I am a fan of a Company and 8 months ago I've created a twitter account for it because it didn't exist. Then I started posting updates for their upcoming sales , resolving common questions, adding followers and eventually it grew pretty big with just shy of 10,000 followers. I've been working consistently for that account and it outgrew all of the company's competitors. The company contacted me about 4 months ago about a possible collaboration/buyout, I've replied promptly but then they haven't follow up with me after a couple emails. Now the company just called me again wants to take the full control of the account. They suggested to give me a $500 store credit in return of all the work I've put on the twitter account, before they try to do something with twitter directly. What should I do in this case? I will be gladly to transfer the account back to them, since they have every right to do so. But I feel like they just haven't valued any of the effort that I've put into the account in the last 8 months. I am not trying to make a huge profit from them by selling the account, but it will be nice if they can valuate the work that I've put into the account and pay me a one time consulting fee or something. What do you guys think? p.s. Also, if they contact twitter directly, what could possibly happen?
Well, you are asking them to valuate something that they didn't ask you to do...you did it of your own free will. It is totally up to them if they even feel like compensating you at all when they could just open their own "Official" profile and let their own marketing company grow it, leaving yours in the dust. Second, depending on how exact the profile name is to the company's trademark, Twitter could disable the account and hold the profile name for the company to register it on their own. The fact that they have offered you anything is commendable, most companies send a letter and force you out. I think the only way to plead your case would be to talk to someone directly via the phone...but if it were me, I'd take the store credit, ask for a testimonial of your social media skills to show off to future clients (Which is priceless), and move on.
I'd take the $500, give them the account, run and consider yourself lucky they're not sueing for trademark and copyright violations.
If as you say, you are a fan of the company, then it is a compliment that they would offer you the store credit. If you really think you deserve more, perhaps you could offer to be involved with their Twitter account in some way in the future. You are obviously doing something right to get so many followers... worth contacting them and offering your services don't you think?
Be careful with the Twitter TOS (Term of Services). I'm pretty sure that anything involving selling accounts or trading accounts for compensation violates their TOS and can get the account banned.