A lot of us are really trying to get our friends to leave #Twitter and come here. Trust me, I am too. Here's a list of "Do's and Don'ts" that I've come up with, based on what's had the most success for me (and what hasn't worked for me, and what I've seen hasn't worked well for others).
DON'T
- Shame people for staying on Twitter. No one - especially artists - wants to jump ship completely in favor of a total unknown when their entire social circle (and sometimes even their livelihood) is on the line. No one is going to be receptive to shaming; it will only make them dig in further.
- Shame people for trying out BlueSky. Yes, we know BlueSky is subject to the same corporate bullshit that Twitter is and is inevitably going to go to shit in 5 years or less, but we'll probably still be here and have a solid foundation while they're floundering and having to abandon ship again. But people want to have options, and BlueSky, for some, is a trade-off that they are willing to make, and pressing them on the point is just going to turn them off to Mastodon. (Personal experience talking.)
- Waste time explaining how instances work. Seriously, don't. Talk about what you know when they ask, but don't get into it otherwise. This is the thing that turned ME off to Mastodon for the longest time. For a layperson who just wants to sign up for a profile and go, they don't care how instances work, and there is no way to make it sound less confusing. Just get a decent grasp yourself on what instances are out there, and point your friends towards the one you think will fit them best.
- Be a pest about it, or guilt-trip people for not joining. (I've been guilty of doing both of those things a few times, and believe me, it never works.)
DO
- Answer questions honestly when people ask you. This is especially true when the most honest answer you can give is "I don't know; that's a question for someone who knows more than I do."
- Share content from Mastodon in your other spaces. If your favorite artist is here, then post a link to their Mastodon profile if you share their art somewhere. #Artists, post links to your Mastodon account anywhere you post your art!
- Get "in the trenches" on Twitter and talk about how good YOUR experience has been here. Don't spend too much time griping about "Twitter bad, Mastodon good" - just stick to the "Mastodon good" part. Talk about how much engagement you get here, how much you like the atmosphere, how easy it was to set up, etc.
- As much as possible, cut back on your own Twitter use except to point people at Mastodon. If this is where you want your primary social media presence to be, make sure people know that and follow through. If you say "I'm mainly going to be on Mastodon now" but continue posting every day and engaging on Twitter, people are not going to believe you're serious.
- Be patient and give people time and space to figure out what they want. Some people will park an account on Mastodon and then not touch it for a while. Others will quietly watch from a distance before signing up. Others will try Mastodon while trying various other options at the same time. Others may not sign up at all - it's a bitter pill to swallow, but you have to accept it.
Feel free to reply with the strategies you've come up with that have been successful for you too. <3
#TwitterMigration