Do you ever feel like you’re trying to sell someone something but they’re not noticing your offers? That’s what I call the “Caffeine Monster.” It’s a term I made up as a Twitter user to describe the phenomenon of a person who tweets constantly about a particular topic and doesn’t engage with others on the platform. The name comes from the “Caffeine Monster,” the nickname of the character Joe Simonetti from the webcomic “The Caffeine Yeti,” which follows his Twitter account.
In practice, the Caffeine Monster is someone who spends more time promoting their brand and product than actually engaging with other users on Twitter. They use the platform as a way to reach a large audience and get their message out there without having to spend lots of time actually communicating with people.
Why Is The Caffeine Monster A Bad Thing?
The Caffeine Monster is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more you try to sell someone something they don’t want, the more they’ll shut you out. That’s because at some point, they’re going to realize that what you were trying to sell them wasn’t what they wanted in the first place. So, in some cases, the Caffeine Monster can be a complete waste of time.
How Big Is The Caffeine Monster On Twitter?
If you think that there’s only one person who fits the bill of being a Caffeine Monster, you’re wrong. Twitter has identified seven categories of users who fit the description, including:
- Product advocates
- Technology experts
- Blogs
- News consumers
- Hashtags
- Twiterers
- Spammers
So, depending on what you want to call them, there are somewhere between three and nine people who should be classified as the Caffeine Monster. That’s a lot of influence for one person!
What Should You Do If You Spot A Caffeine Monster On Twitter?
If you spot a Caffeine Monster on Twitter, ignore them. That’s the simple and best solution. You’re not going to change their mind by engaging with them. If they want to keep talking about the same thing over and over again, let them. But, chances are, they won’t respond well if you start responding to their tweets. Remember, they exist in a bubble, insulated from the reality of what most people want. They’re only focused on promoting their brand or product and aren’t interested in engaging with other users on the platform.
If you’re worried about someone trying to hurt your brand or reputation by spreading negative or false information about you on social media, there are a few things you can do. First, try to find the truth, using tools like Fact-Checker, which will scan your social media content for mentions of your brand and flag any inaccurate or negative information. Next, ask yourself if the person who you’re worried about might have a point. Sometimes, people will say crazy things about your company or brand on social media that turn out to be completely true. You just have to find the correct information in the first place so you can verify it and respond accordingly.
How Do I Find The Caffeine Monster On Twitter?
You can’t directly find the Caffeine Monster on Twitter. You need to look for the characteristics that the platform has defined as being a part of the class of users described as the Caffeine Monster. Once you find them, you know without a doubt that it’s a waste of time trying to convince them to stop. The only thing you can do is unfollow them and find someone who’s more your style or who can teach you something new.
Where Can I Find More Information About The Caffeine Monster?
I recommend checking out Joe Simonetti’s comics for an in-depth look at how the Caffeine Monster interacts with other Twitter users and how he gets so much work done while maintaining a high level of engagement on the platform. It’s an amusing look at the eccentric ways some people use Twitter.