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Automated DMs – A Huge Twitter Don’t

Automated DMs - A Huge Twitter Don't Download (26)


Transcript of the Automated DMs – A Huge Twitter Don’t Video

Hey guys, welcome to Shama.TV. Just a little bit annoyed – rarely happens – but I’ve been getting a lot of automated messages from a site that I believe is called Fun40.com that you can opt out of (and I did today). But I’m getting a lot of these automated direct messages like “I’m sending you peace and happiness” and everything from smores to shampoo. I’ve got to reiterate this guys – when Twitter first came out, and it was till a very small group of people, I thought automated direct messages were kind of neat and were a good tool that facilitated fast communication and allowing you to reach a lot of people – but I really think it’s a bad idea now and I’ve changed my viewpoint. In my new addition of The Zen of Social Media Marketing I’m going to address it. Automated direct messaging is a very, very bad idea. For those of you who are on Twitter and are doing it, please stop. People simply do not want to see those automated direct messages especially if they get a lot of them like me. I’d much rather get a more personal message that says “Hey I want to connect with you, here’s what I do” because, as I’ve said before, people like to connect with people, and that’s what Social Media is all about is relationships and how you build them. Are there tools that can help you make this communication more efficient? Yes, in terms of tools that will allow you to follow more targeted folks, there are Twitter yellow pages like Twellow out there, there are just so many thing, but when it comes to automated messaging I feel the same way about virtual gifts on Facebook when people send random pokes and spider webs and whatever, I’m not really sure what the function of it all is. Maybe I’m missing a point and yall can enlighten me, but I really think that automated direct messaging is definitely a Twiiter-don’t.

August 24, 2009
6 Comments

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 24th, 2009 at 8:05 pm and is filed under Twitter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

6 Responses to “Automated DMs – A Huge Twitter Don’t”

  1. LaRon Carter says:
    August 24, 2009 at 8:42 pm

    Nice job with auto DM Twitter don’t(s) Shama. Although I have you in my Google Reader I found this message pop-up in my Firefox Facebook plugin app. I’ll RT this link.

    Perhaps posting a follow-up to this vlog regarding another social media instruction how automation strategies like Google apps, browser plugins, and Twitter search engines help contribute to building relationships you mention in this post. Just a thought. @laroncarter

  2. Ron Givens says:
    August 25, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    I couldn’t agree more.

    If I instantly get a direct message from you, then you’re instantly deleted….period.

    That’s just an indicator of SPAM to come, and I really don’t want to have to unfollow you down the line.

    Instant DM = spam most of the time

  3. Jennifer Fatzinger says:
    August 25, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    I agree with Shama about those automated dm’s. I am getting tired of receiving them myself.

  4. wilhb81 says:
    August 26, 2009 at 12:24 am

    Honestly, Shama. By sending the automated Twitter DMs to your followers, it helps you to spread out your latest progression to your followers automatically! It’s so far the best option…

  5. Mary Swanson says:
    August 27, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Great video! I’ll have to share it with my friends. I agree that automated DM’s can get annoying, especially when they start spamming your DM inbox and have no added value. It makes it harder to sift through all the spam and identify the genuine DM’s. Have you thought about setting up a http://bit.ly/4bybHr poll for your readers? I find them pretty useful for getting opinions and also fun for voting! :)

  6. Sarge says:
    September 22, 2009 at 4:45 am

    I think I have to agree and disagree.

    This month I have been trialing sending out 1 auto-DM when someone adds me to twitter using socialoomph (previously called tweetlater).It allows you to create as many DMs as you want and socialoomph will randomly select one of the DMs to send out once someone had added you to twitter.

    I think what’s important is the actual message you send in the auto-DM. I don’t agree with sending out auto-DMs all the time but I think it’s ok to send one when they first add you as an initial contact.

    Given the nature of my beginnerblogger twitter account I only add people that are interested in blogging and feel I can help out and I like to think people are adding me for that reason too.

    The random message I send that sends a link to my blog doesn’t get many replies back, but this message does get a lot of replies:

    “Thanks for following me! I’m looking forward to your tweets and getting to know you better. What are you working on at the moment? :-) ”

    My messages aren’t trying to sell you anything. My purpose is to help people out, get to know them and start up an initial conversation by asking them a question.

    What do you think of this Shama?

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