Help ATS Get to 100,000 Twitter Followers

Over the past several weeks, we've been experimenting with several techniques to improve social media traffic to ATS. This is due to many of the issues discussed in our request for donations from those who can afford it. In order for ATS to continue to be an important voice online, we must evolve with online tastes and sensibilities and adopt more aggressive tactics for social media. About a year ago, we've done just that with Facebook and have seen some significant success. Now we're asking for your assistance to help give our Twitter efforts a solid kick.

During our experimental period, we've learned many things about which kind of tweets work best, what kind of supporting images help tweets work better, and which "Twitter Bears" to poke from time to time. But most importantly, our Twitter efforts are always to accurately support the efforts of our members. Whenever possible, we include credit to thread authors in the tweets, with images like this:




And every once in a while, we poke a "Twitter Bear," or in other words, reply with either an important counter-point or a thread to a high-profile (lots of followers) Twitter account, like we did here. Poking a bear can sometimes result in a flood of new followers, like this one from yesterday:

It result in over 60 new followers to our Twitter feed in just three minutes.


follow ATS on Twitter


Why 100,000 Followers?

On Twitter, 100,000 followers is a magical turning point at which an account like ATS (with 65k followers now) goes from important to relevant. When that happens, our tweets, favorites, and links become higher-value in Twitter searches. So for just random Twitter searches on something like 9/11 Pentagon, with 100k followers, our tweet will most-likely appear near the top.

Additionally, at 100k followers, the ATS Twitter feeds appears more often in suggested feeds when people are looking for new sources of information to follow.

But must importantly, 35k new followers will be a big deal. While our current status with 65k followers is quite good, those have been cultivated over a period of years. A good percentage of our existing total followers are likely not active on Twitter.


I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING

SkepticOverlord is asking us to get on social media. Horror of horrors. Proof that ATS is CIA controlled! Not until you pry my cold dead hands from my keyboard.

I know, I know.

If you don't like social media: don't do it! But Twitter is still a primary discovery mechanism for new and interesting content for a massive number of people. And if your'e on Twitter, or want to try it out, please follow our Twitter account. Also, if you tweet "@abovetopsecret #I_followed_ATS" after you follow us, we'll follow you. Tell your friends on Twitter to follow us. Tell your cat.

Here's a look at how our Twitter account/channel looks right now.




A Daily Snapshot of ATS

Our Twitter feed/channel is a daily snapshot of what's getting flags and replies here on ATS. We've removed the automated tweeting software and the entire process is now manual. This makes for better quality tweets and more timely response to fast-moving topics.

Just yesterday, we were tweeting this before any other news organization had coverage:




The top 48 Tweets of 2015

We also get some exceptionally detailed analytics from Twitter, which has made experimentation much easier. From time to time, we'll update you all on which tweets get the most attention out there in "Twitter Land." The next two posts contain the most-engaging of 2015, with crappy formatting, I'm going to work on that.

twitter.com...
"@CloydRivers If you like the Cloyd Rivers, then you probably don't like: intelligence, science, classical music, any other country, reality"
- - date: 2015-01-26
- - impressions: 13458
- - engagement: 30.6%
- - retweets: 57

twitter.com...
Giant Beings Seen Rapidly Climbing Mexican Volcano t.co... "one of the better sightings I have seen" t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-04
- - impressions: 4566
- - engagement: 28.1%
- - retweets: 7

twitter.com...
revisit: New Life Form Found in Sewers? t.co... found in the sewer under Cameron Village, Raleigh, NC t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-20
- - impressions: 3710
- - engagement: 26.4%
- - retweets: 10

twitter.com...
Man With Sleep Paralysis Captures #ShadowPerson Apparition t.co... "doesn't strike me as a hoax" t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-16
- - impressions: 3383
- - engagement: 24.2%
- - retweets: 10

twitter.com...
September 11, 2001: Interesting and Less Talked About #911attack Info! t.co... discussion & analysis t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-16
- - impressions: 3310
- - engagement: 23%
- - retweets: 10

twitter.com...
Creepy Daycare Saga in #SLC - t.co... - Mailman says it's always nap time inside when he delivers mail t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-28
- - impressions: 4294
- - engagement: 21%
- - retweets: 13

twitter.com...
sigh, @jstines3 @AllenEllis14 if we can't remove religion from these wars, we're doomed t.co... t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-31
- - impressions: 5056
- - engagement: 20.5%
- - retweets: 25

twitter.com...
well, @CloydRiversBurn @CloydRivers this is 'Merica's "away game" t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-13
- - impressions: 3623
- - engagement: 20.4%
- - retweets: 6

twitter.com...
revisit: Absolute proof: A 9/11 Pentagon picture montage from start to finish - t.co... - 114 pages t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-21
- - impressions: 2004
- - engagement: 20.1%
- - retweets: 10

twitter.com...
revisit: Nevada Nuclear Test site: Take a look at the weird stuff to be found there t.co... t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-14
- - impressions: 4114
- - engagement: 19.8%
- - retweets: 12

twitter.com...
oh well, @FoxNews I guess "timeless" now means 61 years; "under God" was added in 1954. t.co... t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-06
- - impressions: 4139
- - engagement: 19.6%
- - retweets: 15

twitter.com...
Brian Williams Spotted Aliens on The #Moon #BrianWilliamsMisremembers #BrianWilliamsWarStories #Humor t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-09
- - impressions: 4963
- - engagement: 19.6%
- - retweets: 35

twitter.com...
The Mother of All #Conspiracies t.co... "here is my conspiracy theory that glues it all together..." t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-08
- - impressions: 4154
- - engagement: 19.5%
- - retweets: 12

twitter.com...
HUGE NEWS! Astonishing Photo of a Newly Discovered Alien Seed! t.co... scientists baffled t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-26
- - impressions: 3655
- - engagement: 19.3%
- - retweets: 18

twitter.com...
revisit: I opened my third eye and I regret it t.co... The level of perception was incredible... t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-16
- - impressions: 3814
- - engagement: 19%
- - retweets: 7

twitter.com...
revisit: The #Pentagon 9/11 Flyover - Officially Documented, Independently Confirmed t.co... 94 pages t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-23
- - impressions: 4213
- - engagement: 18.7%
- - retweets: 13

twitter.com...
revisit: Another #NASA Employee Comes Forward: 8-9 Foot #Alien Sighted Near Space Shuttle t.co... t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-30
- - impressions: 3736
- - engagement: 18.7%
- - retweets: 12

twitter.com...
revisit: Uncensored #NASA #Moon Images! t.co... "some very interesting anomalies" t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-30
- - impressions: 3766
- - engagement: 18.6%
- - retweets: 8

twitter.com...
revisit: Young Aussie genius whipping NASA in Moon Hoax Debate! t.co... #ApolloHoax #MoonHoax #NASA t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-22
- - impressions: 3969
- - engagement: 18.6%
- - retweets: 16

twitter.com...
"That time I was anal probed by aliens, it didn't hurt." #BrianWilliamsMisremembers #BrianWilliamsWarStories #Humor t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-10
- - impressions: 3298
- - engagement: 18.3%
- - retweets: 14

twitter.com...
Mystery #UFO comes close to International Space Station t.co... same #UFO seen 1 day earlier #ISS t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-18
- - impressions: 4680
- - engagement: 18.3%
- - retweets: 14

twitter.com...
Peanuts versus Plain Nuts t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-16
- - impressions: 4535
- - engagement: 18.2%
- - retweets: 29

twitter.com...
#HeyPutinCensorThis t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-11
- - impressions: 3519
- - engagement: 18.1%
- - retweets: 12

twitter.com...
Five Tragedies Weirdly Predicted By Adam Sandler t.co... #Prediction #MH370 #earthquake t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-06
- - impressions: 3802
- - engagement: 17.9%
- - retweets: 5

twitter.com...
Half of the #DNA on the #NYC #subway Matches No Known Organism t.co... confirms NYers already knew t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-06
- - impressions: 3936
- - engagement: 17.9%
- - retweets: 11

twitter.com...
revisit: Untersberg, The Mystery Mountain t.co... Hitler's obsession with the #Paranormal t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-13
- - impressions: 3882
- - engagement: 17.6%
- - retweets: 13

twitter.com...
#911attacks - Should we just focus on Building 7? t.co... renewed discussion & analysis #conspiracy t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-16
- - impressions: 2852
- - engagement: 17.4%
- - retweets: 13

twitter.com...
revisit: PROOF: Building 7 was demolished with explosives! t.co... 9/11 false flag run from building 7 t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-16
- - impressions: 4232
- - engagement: 17.3%
- - retweets: 22

twitter.com...
The amount of Brian Williams Pictures is too damn high! #BrianWilliamsMisremembers #BrianWilliamsWarStories #Humor t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-10
- - impressions: 3127
- - engagement: 17.2%
- - retweets: 3

twitter.com...
@kennyglaird @CloydRivers more freedom, better education, better health, less #ty politics, etc.
- - date: 2015-01-26
- - impressions: 4159
- - engagement: 17.2%
- - retweets: 0

twitter.com...
@RavenHUWolf @AllenEllis14 #STFU t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-16
- - impressions: 141
- - engagement: 17%
- - retweets: 0

twitter.com...
"Signs of ancient life in Mars rover photos t.co... Mars fossils of ancient life #Mars #UFO #Alien t.co..."
- - date: 2015-01-08
- - impressions: 3376
- - engagement: 17%
- - retweets: 7

twitter.com...
Meet the World's Largest #pitbull at 174 Pounds! t.co... #Hulk #NotTheOnion #NotPhotoshopped t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-09
- - impressions: 2987
- - engagement: 16.6%
- - retweets: 10

twitter.com...
hey @kennyglaird @CloydRivers US is 14th in the world in percentage of 25-34 year olds with higher education t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-26
- - impressions: 4984
- - engagement: 16.2%
- - retweets: 3

twitter.com...
revisit: My unexpected discovery. The Hollow Earth Theory t.co... 29 pages of discussion & analysis t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-16
- - impressions: 2713
- - engagement: 16.2%
- - retweets: 5

twitter.com...
Brian Williams At The #Area51 #Alien Autopsy #BrianWilliamsMisremembers #BrianWilliamsWarStories #Humor t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-09
- - impressions: 4586
- - engagement: 16%
- - retweets: 19

twitter.com...
revisit: Crete #UFO Image Captured - What Is It? t.co... detailed analysis and dsicussion t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-12
- - impressions: 4008
- - engagement: 15.9%
- - retweets: 7

twitter.com...
Seven Big Lies '#AmericanSniper Is Telling America t.co... The Real #ChrisKyle Made Up Stories t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-22
- - impressions: 5964
- - engagement: 15.9%
- - retweets: 21

twitter.com...
"New Year doom pron: Meteor to hit January 26th t.co... Dangerous asteroid hits Earth on January 26?! t.co..."
- - date: 2015-01-06
- - impressions: 4655
- - engagement: 15.9%
- - retweets: 16

twitter.com...
revisit: Young Aussie genius whipping NASA in Moon Hoax Debate! t.co... 672 pages of great discussion t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-10
- - impressions: 3606
- - engagement: 15.8%
- - retweets: 9

twitter.com...
but, @FoxNews There should be the Brian Williams autograph in there somewhere #BrianWilliamsMisremembers t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-09
- - impressions: 6024
- - engagement: 15.6%
- - retweets: 17

twitter.com...
Possible #Yellowstone #bigfoot sighting on Park Service WebCam t.co... discussion/analysis at link t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-03
- - impressions: 1600
- - engagement: 15.6%
- - retweets: 21

twitter.com...
revisit: Show us ONE, just one #UFO pic/evidence that is evidence of visitation t.co... 113 pages t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-10
- - impressions: 3941
- - engagement: 15.4%
- - retweets: 11

twitter.com...
Republican Montana Lawmaker Seeks to Outlaw Provocative Clothing t.co... Speedos, Yoga Pants, & more t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-11
- - impressions: 3714
- - engagement: 15.4%
- - retweets: 10

twitter.com...
The #MuhammadChallenge - Stand against radical intolerance post/tweet your pic of Muhammad t.co... t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-07
- - impressions: 3964
- - engagement: 15%
- - retweets: 22

twitter.com...
Alright, here we have it, #vaccination and #AntiVaxxer #measles debate has been solved. Why didn't I think of that? t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-04
- - impressions: 4181
- - engagement: 15%
- - retweets: 22

twitter.com...
Strange apparition in photos. t.co... (RAW photos provided) help identify what it might be t.co...
- - date: 2015-01-08
- - impressions: 3664
- - engagement: 14.9%
- - retweets: 8

twitter.com...
Why The #JordanianPilot Was Captured, The Ugly Truth. t.co... #ISIS #Jordan discussion & analysis t.co...
- - date: 2015-02-09
- - impressions: 3264
- - engagement: 14.9%
- - retweets: 10

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I hope the sight is in a better place money and security wise. I do have to ask why was the donation thread closed and never reopened?


Also are you guys releasing the donation collection amount to the members?......Did the goal get reached? I think closing the thread sent a bad message even though I do understand why it was done.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Sorry, don't do twitter, or anything else for that matter except ATS on the interwebz, so can't help you there.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

a reply to: SubTruth

I didn't realize it was still closed, I'll open it up shortly.

We're not quite at the goal, but have made a significant partial payment on the loan. We've also trimmed some expenses, and I've started some work on the KickStarter project that was mentioned.

When I have a chance, I'll check on how close to the goal we are.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

SO ATS is the closest I get to social media, I won't be much help here.

Sorry, I love ATS but yes "oh the horror of horrors", I couldn't tweet if my life depended on it.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Thanks for the super fast reply. I sure hope you guys can reach the goal and keep it rolling ATS really is my home on the internet.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

The easiest way for this to happen is to get a few members who create content worthy of 100,000 followers and promote the content that those members create.

Think of it like the UFC thinks of their fighters. Anderson Silva and ST Pierre sell tickets so the UFC promotes those 2 fighters fights and they bring in the pay per views.

People come here for the content.

Look at it from this perspective. If people know that the content that they create will make them famous in the conspiracy world they are more likely to create content worthy of the promotion enabling you to promote that content from within the ATS brand. Its a win win for you and the members.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

get a "blue tick" certification from twitter.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: SkepticOverlord

The easiest way for this to happen is to get a few members who create content worthy of 100,000 followers and promote the content that those members create.

Think of it like the UFC thinks of their fighters. Anderson Silva and ST Pierre sell tickets so the UFC promotes those 2 fighters fights and they bring in the pay per views.

People come here for the content.

Look at it from this perspective. If people know that the content that they create will make them famous in the conspiracy world they are more likely to create content worthy of the promotion enabling you to promote that content from within the ATS brand. Its a win win for you and the members.

I think you might be on to something ATS needs a very real face. Please not Jessie.......Please. But ATS is filled with many diamonds in the rough.

a reply to: SubTruth

I'm not talking about Jesse Ventura I'm talking about real members.

I know exactly what I'm talking about I've been involved with business's when I was fighting and I learned firsthand how boxing and MMA promote and maintain their brand.

The UFC right now is experiencing over saturation which is devaluing the UFC brand creating a backlash in ppv sales.

The trick is figuring out which THREADS and POSTS to promote.

The stars and flags system let the community decide on who gets to get promotions so the work is pretty much already done. Its essentially a ranking system.

From an advertising perspective I would assume that this type of advice usually cost a lot of money.

a reply to: zazzafrazz

Verified accounts are by invitation-only at this point. I've been careful to do everything necessary to qualify.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: SubTruth

I'm not talking about Jesse Ventura I'm talking about real members.

I know exactly what I'm talking about I've been involved with business's when I was fighting and I learned firsthand how boxing and MMA promote and maintain their brand.

The UFC right now is experiencing over saturation which is devaluing the UFC brand creating a backlash in ppv sales.

Ya I really do like your idea buddy it is great and could work. The Jessie thing was not pointed at you. I think a dedicated serious alternative news channel would rock the foundation of the internet.


Vice news for the alternative world.

a reply to: SubTruth

Well the problem is figuring out what content is relevant to the market.

Even though a thread gets a lot of stars and flags here it doesn't mean that it will attract the minds of the internet it just means that people who come here like the ideas.

So how do you choose what content to promote?

What it also does is it creates an atmosphere where people want to promote their own product.

Its like fighters selling tickets.

If you cant sell 150 tickets you wont get the best fights. It really does work like that. So if you dont go out and put some work into promoting your own content and developing your delivery than you'll never get to the top.

Competition is healthy.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Signed up and followed.

a reply to: onequestion

I would fashion a daily youtube news hour and cover the top trending threads on ATS. You could even bring in member guests. And you could also start a paid for content style system of some kind.



Also a video contest would be fun and I bet it would sell.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

following.

as for the horror of the horrors, i guess more people on ATS actually use facebook and twitter than some think, certainly more than care to admit. so why not? it can simply be considered a proud stand against those in power, 'i know you can watch me, but i don't give a f..., here's my opinion'.

perhaps some viral marketing campaign? it would have to be well thought and kept pretty secret for some time, but if properly executed, it would do wonders on all fronts, not only on twitter.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I recommend offering more challenges and incentives to members to create better content.

Its not just about the information its also about the delivery.

So lets say ATS decides to host a member based contest on who can create the most unique style thread with the most original content and then they promote the contest and the winner gets to be all over ATS for a certain period of time those members are more likely to tell their friends which = more twitter follows and more page views.

You let the members do the work for you by creating an atmosphere where they can make themselves popular. You don't choose the winner you remain neutral and let the community decide.

a reply to: onequestion

far from perfect, imho.
often people that have the most amazing stories, either don't care about formatting, sugar coating and all the other fancy crap, or don't know how to do it, and just say what they have to say. and they certainly don't care about popularity, most would rather avoid it.

so no, that would promote those that seek attention, and they more often than not don't have much interesting to say.