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The most dynamic swarms seem to grow around Alpha Swarmers. 

How do you spot them and can you cultivate them? 

Here are 3 key things to look for in an Alpha Swarmer -  Messaging, Connecting and Publishing:

1. Alpha Swarmers are ‘Messagers’

Alpha Swarmers are frequent messagers – either by mobile phone or instant messaging or often both.

 

If a person is not already messaging then they can become a good swarm user but probably not a top alpha swarmer.

 

 

Alpha Swarmers have larger than average social networks and they are not afraid to use them. We are not talking about “Trophy Social Networkers” with a large number of contacts but no real connections with any of them.

 

A key test of an alpha swarmer is how quickly they can populate a swarm from scratch – either by invite or public joins. If they can’t get 10-20 members in a single day then they are probably not an alpha swarmer.

 

 

Alpha Swarmers do two things to create energy and excitement in their networks. Firstly they broadcast their own messages frequently. (So Alpha Swarmers are often already bloggers or mob-bloggers or micro-bloggers). Secondly alpha swarmers are always ready and willing to forward on good messages they receive to other swarms.

 

Unlike messaging and connecting this is the one trait which can be nurtured and developed further and is often lying latent in a potential alpha swarmer.