Dealing with twitter Auto Dms and Spam

Posted on by

There are two things that really annoy me on twitter.

Twitter Spam and Auto Direct Messages (Auto Dm)

Spam being the big number 1 and a close second, the Auto DM.

The first one needs no explanation, spam is spam, even on twitter and it can come in many shapes and forms. The second is just downright rude and makes me grind my teeth.

I mean seriously, how hard can it be to write a message in less than 140 characters to say hello to someone that you have followed or who has just followed you back. Auto DM’s just stink of pure laziness and for me , a lack of respect.I hate being treated as a number on someones account, never mind the fact that an auto DM inevitably leads to a nice dose of the afore mentioned twitter spam trying to sell me something for 1 dollar.

I also don’t have the time to reply to these people, a lot of the time they are not even there, to explain that one or the other of these things is not doing them any favours, so I decided to address the problem directly.

I have started to simply send them one or other of the tiny URLs below before I quite happily hit the unfollow button and get on with more productive matters. I thought it was about time I shared.

Feel free to use them at your leisure or pleasure, just keep the hashtag in there as well.

Twitter Spam URL :

http://bit.ly/18dGgW #SPAM

Dealing with twitter Auto Dms and Spam

Twitter Auto DM URL:

http://bit.ly/vkDys #ADM

Dealing with twitter Auto Dms and Spam

Twitter No Avatar URL:

http://bit.ly/u3WG7 #AVATAR

Dealing with twitter Auto Dms and Spam

Twitter Mafia Family Crap

http://bit.ly/iWjW1 #MFCRAP

Dealing with twitter Auto Dms and Spam

  • http://www.paulapollock.com Paula Pollock

    Some people actually do try to be polite and use the auto DM to thank followers. Though, I completely agree with you on, “Tx 4 the follow – click my junk. Get 1000 followers a day!” Those folks usually don’t add much value on Twitter.

    http://twitter.com/pullmarketer

    • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

      Agreed Paula, although the auto thank, even with the best intention is still pretty lame. That being said its the “buy my junk” crew who receives these nice little tiny URL graphics. I got enough junk anyway and am in no way interested in having 1000 bots following me, they are not the best conversationalists anyway.

  • http://www.paulapollock.com Paula Pollock

    Some people actually do try to be polite and use the auto DM to thank followers. Though, I completely agree with you on, “Tx 4 the follow – click my junk. Get 1000 followers a day!” Those folks usually don’t add much value on Twitter.

    http://twitter.com/pullmarketer

    • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

      Agreed Paula, although the auto thank, even with the best intention is still pretty lame. That being said its the “buy my junk” crew who receives these nice little tiny URL graphics. I got enough junk anyway and am in no way interested in having 1000 bots following me, they are not the best conversationalists anyway.

  • Pingback: Twitted by ednarheiner

  • http://www.bronsonharrington.com/ Gnuboss

    I have been having the auto DM hello VS. real hello debate for some time now. I simply don’t always have to time to review 30 users a day (at present) – which means looking at their tweets, their bio and any sites that they are promoting. I have so far, stuck with manual hello, but a fairly common greeting.

    I make sure to include a name, or comment where possible to let the person know that you’ve actually looked at what they are doing.

    Some time soon, I may move to auto DM’s but will try to do it in a non spammy way. I would most likely label the message as an Auto Dm just to say that I manually check out my followers and that they should expect a response and personal greeting within a day or two (and not asking them to look at anything else while they wait either.)

    Half the fun of saying hi to people in person is that you build a relationship, and know a little something about the people you interact with.

    What would be interesting is to see a metric showing the relationship between people who auto Dm and people who only shout or promote and never listen or reply.

    • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

      I have the same issue as yourself Gnuboss, in regards the number of follow emails I get each day. Frankly Im getting pretty good at spotting the fake/spammy accounts before I even click on them now but I continue to do so to be 100% sure.

      The reason I hate Auto DM, completely and wholeheartedly, no matter its context or wording, is that its like meeting someone for the first time, whipping out a business card and slapping it onto their forehead, then walking away to rinse and repeat the process with the next follower.

      Hardly a good start to any type of relationship.

      Remember Auto DMs are not a requirement. I follow quite a few people but dont ever feel the need to DM them until I have something specific, or private, to say and that only happens once I have got to know them more via their tweets.

      There is no requirement to DM anyone and while, in theory, the use of an auto DM to thank someone for following you, for that reason alone, is nice, the fact that its automatically generated completely removes any positive factor it may have, and creates a negative for me.

      To me its social media for a reason, not numbers junkie media!

      • http://www.bronsonharrington.com/ Gnuboss

        I suspect that I have decided against it for many of the same reasons that you have cited above. I agree that it does have the capacity to do more harm than good.

        You only get one chance to make first impression – best you make it count.

  • Gnuboss

    I have been having the auto DM hello VS. real hello debate for some time now. I simply don't always have to time to review 30 users a day (at present) – which means looking at their tweets, their bio and any sites that they are promoting. I have so far, stuck with manual hello, but a fairly common greeting.

    I make sure to include a name, or comment where possible to let the person know that you've actually looked at what they are doing.

    Some time soon, I may move to auto DM's but will try to do it in a non spammy way. I would most likely label the message as an Auto Dm just to say that I manually check out my followers and that they should expect a response and personal greeting within a day or two (and not asking them to look at anything else while they wait either.)

    Half the fun of saying hi to people in person is that you build a relationship, and know a little something about the people you interact with.

    What would be interesting is to see a metric showing the relationship between people who auto Dm and people who only shout or promote and never listen or reply.

  • http://www.justinparks.com justinparks

    I have the same issue as yourself Gnuboss, in regards the number of follow emails I get each day. Frankly Im getting pretty good at spotting the fake/spammy accounts before I even click on them now but I continue to do so to be 100% sure.

    The reason I hate Auto DM, completely and wholeheartedly, no matter its context or wording, is that its like meeting someone for the first time, whipping out a business card and slapping it onto their forehead, then walking away to rinse and repeat the process with the next follower.

    Hardly a good start to any type of relationship.

    Remember Auto DMs are not a requirement. I follow quite a few people but dont ever feel the need to DM them until I have something specific, or private, to say and that only happens once I have got to know them more via their tweets.

    There is no requirement to DM anyone and while, in theory, the use of an auto DM to thank someone for following you, whether its selling something or contains a link or not, is nice, the fact that its automatically generated completely removes any positive factor it may have, and creates a negative for me.

    To me its social media for a reason, not numbers junkie media!

  • Gnuboss

    I suspect that I have decided against it for many of the same reasons that you have cited above. I agree that it does have the capacity to do more harm than good.

    You only get one chance to make first impression – best you make it count.

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    Updated the post with a new “No profile Pic/avatar” response . :P

  • http://www.justinparks.com justinparks

    Updated the post with a new “No profile Pic/avatar” response . :P

  • http://www.justinparks.com justinparks

    Updated the post with a new “No profile Pic/avatar” response . :P

  • http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net grahunt

    Thanks for following me. For any help in Spain in any way DM or @ reply me. http://bit.ly/Arp2t for more Spanish Twitterers.
    This is my auto DM. Anything wrong with that? However, I don’t use autofollow now after learning from experience and that is the worst thing you can do on Twitter. It guarantees you spam on a grand scale.
    Worst thing on Twitter?
    Join my Mafia Family etc…

  • http://www.mikeslife.org Mike CJ

    All we need is a Mafia URL please.

  • http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net grahunt

    Or a real Mafia hitman

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    @graham, regarding the Auto DM, yours is not so bad as they go, but frankly I simply wouldn’t bother with them at all. I have turned them into a pet hate of mine.

    I guess I just feel that if I follow someone and I get an auto DM it feels like they cant be bothered from day one…or minute one even, and rather than opening a door it closes it, but that’s my opinion.

    @MikeCJ, “All we need is a Mafia URL please.”
    Your wish is my command Mike, if you cant see the new addition just refresh the page. Enjoy!

  • http://en-gb.facebook.com/GrahamHunt Graham Hunt

    Thanks for following me. For any help in Spain in any way DM or @ reply me. http://bit.ly/Arp2t for more Spanish Twitterers.
    This is my auto DM. Anything wrong with that? However, I don't use autofollow now after learning from experience and that is the worst thing you can do on Twitter. It guarantees you spam on a grand scale.
    Worst thing on Twitter?
    Join my Mafia Family etc…

  • http://www.mikeslife.org Mike CJ

    All we need is a Mafia URL please.

  • http://en-gb.facebook.com/GrahamHunt Graham Hunt

    Or a real Mafia hitman

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    @graham, regarding the Auto DM, yours is not so bad as they go, but frankly I simply wouldn't bother with them at all. I have turned them into a pet hate of mine.

    I guess I just feel that if I follow someone and I get an auto DM it feels like they cant be bothered from day one…or minute one even, and rather than opening a door it closes it, but that's my opinion.

    @MikeCJ, “All we need is a Mafia URL please.”
    Your wish is my command Mike, if you cant see the new addition just refresh the page. Enjoy!

  • http://www.facebook.com/zdena Denise Heger

    Love the post and the tiny URL’s
    Also have to thank Mike for getting me to your website through his tweet

  • http://www.facebook.com/zdena Denise Heger

    Love the post and the tiny URL’s
    Also have to thank Mike for getting me to your website through his tweet

  • http://www.facebook.com/zdena Denise Heger

    Love the post and the tiny URL's
    Also have to thank Mike for getting me to your website through his tweet

  • http://www.facebook.com/zdena Denise Heger

    Love the post and the tiny URL's
    Also have to thank Mike for getting me to your website through his tweet