And no, you don’t have to be Kim Kardashian. Or Ashton Kutcher. Or Justin Bieber (who?).

Despite CNN’s report that the majority of Twitter users are just following their favorite celebrities, I think it’s an incredibly valuable tool—and it’s not fair to measure it just by the numbers. You can be following 20 people, but if they’re the right people, you’ll build a community and get a real conversation going. The same can be said for the people who follow you.

That’s why when I started Inky Clean’s Twitter account I decided to start small. I’m choosy about who I follow because I don’t want my account to become another source of spam; I want to get a valuable experience out of it. Here are the six things I look out for before I click “Follow” on a profile.

1. The bio: One of the first things I look at is a person’s bio. I want to know a bit about who they are, and by this I don’t mean I want a list of as many titles as they can fit into 160 characters (You’ve seen them: Taxidermist, mother of three, Lady Gaga fan, knitter, defensive driver, chocolate lover, movie freak and collector of 18th-century buttons). A bio doesn’t need to say everything about you, it just needs to say why you’re on Twitter. Maybe you love discussing politics, or you’re an art curator and you always have the latest art news. Think of the bio as a chance to answer the question: “What are you bringing to the table?” If people know what you’re about, it’ll help them decide if they want to listen to what you have to say.

2. They tweet things I can use. Informative tweets, tweets linking to blog posts I might find interesting, tweets of inspiring quotes or funny jokes. These kinds of tweets all have something to offer me, whether that be an educational tidbit or even just a smile. I follow them because they add something to my day, and I know that when they pop up on the corner of my screen through TweetDeck, I won’t feel like they’re interrupting me for no good reason.

3. Their tweets aren’t just promotion. I’ve unfollowed accounts that only tweeted a variation on “Looking for a solution to problem x? Visit our site!” People don’t go on Twitter to be sold to. They go on Twitter to learn and interact. Does this mean people shouldn’t promote themselves on Twitter? Not at all. But smart tweeps know that the best way to promote themselves isn’t by saying how great they are; it’s by showing it. I wouldn’t follow an accountant who only tweets about his specials, but one who sends out tips on taxes that I can use? Definitely, and when it comes time to hire one I can be confident that he knows what he’s talking about because he’s already proven it.

4. They participate in a conversation. Nothing turns me off more than going to someone’s Twitter page and seeing that their only tweets are links to their blog or website. This just tells me that they’re doing a whole lot of talking but none of the listening. I like following people who might introduce me to some of their interesting friends via a Retweet or a Reply or a thread they’re participating in. And I’d like to think that if I mention them in my tweets, or ask them a question, they’d respond and interact with me.

5. They say thanks. It’s a simple little word, but appreciation goes a long way. I love finding tweeps who participate in #followfriday for example, because it’s a great way to thank the people whose tweets you value for doing their thing. Not only that, but it exposes me to people I may not otherwise have found. There are also some users who’ll go out of their way to thank people who RT’d them, but that’s just an added bonus. I’d never expect someone to personally thank 45 people individually (though it’s always a pleasant surprise when they do!).

6. They don’t lock their account. This may sound mean, but I don’t follow people who protect their tweets. Period. This just tells me they don’t want me interacting with them, so I don’t. Don’t expect someone to go through the trouble of requesting to follow you and wait for you to accept them just to find out if your tweets are valuable to them. I can understand having privacy settings on Facebook, where you post pictures and personal information, but Twitter has a completely different dynamic. The whole point is to let people listen in, 140 characters at a time, even if you don’t know them. So let people listen.

What about you? What are some deciding factors when choosing who you’ll follow on Twitter?