The Death of Auto-DMs

If you’re an active Twitter user, you’ve come across this – as soon as you hit the “follow” button on someone’s account, you suddenly receive a direct message (or DM). And nine times out of ten it’s the account you just followed, sending a message promoting their business, product or project.

These are auto-DMs. And they drive people crazy.

Auto-DMs are sent automatically, as soon as that account is followed. And while there’s nothing wrong with a direct message from someone you’re following, the automatic ones… well, they’re considered rude and annoying.  Instead of engaging or starting a conversation, that account sends a promotional message that they don’t even take the time to create themselves.

When we asked people on Twitter how they felt about auto-DMs, the reaction (as expected) was unanimous: hate may be a strong word, but in this case it’s apt. 

So if you truly want to promote your product and have positive feedback, do yourself a favour – don’t set up auto-DMs from your Twitter account.  Instead, make genuine connections and engage properly. If you choose to send a direct message to everyone who has just followed you, be sure to use their names and change up your wording to show that you’re an actual person sending that message.

With this in mind, maybe we can finally see the death of that pesky auto-DM.