Though they may be loath to admit it, most attendees at this New York conference are sure to be pondering the same question: How do I get more followers on Twitter? We turned to social-media scientist Dan Zarrella, who has analyzed millions of tweets (and earned 33,000 followers of his own), to get some answers. Among his best strategies is answering other users' questions ("It's good to show that you know what you're talking about"); including the word expert in your bio ("so people know who you are"); and avoiding negativity. "It's like being at a cocktail party," Zarrella says. "Nobody likes a Debbie Downer."
A version of this article appeared in the June 2011 issue of Fast Company magazine.
