A friend asked me how I got "so many" followers and I was kind of taken aback. It's one of those questions that you don't really know how to answer because it seems so simple that it's complex. The same criteria that apply to following someone also applies to myself. But I do believe that there is a strategy to gaining quality followers.Here's my process:1. Be yourself - I know it's pretty trendy to have several personalities on social media but your cover will get blown eventually. All it takes is one tweet.2. Watch your language - Too many swear words and eventually people won't take you seriously. Use sparingly and only for emphasis.3. Tweet strategically - You only get 140 characters to get your point across. Twitterlonger is a trap. Don't do it. Most people won't waste their time to click on it. Keep it short.4. Engage - This is probably the most important and one that I've slipped on as of late. It's all well and nice to tweet randomly or cryptically but twitter is a place to connect with others. Ask questions. Take a poll. Don't just follow someone and never tweet them. Comment on their tweets. Hop in on conversations.A great way to connect with others is by using hashtags. Ex: I love the show New Girl. When I tweet about it, I use the hashtag so that those watching the show can see it. Another ex: Have a question about beauty or hair products? Ask a question and use the hashtag #hair or #beauty. Search what's trending and interact with strangers!Don't just lurk or only communicate with your friends. Diversify.6. Create and/or post quality content - Are you an "expert" on a topic? Teach your followers something. They want to learn something from you.7. Be interesting - Share personal stories about your life. Post about your third grade teacher who changed your life. Tweet about the boy who broke your heart and later got stuck with a overbearing loser. I wanna know who hurt you!I want your timeline to be GREAT. Show your current and future followers that you're worth the follow.