Celebrating Spam. The Sunday Mail Twitter List.

I know as I write this article, that I’ll be attacked for it, but it just has to be done. Someone has to make the point about quality vs quantity.

If you’ve missed all the recent debate on Twitter, here’s the brief run down.

On Sunday March 18th, Adelaide’s Sunday Mail published a list of Adelaide’s top 100 Tweeters. When they say top 100, they don’t mean most followed, most interesting, most influential or anything else worth noting. They mean the 100 people in Adelaide who have tweeted the most.

This is the equivalent of giving a pat on the back to the person out there with the highest phone bill. Does it mean they’re successful? Popular? Interesting? Probably not. It just means they spend a significant amount of time on their chosen vice.

Now don’t get me wrong. Some of the people on that list are interesting, successful, popular AND avid tweeters. But a lot of them aren’t.

Most of these people put out so many tweets, the rest of us out there consider their feeds to be spam.

When I dared mention the ‘S’ word in relation to this list on Twitter, I was shot down by someone asking how it could be termed spam if they weren’t selling anything.

By definition Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems (including most broadcast media & digital delivery systems including Twitter) to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.

I don’t know about you, but seeing thousands of Bieber tweets in my news feed certainly falls in to that category.

There are also a large number of tweeps from that Top 100 list who spend all day on Twitter just chatting with their friends about every aspect of their lives. While that certainly racks up their number of tweets, the rest of us don’t necessarily need to witness their private conversations being held in a public forum. And I don’t think these people need to be celebrated in a double page spread in the local rag.

Again, I just want to clarify, that people have the right to use their twitter accounts as they wish – tweeting as many times as they want, about whatever subject they want, for whatever purpose. I just don’t think that prolific users should have been put on a pedestal.

Lists are generally interesting, but I really have struggled with this one as it’s pushed these users into mainstream media, and those who aren’t on Twitter and don’t know any better, are led to believe that these are Twitter’s elite.

I would have loved to see a list published which highlighted people who used Twitter well – either personally or professionally – and were actually worth following. Quality, influence and other ‘measures of success’ on Twitter are hard to put a finger on, and people will argue about the methods you use to categorise tweeps, but you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out good from bad.

Which of course, leads me to write up my own list.

While I don’t have the resources or time to put together a top 100 list of Adelaide’s best tweeters – here are some people that are worth following and make it in to MY ‘most notable’ list. This is not meant to be Twitter's best users. This is a subjective list. These are the people I personally think are worth checking out.

Oh, and for the record – yes I’ve included Glam Adelaide & our team and I have no problem with that. This is our list after all.

[UPDATE: No, I do not mean that you have to be interesting, successful and popular to avoid being a spammer]

Adelaide’s 50 Or So Most Notable Tweeters


(If we've forgotten anyone we apologise but we wanted to get this up sooner rather than later. Feel free to comment & let us know who you think should be included on the list!)

Pro-Adelaide, News, Events, Info, Media

@GlamAdelaide
100% Positive, South Australian News - Events, Launches, Lifestyle, Sport, Arts, Fashion & More
8,636 Tweets
4,975 Following
5,874 Followers

@AdelaideTweet
Retweeting the best #Adelaide tweets by hand, day after day
52,695 Tweets
11,162 Following
10,195 Followers

@Matt_Gilbertson
Gossip Bitch for Sunday Mail and sometimes Hotpant wearing and accordion playing German AKA @accordionhans
12,419 Tweets
1,321 Following
2,854 Followers

@TimVerrall
Exec Producer .... Maz, Dan and Shane @nova919 Adelaide My tweets are my own thoughts
9,824 Tweets
1,972 Following
1,229 Followers

@KevCorduroy
Humble public servant dedicated to serving the people. Favorite foods lime and black pepper chips and iced coffee. ABC broadcaster. Journalist.
11,382 Tweets
221 Following
2,468 Followers

@1395FiveAA
FIVEaa - Adelaide 1395 - Interactive Radio
9,021 Tweets
1,838 Following
3,600 Followers

@Nova919
We’re a radio station and we like to live life Nova. The home of Maz, Dan and Shane for breakfast and Meshel, Tim and Marty for the drive home.
7,751 Tweets
2,050 Following
3,630 Followers

@SAFMAdelaide (Similar tweets to Triple M)

The latest blogs from our shows and news from our entertainment team.
5,235 Tweets
4,523 Following
4,984 Followers

@TripleMAdelaide (Similar tweets to SAFM)

Rock out all day and night! We have Adelaide's widest variety of ROCK Music at 104.7FM. #TripleM #RockMusic Don't miss @thehotbreakfast from 6am to 9am.
2,078 Tweets
3,320 Following
3,548 Followers




@AdelaideNow (while they don't engage, it's a good source of news headlines)


Adelaide's leading news source with the latest in news, sport and entertainment from Adelaide, South Australia and the world.
47,664 Tweets
135 Following

8,182 Followers


@Katie_Spain
Writer - The Adelaide* Magazine  & Deluxe Adelaide Mag, digital lass, and glitter pusher
2,804 Tweets
1,038 Following
1,588 Followers


Food & Wine

@PaulWoodSA
My kitchen ruled in 2010. Travel, Design, Food & Wine are my words du jour. I write. I cook. I tweet.
4,836 Tweets
1,055 Following
1,532 Followers

@Grace_Est
Bar with food
1,163 Tweets
1,387 Following
1,330 Followers



@Richard_Gunner
Growing and selling great meat also stocking a range of other products from passionate small producers.
6,870 Tweets
1,816 Following
2,891 Followers

@Vinteloper
Master & Commander at The Vinteloper Urban Winery Project. Normally I'm just a guy making artisan wine from South Australia - David Bowley.
5,016 Tweets
1,786 Following
2,604 Followers

General

@StephenYarwood
The Right Honorable The Lord Mayor of Adelaide - Urban Planner - Futurist - Art/Culture lover - Dad & Husband - Student of life
4,694 Tweets
909 Following
3,589 Followers

@KristySlater
A female who has a passion for all things sport. Aspiring Sports Journalist. A daughter, a sister, a friend, a cousin, a niece. Lover of fine wine and shopping.
27,549 Tweets
457 Following
1,311 Followers

@GenWhaites
Editor of @glamadelaide. Social media nerd. I think I'm hilarious. http://www.glamadelaide.com.au.
1,316 Tweets
477 Following
593 Followers

@KellyNoble
Managing Director of Glam Adelaide, promoting the best of South Australian News. Glam Digital, Social Media Agency & Glam Baby Website.
12,331 Tweets
7,704 Following
7,391 Followers

@GianniBorrelli
21. University student. Writer for @glamadelaide. Intern at @sunmail. Media know it all. Music lover. Slave to the rhythm
5,117 Tweets
639 Following
1,078 Followers

@CaitlinJJohns
Marketing student at Adelaide Uni, proud intern at @glamadelaide & avid lover of cupcakes
4,161 Tweets
133 Following
335 Followers

@The_CheshireKat
23, left-handed, gamer, theatre/film nerd, journalism Masters student, intern at @GlamAdelaide & social media addict. My views are my own.
8,915 Tweets
448 Following
553 Followers

@SteveDavis
Marketing Director, Baker Marketing, Adelaide. Helping small businesses create marketing strategy and implement it, quickly and affordably. Lover of espresso
4,860 Tweets
668 Following
972 Followers

@LuluRan
Passionately working for the South Australian Hotel Industry. My tweets are purely me, myself and I.
9,158 Tweets
1,492 Following
987 Followers

@MalChia
Digital marketer, social media nerd and family guy. Music, movies, sci-fi, NBA, EPL and gaming are my vices.
10,508 Tweets
998 Following
1,619 Followers

@OliYoung
Head of Dev @ WineCru #rails, #aleague, #nba, music, #auspol, tv, #apple, but mostly tomfoolery. Assume sarcasm. +husband +dad
55,582 Tweets
1,631 following
2,631 Followers

@Prakky
Adelaide social media consultant. Public speaker, blogger, trainer. @891Adelaide 4.30pm Fridays. Caretaker of @socadl. Winner year 8 map competition.
47,103 Tweets
4,768 Following
4,562 Followers

@UniofAdelaide
Official Twitter profile of the University of Adelaide. Tweets about what's happening and answering your questions about uni.
5,983 Tweets
654 Following
7,047 Followers

@TynteFlowers
Get Well, Happy Birthday, Miss you, New Baby, thank you... flowers are the best way to show you care!
2,581 Tweets
1,971 Following
1,646 Followers

@Jaimie_Sortino
I Make Pretty Gowns Xjme
9,518 Tweets
345 Following
522 Followers

@LeeHopkins
Business communication and social media consultant based in the glorious Adelaide Hills. IABC Member. Co-founder, Social Media Club Adelaide
16,207 Tweets
7,444 Following
6,940Followers

@TashStoodley
I burn my candle at both ends, It will not last the night. But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends, It gives a lovely light.
14,518 Tweets
862 Following
1,113 Followers

@LeishForeman
Community radio volunteer | Higher ed marketer | Loves: kitties, cake, travel, meeting new people, trying new things and SOCIAL MEDIA | I tweet MY mind.
7,619 Tweets
1,392 Following
601 Followers

@Moirsey
Friend, colleague, enthusiast and connoisseur of frivolity . In the business of PR, Marketing, Comms and passion for living life; it’s not a spectator sport.
3,697 Tweets
466 Following
439 Followers

@HayleyConolly
Communications Consultant at @fullercom. My life in 10 words: Family. Friends. Barbie. Ken. Lego. Robots. Ironing. Smelly Cheese. Wine.
4,838 Tweets
1,735 Following
1,490 Followers

@KatePotter
Adelaide PR consultant, traveller, wine lover, wannabe photographer. I work at @Hughes_PR, and you might occasionally find me pouring tastings @coriole.
3,451 Tweets
544 Following
945 Followers

@SaraheThomas
PR & social media strategist, founder & blogger at @thesocialprco & voracious cook...book collector sarah@thesocialpr.co
3,469 Tweets
2,364 Following
2,521 Followers

@Kamtiger
Op Shop Addict. I blog on @opshopdiva and share PR/social media musings on @leapwords.Dreams of Europe, novel writing and yam basket.
3,384 Tweets
623 Following
701 Followers

@MikaelLiddy
Social Media Comms for @BendigoBank. 1/2 Danish, 1/2 Aussie. Food & wine lover, avid cyclist to compensate. My opinions here, not those of my employer.
6,368 Tweets
667 Following
520 Followers

@JessieMorris
New mum. Social web and food nerd. Enthusiastic snacker. Digital communications consultant with @fullercom.
5,452 Tweets
1,405 Following
1,469 Followers

@_AdrianKH
| Views are my own | #ynwa | #gov2au | #gov2 | #socadl | #sminoz | #wine | #INTP | #socialmedia | #web2 | #socialgov | #socialbiz
21,667 Tweets
2,226 Following
2,032 Followers

@SophieLiddy
Lover of music, fashion, food and all things bubbly. Consumer of Gin. Social Media addict. Owner of Lulu.
3,787 Tweets
1,039 following
801 Followers

@SarahTomlinson
Right on the money and off by a mile, ahead of my time and way out of style.
8,615 Tweets
446 Following
569 Followers

Ex-pats

@Twillyon
Social Strategist at @PPRtweets, @Soc_Syd organiser and serial Foursquare user. These views are my own and not that of my clients or company.
25,166 Tweets
3,512 Following
4,534 Followers

@LeahMcQueen
Photographer. Dreamer. World traveller. Lover of fashion and all the beautiful things in life... A girl inspired by love... I love what I do...
1,032 Tweets
454 Following
460 Followers

@ExportMogul
Head of Business Development @Quirky
392 Tweets
225 Following
139 Followers

@_TaniaDee
Publicist, blogger & freelance fashion writer. Lover of licorice & lipstick. Sometimes speaks with a British accent.
11,448 Tweets
546 Following
1,616 Followers



@DiariesofBella
Fashion-lover, champagne-drinker, cupcake-eater; have appreciation for all things fashion, culture and art. xx
3,645 Tweets
805 Following
447 Followers

Oh, and for the record – the Sunday Mail (@SunMail) hasn’t tweeted since February 18th.