Yes I was thinking the same; The way I am looking at the stats is a lot of DP members are not embracing Twitter as much as I thought, Considering it’s one of the best places to find out the most up to date info, I recently read an article were Mike Hudack, CEO of Blip.tv, a New York-based video website says†In the past, companies would hire a market research firm to understand their audience, "Now we use Twitter to get the fastest, most honest research any company ever heard — the good, bad and ugly — and it doesn't cost a cent,†and they get to respond more quickly than ever. " The article also went onto say Frank Eliason, a customer service manager for Comcast, spends his day communicating with Twitterers about the company — hoping to resolve issues. Comcast isn't on Twitter to turn around the firm's customer service perception issues but simply to "build better relationships with our customers," he says. Whole Foods, which started using Twitter in June, just wants to hear what people are saying about the company. "It's amazing how many people say, 'I'm off to Whole Foods for lunch,' Many businesses see gold inside Twitter: Consumers are talking about them on Twitter; I personally think social media is now and will forever change the landscape of web marketing Steve
What do you need a really hugh number for? Are they all completely interested in what you have to say? Because if not, then all thats happening is your making noise. Follow relevant people and grow your own relevant audience - rather than thinking of it as a "target number". In the end you will have wasted your time adding people who dont care what you have to say.
I have more than 700 hundred followers in twitter. But that will not work if they do not know or if they have not the same interest. You will not get more traffic from there.