NZ high on my travel wish list. I only got a teaser and it whet my appetite for more of natural grand beauty, amazingly delicious and varied cuisine (pies!!) and genuinely warm and kind people. I'll look you up when I am blessed with the good fortune to return! Cheers and hugs, G
I was a newbie(150 follows)when I met you and "figured u could add something to my stream" and now I'm on 400 follows. So you aint gettin ME in ur a box! Sure u have aded a lot to my stream but I'm still here & I'll tweet ya under the table any day : ) Well, not _today cuz I'm having both PC & Twitter issues….
On a less agitated note; Clark Kent used to follow me(u know SuperM- ssshhh)it was reassuring yet creepy at the same time(I'll tell you why). I could say "my followers(even though I had 50) could beat up ANYbody else's followers". But by the same token, he DID have x-ray vision. You can tell when he uses it when he raises his glasses a bit. He has fine eyesight, the glasses just miraculously conceal his true identity. So having him follow me was like regularly going through one of those pathetic airport security toys. So I can't say I'd like him following me again(besides I have Gumby(dammit) and Chuck Norris : ) and I'm sure the reason he left was to save dams from rupturing and pounding meteors in near-Earth space. But he MUST have some type of texting smart phone, right? Sheesh! A single peep isn't too much to ask.
Short story long…I'll follow u anywhere G. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6XZsau7CSk
BTW, that's "follow" in the non creepy way. Speaking of creepy, that microscopic smiley face(down there–>) is staring at me!