follower_friend_ratio

The Follower-Friend ratio of a given TSN is the ratio of the following Screen Names, to Screen Names being followed by that account.

So, the higher number of followers compared to those being followed, the higher (and thus better) the Follower-Friend ratio is for the TSN.

If the TSN yields a high number of friends (i.e. followed) but does not have a comparatively high following, the assumption is that the TSN might be using an automated mechanism to follow Twitter accounts.

twam accounts on Twitter attempt to amass a large number of friends in the hope that these accounts will following them back, which then enables the twam account to appear in their message stream - and thus they have a channel through which to market services, promote websites, etc.

This is an example of twam account that has followed a high number of others, whilst not being followed back at the same level:

<follower_friend_ratio> 
	<date>1265555099</date> 
	<exec_time>4</exec_time> 
	<raw_data> 
		<followers>206</followers> 
		<friends>1168</friends> 
		<ratio>0.18</ratio> 
	</raw_data> 
	<result>5</result> 
</follower_friend_ratio> 

The below output corresponds to a very popular member of the Twitterverse, who although does not follow a high number of users, has an extremely large number of followers, and thus a very strong ratio:

<follower_friend_ratio> 
	<date>1265556401</date> 
	<exec_time>4</exec_time> 
	<raw_data> 
		<followers>4484912</followers> 
		<friends>306</friends> 
		<ratio>14656.58</ratio> 
	</raw_data> 
	<result>1</result> 
</follower_friend_ratio> 

none

A 'friend' might not necessarily be following back - it is purely a followed Screen Name by the TSN. Twitter terminology is a little misleading when referencing a 'friend' (as the assumption would be that this account is both being followed by and following back the TSN in question).