The History of #lfcfollowback on Twitter

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This guest  post I received from Janoo Wasan, a passionate Liverpool supporter living in Hong Kong who is 15 years old. You can follow Janoo on his twitter account @janoow10.

With #lfcfollowback everyday is a RED day on Twitter

On July 18th 2010 at 19:32 (UK time) LFC history was created in terms of the social networking site ‘Twitter.’ A breakthrough was made…a simple idea to get Liverpool fans connecting was born… #lfcfollowback

Twitter gives it’s users the freedom to ‘tweet’ whatever they want in a mere 140 characters conveying its simplicity and convenience. #lfcfollowback was one of the many sensations created on twitter within a measly 140 characters. #lfcfollowback is a simple idea of which the main aim is to get Liverpool fans connecting and communicating through Twitter. The idea follows the basic principal that a Liverpool fan should follow and ‘followback’ their own followers (i.e. a follow for a followback) hence hinting at the name #lfcfollowback.

They say the Liverpool fans are the best, the loudest, the most encouraging and the Liverpool players love playing at Anfield, crowded with thousands of fans chanting their names and singing the anthem YNWA…And again, the Liverpool fans have proven themselves to be the best fans in the world…this time outside Anfield…On the social networking front that is Twitter.

One fan in particular, Danny Bleasdale, 22, took the initiative on behalf of all Liverpool fans to launch and create #lfcfollowback. All it took was a simple 140 character ‘tweet’ and the rest was history. Here’s are the original 2 tweets that got the ball rolling, giving the Liverpool fans the opportunity to communicate and voice opinions with each other and to experience the Anfield atmosphere everyday with a simple ‘login in’ to Twitter!

DannyB87‎: @spence01 @Danny_McTurner @LiverpoolFan74 Lets get a Liverpool FC follow for folllow scheme going! #lfcfollowback
Twitter – 19 Jul 2010 02:32:30
DannyB87‎: All #lfc fans. Put this hashtag at the end of your tweet (#lfcfollowback) and then everyone who does it follow eachother, simples! RT.
Twitter – 19 Jul 2010 02:35:58

The fans unfortunate to miss out on Anfield games due to geographical location are NOW able to witness Anfield, the Kop, and all the red fans via Twitter and the simple idea of #lfcfollowback. Everyday, millions of Twitter users try to get their ideas trending. With hard work and extensive effort from Danny Bleasdale trying to promote his concept, the idea took off within the first few hours of launching.

With further help from @justinheron & @kop_that plus leading Liverpool fans website @empireofthekop and journalist/writer @paul_tomkins plus Twitter retweets, word of mouth spread and #lfcfollowback became global very quickly (gaining fans and users from every corner of the world) and its now used on a regular basis to connect and follow fellow Liverpool supporters. The idea was later approved by the official Liverpool FC Twitter @lfctv account, giving further credibility to #lfcfollowback.

Danny started the idea due to the lack of Liverpool fans he was able to communicate with.

Danny said; “I was always trying to find LFC fans to follow and be followed by so I could interact with them more. This resulted in hassling journalists and people such like @justinheron for ‘re-tweets’ asking for liverpool fans to follow me and I’d follow back.  I thought it would be easier if there was a way where liverpool fans could actively put themselves forward to follow and be followed by each other.”

His Inspiration? He was inspired by some of twitter’s trends including #duncansdream and #teamfollowback.

“So I basically wanted to create one, like this, but exclusively for Liverpool fans from around the world looking to interact with each other,” Danny answers. Danny was also quick to credit @spence01 who tweeted, “I wish there was a way for liverpool fans to meet and interact with each  other.”It was @spence01, who allowed Danny to strive forward and take the idea forward. Whether in the stadium, outside the stadium or 5000 miles away from the stadium, we Liverpool fans are one big global community and through #lfcfollowback and Danny Bleasdale genius idea, we are able to collaborate, communicate and share ideas within our community.

The creator, Danny Bleasdale, currently an MSC student suggests some of the advantages and disadvantages of #lfcfollowback. “I think its great to make Twitter into almost a LFC forum.  Now a large amount of reds now follow and are followed by each other.  It means that they can freely share news and opinions and have debates and discussion with large amounts of people,” Danny says in an email style interview.

It’s hard to find flaws in such a innovative and useful creation, however, with great difficulty, the only disadvantage (which is a slender one) as Danny points out is, “people who abuse the # (hash-tag) to gain followers but don’t actually follow back. ” Danny concludes #lfcfollowback as a “great tool for Liverpool fans from Liverpool and all around the world to speak to and be introduced to people they never would have access to usually.”

If you are not using #lfcfollowback to connect with Liverpool fans, what are you waiting for…It’s simple! Just log in to your current Twitter account or create a new account and then just add ‘#lfcfollowback’ at the end of your tweets about Liverpool. Within a short time, your followers count would increase and then you can follow and connect with Red fans, from anywhere in the world. But remember to stick to the rule and principal of #lfcfollowback, and ‘follow back’ fellow Liverpool supporters. With #lfcfollowback everyday is a RED day.

Also be sure to follow the creator of #lfcfollowback Danny Bleasdale on his Twitter account @DannyB87

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