Should​ ​I​ ​Use​ ​Automated​ ​Twitter​ ​Messages?

If​ ​you’re​ ​anything​ ​like​ ​the​ ​HE​ ​team,​ ​it​ ​probably​ ​bugs​ ​you​ ​when​ ​you​ ​follow​ ​someone​ ​on Twitter​ ​and​ ​they​ ​immediately​ ​respond:​ ​“Thanks​ ​for​ ​the​ ​follow!​ ​Let’s​ ​connect​ ​on Facebook​ ​(link),​ ​LinkedIn​ ​(link),​ ​and​ ​my​ ​email​ ​newsletter​ ​(link)!​ ​Can’t​ ​wait​ ​to​ ​get​ ​to know​ ​you!”​ ​Our​ ​first​ ​thought​ ​is​ ​always​ ​“isn’t​ ​it​ ​enough​ ​that​ ​I​ ​just​ ​followed​ ​you​ ​on​ ​one platform?” And​ ​then​ ​our​ ​second​ ​thought​ ​is​ ​almost​ ​ways,​ ​inevitably,​ ​“Should​ ​I​ ​use​ ​automated Twitter​ ​messages,​ ​too?” So​ ​many​ ​people​ ​use​ ​them,​ ​after​ ​all,​ ​including​ ​marketing​ ​gurus​ ​and​ ​business​ ​experts.​ ​As a​ ​team​ ​that​ ​works​ ​in​ ​marketing,​ ​it​ ​made​ ​us​ ​wonder,​ ​did​ ​we​ ​look​ ​like​ ​amateurs​ ​for​ ​not having​ ​one?​ ​Were​ ​we​ ​potentially​ ​losing​ ​clients​ ​because​ ​our​ ​outreach​ ​was​ ​falling​ ​flat? We​ ​set​ ​out​ ​to​ ​discover​ ​whether​ ​or​ ​not​ ​using​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages.​ ​Here’s​ ​what we​ ​found​ ​out: Pros​ ​of​ ​Automated​ ​Twitter​ ​Messages There​ ​are​ ​some​ ​advantages​ ​to​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages,​ ​especially​ ​in​ ​the​ ​rare​ ​cases that​ ​they’re​ ​executed​ ​well​ ​(most​ ​are​ ​not). First,​ ​an​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​message​ ​can​ ​grab​ ​your​ ​new​ ​follower’s​ ​attention​ ​and potentially​ ​start​ ​a​ ​conversation.​ ​Using​ ​an​ ​automated​ ​message​ ​that’s​ ​generic​ ​but engaging,​ ​like​ ​“Thanks​ ​for​ ​the​ ​follow!​ ​I’d​ ​love​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​what​ ​you​ ​do”​ ​can jumpstart​ ​discussion​ ​between​ ​you​ ​and​ ​the​ ​new​ ​follower.

It​ ​also​ ​works​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​like​ ​the​ ​sort​ ​of​ ​email​ ​welcome​ ​sequence​ ​you​ ​might​ ​use​ ​for​ ​a​ ​new​ ​blog subscriber.​ ​It​ ​tells​ ​them​ ​a​ ​little​ ​about​ ​you​ ​and​ ​your​ ​business​ ​and​ ​lets​ ​them​ ​know​ ​you’re excited​ ​to​ ​be​ ​connected​ ​with​ ​them. Now,​ ​all​ ​of​ ​that​ ​is​ ​what​ ​you​ ​hope​ ​to​ ​accomplish​ ​with​ ​an​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​message,​ ​but even​ ​the​ ​best​ ​automated​ ​messages​ ​rarely​ ​accomplish​ ​these​ ​objectives.​ ​And​ ​that’s because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cons​ ​of​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages. Cons​ ​of​ ​Automated​ ​Twitter​ ​Messages Automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages​ ​seem​ ​like​ ​a​ ​good​ ​idea,​ ​but​ ​let’s​ ​face​ ​facts,​ ​in​ ​real life…​t​hey’re​ ​annoying.​ ​Many​ ​people​ ​from​ ​our​ ​team​ ​have​ ​actually​ ​unfollowed​ ​people​ ​just because​ ​they​ ​hated​ ​their​ ​auto-response​ ​so​ ​much! Why​ ​are​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages​ ​so​ ​annoying?​ ​Well,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​a​ ​few​ ​reasons: 1.​ ​They’re​ ​Unnecessary Maybe​ ​back​ ​when​ ​they​ ​first​ ​came​ ​out,​ ​automated​ ​messages​ ​worked,​ ​but​ ​these​ ​days, almost​ ​everyone​ ​on​ ​Twitter​ ​knows​ ​what​ ​an​ ​automated​ ​message​ ​looks​ ​like,​ ​so​ ​they​ ​know that​ ​you​ ​aren’t​ ​personally​ ​greeting​ ​them​ ​to​ ​your​ ​profile. There​ ​isn’t​ ​much​ ​point​ ​in​ ​making​ ​a​ ​point​ ​to​ ​greet​ ​everyone​ ​if​ ​they​ ​know​ ​it’s​ ​just​ ​an automated​ ​response,​ ​is​ ​there?

To​ ​make​ ​matters​ ​worse,​ ​in​ ​many​ ​cases,​ ​the​ ​content​ ​in​ ​automated​ ​messages​ ​are​ ​also unnecessary.​ ​If​ ​users​ ​are​ ​following​ ​you,​ ​there’s​ ​a​ ​good​ ​chance​ ​that​ ​if​ ​they’re​ ​interested, they’ve​ ​already​ ​checked​ ​out​ ​your​ ​site​ ​and​ ​your​ ​free​ ​eBook.​ ​If​ ​they​ ​haven’t,​ ​an​ ​automated message​ ​almost​ ​certainly​ ​won’t​ ​change​ ​their​ ​mind​ ​and​ ​a​ ​message​ ​asking​ ​them​ ​to​ ​do something​ ​will​ ​almost​ ​guarantee​ ​that​ ​they​ ​won’t​ ​do​ ​it. They’re​ ​too​ ​Aggressive Most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​automated​ ​messages​ ​that​ ​we​ ​see​ ​come​ ​across​ ​way​ ​too​ ​aggressive.​ ​They’re​ ​all focused​ ​on​ ​self-promotion.

Many​ ​messages​ ​will​ ​share​ ​links​ ​to​ ​four​ ​different​ ​social​ ​profiles,​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​rack​ ​up followers​ ​and​ ​fans​ ​on​ ​each.​ ​It’s​ ​off-putting,​ ​like​ ​the​ ​person​ ​at​ ​the​ ​networking​ ​event​ ​who just​ ​walks​ ​up​ ​and​ ​hands​ ​people​ ​their​ ​cards​ ​as​ ​they’re​ ​shaking​ ​hands​ ​with​ ​them. They​ ​Feel​ ​Impersonal Finally,​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages​ ​feel​ ​impersonal​ ​because​ ​they​ ​are impersonal—they’re​ ​literally​ ​mass​ ​messages.

Just​ ​like​ ​we​ ​toss​ ​out​ ​junk​ ​mail​ ​and​ ​don’t​ ​always​ ​open​ ​promotional​ ​emails​ ​with​ ​subjects that​ ​aren’t​ ​highly​ ​targeted,​ ​users​ ​get​ ​no​ ​real​ ​value​ ​out​ ​of​ ​most​ ​automated​ ​messages. What​ ​Does​ ​Twitter​ ​Etiquette​ ​Say? As​ ​a​ ​platform,​ ​Twitter​ ​is​ ​designed​ ​to​ ​broadcast​ ​news​ ​and​ ​ideas​ ​and​ ​give​ ​people​ ​a​ ​place​ ​to talk.​ ​Actual,​ ​real-life​ ​engagement​ ​is​ ​always​ ​a​ ​good​ ​thing,​ ​but​ ​there​ ​are​ ​enough automated​ ​systems​ ​out​ ​there​ ​that​ ​we​ ​don’t​ ​need​ ​them​ ​taking​ ​over​ ​Twitter’s​ ​DMs,​ ​too. In​ ​our​ ​research,​ ​the​ ​general​ ​consensus​ ​from​ ​users​ ​is​ ​that​ ​the​ ​messages​ ​are​ ​frustrating and​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​spam.​ ​That’s​ ​not​ ​exactly​ ​the​ ​sort​ ​of​ ​first​ ​impression​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​make​ ​with users.

The​ ​whole​ ​point​ ​of​ ​Twitter​ ​is​ ​to​ ​connect​ ​with​ ​people,​ ​so​ ​sending​ ​them​ ​direct​ ​messages that​ ​essentially​ ​say,​ ​“I​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​a​ ​real​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​you”​ ​isn’t​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​make​ ​people want​ ​to​ ​stick​ ​around. On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand,​ ​good​ ​Twitter​ ​etiquette​ ​is​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​making​ ​real​ ​connections.​ ​You follow​ ​people​ ​back​ ​and​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​their​ ​content.​ ​Engaging​ ​in​ ​a​ ​genuine,​ ​authentic,​ ​and non-automated​ ​way​ ​is​ ​recognized​ ​and​ ​appreciated. You​ ​can​ ​always​ ​tweet​ ​or​ ​DM​ ​message​ ​someone​ ​directly​ ​to​ ​thank​ ​them​ ​for​ ​following​ ​you, but​ ​these​ ​messages​ ​will​ ​be​ ​specific​ ​to​ ​the​ ​person​ ​and​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​them​ ​and​ ​their interests.​ ​That’s​ ​not​ ​something​ ​you​ ​can​ ​do​ ​with​ ​an​ ​automated​ ​message. And​ ​if​ ​that​ ​is​ ​overwhelming​ ​and​ ​just​ ​not​ ​possible?​ ​Just​ ​try​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​them​ ​back,​ ​and​ ​like a​ ​few​ ​of​ ​their​ ​posts​ ​when​ ​you​ ​get​ ​the​ ​chance. Best​ ​Practices​ ​for​ ​Automated​ ​Direct​ ​Messages All​ ​that​ ​being​ ​said,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​the​ ​pros​ ​of​ ​automated​ ​Twitter​ ​messages​ ​outweigh​ ​the cons,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​a​ ​few​ ​tactics​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​better​ ​response​ ​and​ ​reaction​ ​to​ ​them. Don’t​ ​Use​ ​Software​ ​that​ ​Leaves​ ​a​ ​Signature Nothing​ ​says​ ​“this​ ​is​ ​spam”​ ​quite​ ​like​ ​a​ ​direct​ ​message​ ​that​ ​ends​ ​with​ ​“dm​ ​sent​ ​via unfollowspy.”

I​ ​also​ ​see​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​people​ ​whose​ ​accounts​ ​send​ ​DMs​ ​requiring​ ​users​ ​to​ ​“validate”​ ​their follow.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​going​ ​to​ ​go​ ​ahead​ ​and​ ​recommend​ ​against,​ ​too​ ​these.​ ​While​ ​a​ ​clever​ ​user can​ ​spot​ ​even​ ​the​ ​best​ ​automated​ ​DMs,​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​them​ ​by including​ ​red​ ​flags. Apologize​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Automated​ ​Message People​ ​appreciate​ ​honesty​ ​and​ ​they​ ​get​ ​that​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​always​ ​have​ ​time​ ​to​ ​personally reach​ ​out​ ​to​ ​everyone.​ ​So,​ ​while​ ​they​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​tagline​ ​of​ ​the​ ​automation software,​ ​acknowledging​ ​that​ ​“yes,​ ​this​ ​is​ ​an​ ​automated​ ​message​ ​and​ ​those​ ​suck​ ​but​ ​it’s the​ ​best​ ​way​ ​to​ ​say​ ​hi”​ ​can​ ​win​ ​you​ ​some​ ​points. We’ve​ ​seen​ ​DMs​ ​that​ ​make​ ​this​ ​mass​ ​message​ ​seem​ ​more​ ​personal​ ​by​ ​acknowledging the​ ​automation,​ ​including​ ​the​ ​example​ ​below,​ ​which​ ​tells​ ​users​ ​that​ ​if​ ​they​ ​respond,​ ​the owner​ ​of​ ​the​ ​profile​ ​will​ ​write​ ​back​ ​personally.

This​ ​is​ ​a​ ​much​ ​better​ ​way​ ​to​ ​use​ ​automated​ ​DMs.​ ​It​ ​doesn’t​ ​try​ ​to​ ​masquerade​ ​as​ ​an actual​ ​personal​ ​response,​ ​which​ ​actually​ ​ends​ ​up​ ​making​ ​it​ ​feel​ ​more​ ​genuine​ ​(ironically enough). Know​ ​What​ ​You​ ​Want The​ ​goal​ ​of​ ​a​ ​DM​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be​ ​to​ ​thank​ ​your​ ​new​ ​follower​ ​for​ ​signing​ ​up​ ​to​ ​read​ ​your tweets—there’s​ ​no​ ​real​ ​point​ ​to​ ​that.​ ​Instead,​ ​create​ ​automated​ ​DMs​ ​that​ ​spark conversation. Ask​ ​questions​ ​centered​ ​around​ ​the​ ​user​ ​and​ ​not​ ​you.​ ​DMs​ ​like​ ​“Tell​ ​me​ ​what​ ​you​ ​do!” are​ ​probably​ ​your​ ​best​ ​bet.

Remember,​ ​social​ ​media​ ​is​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​like​ ​real​ ​life.​ ​People​ ​want​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​themselves.​ ​If you’re​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​listen,​ ​you’ll​ ​make​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​more​ ​friends​ ​than​ ​you​ ​will​ ​by​ ​talking​ ​at​ ​people.

Final​ ​Thoughts From​ ​everything​ ​that​ ​we’ve​ ​read,​ ​and​ ​based​ ​on​ ​personal​ ​experience,​ ​automated​ ​Twitter messages​ ​typically​ ​don’t​ ​work​ ​in​ ​favor​ ​of​ ​the​ ​sender.​ ​While​ ​there​ ​are​ ​a​ ​few​ ​exceptions and​ ​some​ ​individuals​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to​ ​pull​ ​it​ ​off,​ ​I’d​ ​typically​ ​advise​ ​against​ ​them. Users​ ​won’t​ ​miss​ ​them​ ​if​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​them,​ ​but​ ​you​ ​risk​ ​annoying​ ​them​ ​if​ ​you​ ​do. Instead,​ ​put​ ​your​ ​effort​ ​into​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​your​ ​new​ ​followers​ ​as​ ​authentically​ ​as possible.​ ​That​ ​will​ ​grab​ ​their​ ​attention​ ​in​ ​a​ ​good​ ​way,​ ​and​ ​help​ ​you​ ​start​ ​to​ ​build​ ​strong relationships.

Contact​ ​Details: Global​ ​Solution​ ​HE Beverly​ ​Hills,​ ​California Email:​ ​[email protected] LinkedIn:​​ ​https://www.linkedin.com/in/Brunoheofficial Twitter:​​ ​https://twitter.com/brunoheofficial Recommended​ ​Content: Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Sites,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Manager​ ​Program,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Marketing​ ​Management​ ​Tools,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Software​ ​Reviews,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Solutions,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Manager​ ​Website,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Pricing,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Platform,​ ​CA Social​ ​Management​ ​Tools,​ ​CA Best​ ​Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Tools,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Tools,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Firm,​ ​CA Manage​ ​Multiple​ ​Social​ ​Media,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Manager,​ ​CA Best​ ​Way​ ​To​ ​Manage​ ​Social​ ​Media,​ ​CA Top​ ​Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Tools,​ ​CA Manage​ ​Multiple​ ​Social​ ​Media​ ​Accounts,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​System,​ ​CA Social​ ​Media​ ​Management​ ​Agency,​ ​CA Recommended​ ​Links: https://goo.gl/WGzDMH https://goo.gl/o7TRza https://goo.gl/4dzJq2 https://goo.gl/37j22y https://goo.gl/fp9DFp https://goo.gl/j34kGt

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