A lot of people use automated Direct Messages (DMs) on Twitter, and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. If you’re on Twitter, you’ve probably gotten one – you follow someone and get a DM shortly thereafter thanking you for the follow, telling you they’re looking forward to chatting with you, or explaining how you can get a thousand new followers a day (or more!).
Ugh. To all of them.
You want to make an impression on Twitter? Engage. Offer up great content. Make us FEEL like you really want to chat with us by, well, by actually joining in conversations with us on Twitter. Making genuine effort makes you someone people want to have a relationship with. Filling screens with faux-personal replies or sales pitches does not.
Who knows, maybe automated DMs are highly effective for you. If so, I hope you’ll explain how so we can all learn. Or if any of you love getting them, please let us know. And if you’re still thinking about using them, if you can please make sure I don’t get one should I follow you, I’d be much obliged!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, Greg – you’re so right. These automatic messages are annoying and don’t bring me over to look at someone’s Twitter profile or website. As you say, write meaningful Tweets or messages. Thanks for expressing this!
Greg – Like you, I get annoyed at the tweets t hat say “come visit my site.” But then again, some Twitter IDs are promos in themselves, so even without the DM it’s a pitch.
I decided to do a “Thanks for Following” reply because I want folks to know what we tweet about. No website, no pitch, just this is why we’re here. Given the number of follower notifications I get every day, it can be a couple of days (or even a week) before I get back with them.
When I go to their page and have the time to check out their website, then I can start a meaningful dialogue.
I agree, Mary Ann – writing meaningful tweets or messages of added value makes the impression.
And Terry – I agree there’s a big difference between the sales DM and a days later “hey!!!” DM. The latter still don’t wow me, though. If a DM tells me something specific that I wouldn’t know from looking at your Twitter bio (which has your website) and your tweets, that’s different.
Maybe I’m quirky this way, but I only follow people because I think, based on their bio or tweets, I’m going to enjoy following them. In other words, your DM doesn’t tell me anything I don’t know. It doesn’t bother me like a sales pitch, but it doesn’t add value. Also, I may already have RT’d you by the time you send it, thus showing I know what you tweet about, yes? Do you check that first?
I guess many people just click “follow” without thinking… but even there, they’re going to see your tweets in their stream. If they’re interesting, they’ll know what you tweet about (if they care, that is!).
I’m curious if you or anyone else has gotten positive feedback or thank you replies to automated DMs. Again, I could be off base here, but I still don’t get it.
I received one Auto DM, I responded and then received a response. Only one. I still follow that person.
To me twitter is about building Quality connections, not quantity. Besides, How can any one person “really” follow what is going on in a million twitter accounts. I have trounble with the few I have.
Following should be about following people that interest you, who provides quality information – again NOT quantity. I have stopped following a few that have repeatedly inudated me with 10+ tweets in less than an hour. Though I like their comments, it is overwhelming.
As for Automated DM’s, they far outweigh personal DM’s. Probably because Twitterholics are obsessed with obtaining millions of followers not building connections or relationships.
I don’t like auto-DMs … it sends me the message that the other person thinks their time is more important than mine. So Terry, I would rather wait until you do have time to get back to me with something personally crafted. I’ll be able to figure out for myself what you’re tweeting about.
That said, some are more irritating than others. For example, today I got one that said “Hey rockstar! Made you a welcome video w/ free gift to thank you for following” and pointing me off to the guy’s website. Seems like spam to me. I unfollowed.
Another kind of message I really dislike is ones that say “Tell me why I should follow you.” Dude,* decide for yourself whether or not you want to follow me — and think of it as doing me a big favor. Unfollow.
Other people feel even more strongly than me. On Twitter I asked @jesse (Jesse Stay) what he thought about auto-DMs, and he replied
jon
* every single one of the half-dozen people who have done this to me has been a guy