Twitter me this-if auto DMs are such a pain, why do so many people use them?

Dec 22, 2008

Categories: Featured, Internet Life, Social Media, Web 2.0

Here’s a great idea. Whenever someone follows me on Twitter I’ll send them a little direct message back thanking them or something. Okay maybe I’ll throw a link to my blog in too. Hmm, maybe a video? How about the product I’m selling…

You can see where I’m heading with this, auto DMs on Twitter. Sounds great, but honestly they are annoying. I try to follow almost all the people who follow me, but I’m more choosy now than I have been in the past. Why? I’m getting sick and tired of those DM pitch messages.

Don’t get me wrong, sending me a DM later that I can tell is more personal is cool. It’s a nice touch.

I posed this question to my Twitter followers this morning and got these replies:

That’s a pretty resounding: “they suck” response. Now I repeated the question and specifically asking my followers who do send out these autoDM what value they got out of them. Heck they could even DM me with their answer.

No takers.

This leads me to again wonder, why do it?

Are people clicking those links? Friending on Facebook? Signing up for newsletters?

I really want to know. I help folks with using Twitter for business, etc and if it does work then I can recommend it.

Yes, I can see how it could be useful.

“Thanks for the follow. Don’t forget to watch the live stream of the event” (for an event account, clearly).

“Thanks for the follow. Don’t forget our fundraising party…”

But just the hi and thanks?

But just hi and thanks? Not so much.

Bottom line: do you unfollow people who send autoDMs? Are you more careful following because you don’t want to get an autoDM? Do you use autoDMs and have found success with them?

Leave your answer below…

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Tags: Social Media, twitter, Untitled, Web 2.0

Comments to “Twitter me this-if auto DMs are such a pain, why do so many people use them?”

Rahsheen Porter | December 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 am |

I immediately unfollow anyone who sends me an automated DM of any kind that amounts to a pitch or call to action. As you say, there are some cases that get a pass, but not your average person.

I think, if one were to do some research on Twitter marketing, one might find some pretty "big" names and some self-proclaimed experts that advocate these auto-DM's. Most of the people doing the advocating are from a different marketing background (network/affiliate marketing, list-building) who have jumped on the social media bandwagon in recent years.

micah | December 23rd, 2008 at 10:13 am |

Im with you. I immediately unfollow anyone who sends me an automated DM. Why? because clearly they are using Twitter as a marketing vehicle, not a communications vehicle.

I have no interest in the barkers; only in the communicators.

James Tippins | January 6th, 2009 at 2:38 am |

Tris, I have finally gotten around to reading posts from the end of last year and this gets a resounding amen, yes and you got it. I cleaned my twitter of all the folks that I either didn't know and didn't intend to follow. It's a lot cleaner and I can actually follow the real social world of tweets instead of the marketing scams of spweeters (that's what I call spam tweets).

michaelhartzell | January 9th, 2009 at 4:56 am |

Too new with twitter to know how to auto DM as of yet. My time is being taken in the effort to be courteous and acknowledge each follow with a response. If we are able to use "technology" to respond to those calling us by phone: "thanks for calling. sorry I did was not available. Leave a message and I will get right back to you". Could we not have an auto responder DM similar to "this is an auto DM. Thank you for the follow. time is precious an unable to answer every new follow. If you are looking for something special, just send a DM and I am happy to respond."

Could it be said the true issues with an auto DM is the "intent"? The truth / intent is not clear or is misleading for many who use auto DM? (pitches, scores, etc)

If everything is used in a manner which is up front and the intentions clear, I believe an auto DM may be not only acceptable but useful as we attempt to meet like minded people where sharing, collaboration and a win-win is possible. (while using the precious time to benefit)

Thank you for the post.

trishussey | January 11th, 2009 at 10:00 am |

Thanks James. It's just how these things evolve. Someone says in a online marketing thing "you can increase leads and traffic x massive % with an auto DM…" and people just do it. If I got a useful auto DM like a discount or beta invite (which I have received), then it rocks. A personal note is great too, just I don't need or want the rest.

trishussey | January 11th, 2009 at 10:02 am |

Michael, right now the problem is that people are just blindly following eMarketing advice to do it. There has to be value. There has to be a reason why I should care. Frankly I've stopped following back people who's Twitter profiles talk about their lead generation, deal closing, SEO rocking -ness. I bet I'll get an auto DM back and it's annoying.

michaelhartzell | January 11th, 2009 at 10:16 am |

Thank you. What is an acceptable method to respond (if at all) when new people follow? I am testing an autodm for those who start to follow. Time is precious yet I do not want to ignore an outstretched hand. I would not want to autoDM for those connecting with me … except when they begin the follow. (which is why I also lean on auto answer on telephone and then block the time to return calls. thank you again.

Rachel | January 26th, 2009 at 7:12 am |

I dislike an answer to a follow whether it's automated or not. A auto-DM is usually impersonal and sales bot like, so the person loses some of their reputation to me by doing that. A personal response, either in the open or via DM, shows me that the person I'm following feels grateful (in a social media version of grateful) as though I have done them a favour.

But with Twitter I'm not following someone to do them a favour, I'm following them for me, for my reasons, so there's no reason for someone to thank me. My POV about Twitter is it's not about the followers but about who I follow and the information I get from them, not the information I send out.