Are you on Twitter?
Do you have more than 20 followers?
Is your mobile phone on over-drive juggling messages from your home email, your work email, Facebook, and maybe more?
Me too.
You are not alone!
If you're life is anything like mine, you have some responsibilities like a family, children in school, their activities, household chores, community activities, and even a job -- or two.
You're looking to make things as simple as they can be because most of the time, you're on overdrive.
Am I right?
Social Media Bandwagon
You might have jumped into social media to enhance your communication and maybe even make a difference for that second job, your side business, or a nonprofit you've been so kind to champion. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Keeping up with the times - if you're 35 or older, you're feelin' groovy! :)
Then you experience the overload of email notifications about Facebook Pages & Events invites, conversation threads, and new followers.
YIKES - Time to change the settings! So you do. And still, your email Inbox is NOT a lonely place.
Are ya with me?
Best Intentions
I bet you really want to respond to each conversation and notification, but you're one person. So you prioritize what you can do....reasonably. (At least that's my thinking).
One of your Twitter friends might have suggested a groovy tool to help you save time. You're all ears...so you explore...
There are several social media management tools out there - each performing a different set of functions. It is possible to arrange scheduling of tweets and posts, auto-follow, direct messages, and more.
The Great Debate
In every social media course that I have taken there has been conflicting information.
One expert will tell you that there are tools out there to help you mange your social media and be more efficient. Another will tell you to use the tools, but it is the most horrible thing to set up an automated direct message to your followers.
Huh?
We've all gotten a thank you via email when subscribing to a free newsletter - That's an auto-responder. A thanks for signing up.
I ask you: What's the difference between that and an automated message to your new followers on Twitter?
Clarifying the Ruckus
I can understand why some would recommend not automating a message on Twitter.
Most are spammy in nature and include links to "click their junk." I wrote an article, "10 Reasons Why I Won't Follow You On Twitter," with that being one of the reasons. Yet there are thousands of people taking advantage of that DM opportunity to zing a sleazy link to anyone that might look. I understand the wish to avoid that.
On the other hand, what if you want to acknowledge someone and encourage a relationship? For some, by the time they got around to the email notification, on a follow, the deadlines on Twitter Etiquette would have passed.
So what to do?
A Confession
My view is that social media is all about nurturing and developing relationships. So I prefer to follow back when someone follows me so that we might engage in real conversation at some point.
Also, I'm an active tweeter - my Twitter following is into the thousands now, and is growing.
I genuinely want people to feel that I care about them, and hope that they will engage with me. And I approach with the policy to treat others as I wish to be treated.
To me, it is valuable for people to feel acknowledged -- I'd want to be!
So I do it...
I automate a message to new followers to express my thanks for their interest and to let them know of my excitement to communicate with them.
There, I said it.
But I won't hang my head, because I'm a bit of a snob about it too...
- It is a sincere thank you.
- My greeting invites looking forward.
- I do not include a link - ever.
- And I watch with intent to converse.
To me, it's more important to make that initial expression of appreciation than to risk the possibility I might not get to it in a reasonable timeframe.
The Heated Questions
To the person that DM'd me to say that I should stop the auto-DM because it makes people not want to follow back, I want to know why you did not have the courage to discuss this past that DM. For I was openly willing and sent a message in response.
To everyone else, I ask again: What's the difference between an automated "welcome" DM and an automated "welcome email?"
Auto-DM or No auto-DM -- That is my question.
What's your position??
Please put your thoughts in the comment box below - whatever they are. :)
20 Replies
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I agree that social media is all about nurturing and developing relationships but also following topics you really are into and get all the latest news in that specific niche or person you are following.
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I agree, Haumiller. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! ~Keri
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Keri, Great article – I do not like DM however I do check them from time to time to be sure I am not missing a genuine message. I do not like anything in social media that is automated. Dawn Swick-Renshaw Stoney Creek Social Media
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Dawn, Since this post was published, as we’ve discussed, I have changed my views and adjusted my processes. The social media-sphere has evolved a bit more, and what we’re seeing is a place of “automation consultants,” and what I consider social media litter. It’s a shame that this is not stamped out by those, like yourself, and the original trailblazers. Because there was such passion to “keep it real.” Lets see where things go. For now, we are on the same page, and I look forward to continuing to connect with you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me! ~Keri
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Always good to read articles that are thought provoking, Keri..! You have made great points and all your commenters have too.. With Twitter, the sheer number of no distinct content in DM’s has also resulted in me rarely checking them. And it is about the numbers.. In my email, it does serve to confirm the subscription, and those are fewer than the number that come via Twitter. Love your articles..!
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This is the first post I’ve read defending the merit of the auto DM Keri. Good point! Kudos to you for taking this honest approach and for addressing a controversial technique that can be enormously helpful if received with the good will of its intent. Well said!
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Hi Keri, Firstly, I loved reading your post and nice to meet you. I love reading blogs with honesty and a voice. I do get a little annoyed by auto DMs as they are messages landing in my inbox that are not personal – they could be for anyone. I know different people have them set up for different reasons, and I was tempted to set them up myself when I first joined Twitter, until I realised what I may be doing. I set up this poll today: http://www.robertpickstone.com/2011/06/05/poll-auto-dms-do-they-annoy-you/ (I hope that didn’t come across spammy!) I may post the link back to every auto dm I recieve, but in a nice way. Just to let users know. By the way, you have received some great comments. Your blog has a great audience! It would be great to chat on here or over on Twitter. Thanks Rob
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Hello Robert, Nice to meet you as well. Thank you for reading and for posting your comment – I’m glad to have you as part of my audience! 🙂 I did take your poll, and you should see a comment on your blog about it. It would indeed be great to chat sometime. I’ll look for you on Twitter. 🙂 ~Keri
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Keri, aloha. Interesting discussion you have going on here. Because when I first start learning social media, I was told ‘No auto DMs,” I have not ever used them. And, in fact, have been surprised when people who are knowledgeable in the industry use them after a follow. It made me rethink my position. That being said, I have heard more people con, than I ever have people pro. Again, going back to when I first started, many, many people told me they don’t even look at their DMs because they receive so many. Hence, I oftentimes will tweet a person that I sent them a DM. Don’s comment above on the debit is an excellent point which is a con I did not know. When I receive a nice auto DM such as you send, I like it and think “hmmm, maybe I should do this too.” However, remembering that more people are irritated rather than pleased, I restrain myself. Personally, I am not offended by an auto DMs. The people who send spammy links in them are hurting the relationship before it even begins. The difference between a newsletter auto-responder and an auto DM is that you do not receive as many. It is unlikely that a person even signs up for one newsletter a day, however, must of us are involved with multiple follows a day. It is a difference in the numbers. Great topic, Keri. Best wishes for a terrific weekend. Aloha. Janet
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Janet, I appreciate your words. A few comments up there have me thinking. I do find myself tweeting to notify of a DM too. 🙂 Thanks for letting me know your view, Janet! ~Keri
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You present a convincing argument in favour of auto dm. Have noy used it in the past but may have to rethink my position. Thanks, Rob @engagetoday
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Hello Rob, Thank you for reading my article and posting your thoughts. I appreciate your openness to another point of view. Please let me know if you try an auto DM, and what your findings are. I would be quite interested in any follow-up. Please keep in touch, ~Keri
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I hate auto DMs. The email I get for signing up for a newsletter is a confirmation. If you want to thank me for following it should be a mention, not a private message. Links in DMs from “new” or “untrusted” followers is an indication of twitter spam to me. I use the DM for legitimate, personal messages that are private in nature.
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Bridget, Thank you for sharing your thoughts and helping me understand your view. It is healthy to see another side. I do agree that links in DMs as you suggest are spammy and signal distrust. You are a terrific Twitter friend to your tweeps, indeed! 🙂 Thanks again for expressing your position. ~Keri
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I come from the no Auto DM camp. I just don’t see the value in it quite honestly. I get so much Auto DM that I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even bother to read any of them. I’ll scan every once in awhile to find actual real responses, but everything else is simply just trying to sell something. Of course I’ve never tried it so I can’t speak to the effectiveness of CTR on Auto DM links, so that would be interesting to see.
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Jason, Thank you for letting me know your thoughts. The spammy-linky messages are annoying. I don’t believe that the sales from any effort of that nature would actually be productive — like there would be too much costly maintenance due to the way the connection was made. But I could be wrong. I like your avatar. The use of color, dimension, and the friendly, approachable look. Thanks again for sharing your view, ~Keri
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IMHO, no to both auto-DM and mass-DM. If I’m interested in mass messages being sent to me I will sign-up for an individual’s email newsletter. I’m also against auto-following (you follow me so I follow you without regard to actually taking the time to find out if I’m interested in anything you have to say.) I follow an individual on Twitter because I checked out a few of their tweets, read their bio, visited their website and determined they had info of value to me. Sending me an auto-DM with plain vanilla pitches to visit a website or even a generic thank-you is of no value to the recipient. I actually feel it creates a debit (you cost me a text message on my phone and didn’t take the time to send me a genuine message that might relate to a connection we have.) I know there are plenty of opinions on this subject… this one just happens to be mine. 😉 ~DON
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Don, Thank you for expressing your thoughts and letting me know your opinion. I appreciate hearing your point of view. Regarding mass DMs — I’m with you. Have not done that — it seems a violation of the friend-follow pact. Interesting, your mention of a debit made from the situation. I will give this some thought. I’m not opposed to being taken to the mat when called for. 🙂 Thanks for your care to take the time to share. ~Keri
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NO AUTO DM 🙂 However, yes to using a mass auto dm targeted with a specific intent in mind as long as it’s NOT a sales pitch…for instance: – “Hope you’re having a blessed day today” – “Chocolate or Vanilla ice cream?” It’s more powerful to use it as a way to enhance a relationship rather than sell… Just my 2 sense 🙂
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Rob, I appreciate your answer, and respect your opinion. You’ve given me an idea on how I might improve my process. How about: “Coffee, red wine, or martinis – which do you prefer?” 🙂 Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! ~Keri
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