Send Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Twitter Auto DM’s Yearning to Breathe Free!
March 30, 2009Since the beginning of the year an interesting online etiquette issue has arisen on Twitter: the use of automatic direct messages (private messages for those unfamiliar with the popular micro-blogging service).
Basically, a person on Twitter signs up for a third party service — SocialToo and Tweetlater are the top two that come to mind. These services automatically send a scripted message to people who follow them.
Once activated, these service send out messages created by the user ranging from the banal (“thanks for following me”) to badgering (“click my junk”).
The general consensus is that using automatic direct messages is bad form. Since social media is all about being, well, social, using an automated script to say the same thing to everyone is disingenuous at best and downright rude at best — especially if all you are doing is promoting a product or service.
Twitter heavyweights Chris Brogan and Loic Lemeur have expressed concern about this issue. Even The Busy Brain discouraged the practice (and you better listen to your brain, no matter how busy it is!).
Long story short: don’t auto DM.
As I was watching this year’s SuperBowl, I realized that the main character in the following Taco Bell commercial faithfully communicates the essence of an automatic direct message: he is awkward, way too forward and, basically, socially inept.
I’ve received several dozen automatic direct messages. For the most part I’ve found them to be bothersome, but also humorous. I deleted most of them and almost immediately unfollowed the person sending the message.
I wasn’t terribly bothered by the posts, but their use communicated to me that the person I elected to follow was not willing to make the personal investment in social media I feel must occur. In some cases, where there was a less “salesy” pitch it was clear the person was sending out the auto messages in a misguided effort to be polite.
If nothing else, the sheer “infomercial” nature of some of them made me wonder how truly effective any of them could possibly be. My three favorite automatic direct messages (of those I saved) include:
“You totally ROCK. Since you’re following me I’ll be sure to check out your profile. What made you follow me?”
“Thanks Mathew for following. Here’s your gift. Get 1 Million Double-Opted In, Daily Verified Leads For F*R*E*E !!Come get it before they close this free offer ! [Link to website]
“Thanks for following me doctorious. Need a FREE Twitter Background/Theme? [link to website] We also do custom themes.”
Fortunately, a “hero” arose in the midst of this madness: the Twitter account “@optmeout.” However, the relief offered by this account only turnzs off automatic direct messages from people using “Tweetlater.” But something is better than nothing, right? Here is how the process works:
- Go to @optmeout on Twitter and Follow it.
- Receive a DM from @optmeout indicating it has followed you back.
- Send a DM back to @optmeout.
- Unfollow @optmeout.
- Rejoice!
After completing this process I realized there must be many “awesomely bad” auto DMs out there. Therefore, I invite you to post in the comments box below as many automatic direct messages you received or of which you have become aware. My goal is to amass a centralized list of automatic direct messages.
In closing, embracing the spirit if the Emma Lazarus poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty, I hereby say to you: Send me your tired, your poor, your huddled Auto DM’s yearning to breathe free!
“Success is lk wrestling a gorilla. U don’t quit when you’re tired, U quit when the gorilla is tired. Robert Strauss”
Since I wrote this post I received five more auto DMs and thought I would share them:
“Hey Matthew – thanks so much for the follow! Really looking forward to reading your tweets! My tweets are stuff that makes you say Huh, so?”
“thanks for following me, this is exciting.”
“Hey there. Thx for the follow! I’m a Twitter addict (aack) so I look forward to hearing your Tweets soon
”
“Thanks for following me doctorious. Join me on Facebook – [URL] and LinkedIn – [URL]”
“Thanks for following us! We’re the #1 rated speed reading software on the market! Try our free online demo today! [URL]”
Certainly, the first four are not as bad as the overtly promotional ones, but it is hard to feel personally welcomed when you can so easily tell the same words are sent to everyone. But please, instead of an Auto DM, engage someone on Twitter by sending them a message by addressing a tweet to their username preceeded by an “@” symbol.
Just when you thought it was safe to follow new people, I received yet another Auto DM, this time with a typical “click my junk” type of solicitation:
“Great resources to learn easy medical Spanish with free links on the “services” page of my website [URL]”
Muy malo!
Here are some additional DMs I “rediscovered” recently that appear to have been automatically generated:
“Thanks for the follow! [UR] – Twitter Makes Sense for Me Now. And no, this is not an autoresponder.
”
“Thx 4 the follow! If you wish, Tweet me @[Redacted] — I’d like to know what motivated you to follow me!”
“Thanks for stopping by, Matthew, I liked your alias and collection of Twings, which is why I clicked on you.”
“Hey – thanks for following – back at cha! Enjoy your day! I look forward to your tweets!”
“Thanks for following me. Link here to a Chicago Tribune article about me! [URL]”
“Thanks for following XXXX Career Services! Check out our website to learn more about us: [URL]”
“Matthew – help sponsor an impoverished child free, just by using Google and Twitter: [URL]“
Thanks for Tip! Love it!!
I despise AutoDM’s as well! I think most do & those who don’t “get it” will end up in the Twitter Cesspool. (all the autoDM’rs following each other).
On May 16th, it is officially the “Drop Your AutoDM’rs Day”.
http://caffeinatedmarketing.com/2009/04/27/drop-your-autodmrs-day/
It is my Two-year Twitter anniversary & I thought this might be a good way to show people that I am serious…are you?
-jen
@jenharris09
Hi Jen,
Thanks for stopping by. I generally unfollow individuals or organizations whose Auto DM is overtly promotional or of the “click my junk” variety — those are immediate relationship killers. However, I am somewhat more tolerant of those Auto DMs that are an honest attempt to be friendly, but just come across as awkward. Sometimes I give those individuals or organizations another chance to see what additional messages are communicated — then I make the decision. I sometimes wonder if those that have come from MySpace to Twitter are more likely to use an Auto DM based on their experiences with the “Thanks for the add” kind of mentality? But, again, with the exception of the “late night infomercial” types of Auto DMs I try to evaluate each case independently.
– Matt
Hey, I’m online! ). And Se ya later)).
I did enjoy the comparison to the Taco Bell commercial character. It’s also interesting he ordered didn’t for her at Taco Bell.
Randy
Ok, I HATE auto-DM’s (just sayin’…). Wait, maybe “hate” is a strong word so let me rephrase and go with “dislike” (strongly dislike).
But then, there’s one auto-DM that I received from a colleague of mine:
http://www.ribeezie.com/ribeezie/2009/02/i-dont-like-the-whole-autoresponder-thing-but.html
It’s the one auto-DM that I actually rather enjoyed. And it’s not because I know her, but because it was actually, truly creative in my humble opinion.
(Sorry to drop the link on ya Matthew but I hope you find it relevant and that you find some amusement in it).