About Those Annoying Auto Dms (And How to Respond)

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We had a discussion here a couple weeks ago about networking and building connections (and how that, as opposed to spamming folks from here to eternity) is better for your brand (and the world’s sanity).

During the discussion, blogger buddy Lidy Wilks mentioned something that I’m sure we’ve all come to loathe: auto DMs on Twitter. She mentioned how some people will send an auto DM saying like their FB page and they’ll like yours back, but then they never do it.

She is so right! That’s actually one of my pet peeves right now on top of the auto DMs: the promise to do something you have no intentions of doing just to get something. It’s not good “marketing.” It’s annoying and dishonest. If you have over 20,000 followers, you might reason that you just don’t have the time to return every like or comment. Well, maybe you shouldn’t be making promises you can’t keep. But that’s none of my business, though.

Here are a few that I’ve gotten recently and my initial thoughts after reading them:

I dare you to read the first chapter of my novel (sounds like a threat).

Read my shorts at ______________  (at first, I thought it said “eat my shorts”).

I’m on FB, too! (link to page). I like back! 🙂 (Sure you do, hon. Sure you do.)

Remember that time you tried to sign your mama’s name on your report card? And you didn’t even know how to write in cursive? Remember that look your teacher gave you? Well, that’s the kind of side-eye I give those auto DMs.

The next time someone sends you an auto DM promising to “like your FB page if you like mine!” send them a Facebook page like for a like contract and see how they respond.

Here’s a sample you can use:

I, author spammer extraordinaire, promise to like your Facebook page if you like mine. If I don’t, I shalt be forced to write and publish Twilight fan fiction only for the rest of my literary days. This I swear, on this day, the 23 of March, the year of our Lord 2015, heretofore, heretofive, and all that jazz.

___________________ Date

___________________ Signature

What about others? How do you feel about auto DMs? Let’s talk about it!


30 thoughts on “About Those Annoying Auto Dms (And How to Respond)

  1. I never read them anymore. No matter how clever they are, automated DMs read like spam. (And I can’t think of one that was clever.) Truth is, if I follow you, it’s probably because you’re a writer. If I’m curious, I’ll check out your books without further prodding.

    Maybe automated DMs were effective years ago, but when everyone does the same thing… ugh. Wears you don’t. I won’t be using automated DMs… if I ever finish this book.
    Dee Connell recently posted..A to Z Challenge: A is for Anti-socialMy Profile

  2. Ha!! yesss…they drive me nuts. especially since I get excited thinking I have a real DM with substance and then it’s just spammy mcspammerston…and you’re so right! they NEVER like back!

  3. Yeah, frankly, I loathe them, too. Unless it’s a simple message of “Hi there, thanks for the follow. Have a lovely day!” and those are fine, really nice even. But I hardly check those links to FB pages or blogs from auto DMS. There was another guy (not on Twitter, but Goodreads) who sent friend requests and “engaged” with us by recommending his book. That’s not cool, either. I’ve wanted to delete him from my list for a long time, but kept thinking “It’s a rookie mistake. Give him a chance to learn!”

  4. I’m clearly nowhere near popular enough on Twitter, as I’ve never encountered this. I also don’t have a Facebook page, which might be why. ^_^ But yeah, this sounds ridiculously annoying. I don’t like the idea of “trading” stuff like that – I’ll follow someone or read their blog or retweet their book promos if I want to, and if they want to do the same for me, awesome. I really don’t think support should be a bargain or a bribe, it should be something you want to do.

    And if someone dared me to read their book, I’d simply reply “no” and wait to see if they double-dared me.
    Mason T. Matchak recently posted..It Shouldn’t be This Way.My Profile

  5. LOL!!! The punishment is perfect. Twilight fan fiction only. *shudder*

    Honestly, I haven’t gotten one of these yet (and I’m sure I will at some point) but I really get irritated by the people who follow me on Twitter, only to un-follow, and then re-follow weeks later. Again and again. Obviously, they’re hoping I bring them more followers. Man, come on. Follow me if you wanna read stuff I think is cool; otherwise, go away. Kay, thanks.
    Liz Blocker (@lizblocker) recently posted..Six Prompts to Kick-Start Your WritingMy Profile

  6. I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten those but I often submit requests on Help a Reporter Out to get quotes from marketers for stories I’m writing (for my freelance stuff) and that somehow lands me on a bunch of people’s radar. They end up tracking me down on Twitter/LinkedIn and asking to connect, thinking they can market to me from then on. So if I get a request on Twitter, I usually look to see if they’re a fiction writer…if not, I don’t connect.

    Do you know there are people on Twitter who go out there, follow a bunch of people, then unfollow them once they follow back? That just seems like a ridiculous amount of work!
    Stephanie Faris recently posted..The 80s from A to ZMy Profile

  7. I abhor those DMs and I will automatically unfollow you if you send me one because it’s obvious you are not trying to get to know me at all. I’m more likely to buy someone’s novel if we at least have a few conversations and I get to know something about you because then I feel a connection. An auto DM definitely does not foster that feeling.

  8. Hi Quanie, I hope you are doing well. As usual, I’m loving this post and the contract. I get those messages all the time too. I just ignore them, because something just doesn’t feel right about “like me” just cuz. I am going to steal your contract and use it. Wonderful!!!
    Burnita recently posted..BE TRANSPORTEDMy Profile

  9. Ha! On my post from last week “Writer’s Etiquette” one of the DONT’S was “Don’t like hundreds of author Facebook pages to get likes back.” Not only is it annoying, but those likes don’t do anything. They don’t indicate real fans or have an impact on sales. I get writers/authors saying they liked my page and ask me to like theirs back, but umm…they didn’t like my page. Or if they did, they liked it through their page which doesn’t count. Now I ignore those statements, I used to be nice and do it, but not anymore.

    I like that contract! 😉
    Chrys Fey recently posted..A to Z Theme RevealMy Profile

    • You’re right, Chrys. I don’t think they “do” anything, especially not for sales. If anything, friends of those people can see who they liked, and if they’re interested then maybe they’ll take a peek at your page, but that’s about it. And those people who promise to like and don’t are like deadbeat daddies: always breaking promises! LOL!
      Quanie recently posted..About Those Annoying Auto Dms (And How to Respond)My Profile

  10. I’m not a fan of DM’s or anything like those. I tend to ignore them for the most part and just move on. Although I will say that when I received the first one I thought, “How nice! This person is being so personal and actually wants to connect with me.” I got over all that pretty quickly.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Arlee Bird recently posted..A to Z Theme Reveal– Elements of BloggingMy Profile

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