In my last post, ‘10,000+ followers in less than a month - Yeah, it’s possible!‘, I described the system I used to get over 10,000 followers in less than a month and how this has benefited me. What I didn’t talk about in that post is the actual downside of having a lot of followers friends on Twitter.
Sell, sell, sell - Spam, spam, spam
The number one downside with having a lot of friends on Twitter is that the direct message functionality more or less becomes useless. There’s actually a negative correlation between the amount of friends you have and the usefulness of the direct messaging-functionality - the more friends you have, the less useful the direct message-functionality becomes as you’ll receive more and more auto-direct spam messages.
What bothers me with this is that these spammers ruin the Twitter experience - and I’m far from the first one to feel this way. This has gotten to a point where I rarely ever read direct messages, and people that actually want to have a conversation ‘in private’ with me won’t get any response from me because I’m having a really hard time filtering out the real messages from the spammy ones. Right now I’ve got like 2,000 messages in my direct message-inbox and I swear that 90% are automatic ones trying to push some shitty product or service. Thank god for the possibility of turning off the option that tells Twitter to send you your direct messages to your e-mail.
I don’t know you and I haven’t asked you to send me that offer - so why should I buy the shit you’re trying to sell to me?
What I don’t really get is how obnoxious these spammers really are. I do not know you and the first thing you’re trying to do is to get me to buy some useless and utterly worthless junk.
Marketing is about trust and relationships - and here you are trying to sell me stuff when you haven’t even earned my trust or haven’t even tried to build a relationship with me in the first place. You are Internet Marketers - shouldn’t you know a thing or two about marketing?
For all you spammers insisting on trying to push your stuff via auto direct messages, please get a copy of Seth Godin’s excellent book ‘Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends And Friends Into Customers
Permission is like dating. You don’t start by asking for the sale at first impression. You earn the right, over time, bit by bit.
— Seth Godin
Solution?
When you actually think about it - direct messages are e-mail all over again. When e-mail was new, anti-spam systems weren’t really that sophisticated and people got heaps and heaps of spam e-mails in their inboxes. Right now there’s no ’spam filter’ for your direct messages and you have no actual control of your direct message inbox.
As this whole direct message thing is becoming uncontrollable I’m going to enforce a new policy: until Twitter gets a direct message filtering system I’m not going to respond to direct messages from now on. Reply to me instead, or if you really want to discuss private stuff - shoot me an e-mail at me[at]sebastianjohnsson.com.
Your opinion
So what do you think about this whole direct message-mess? How should it be solved?
18 comments so far leave a comment ↓
Austin Stroud
April 18th, 2009 at 5:52 am
I think a “spam” type folder is a good idea for Twitter. Another idea is for the first DM sent to you from a new follower going into a separate folder. Usually these accounts trying to push products and sell, sell, sell only send a user that initial message. I think that would help filter out a lot!
Darren Sproat
April 18th, 2009 at 6:14 am
Nice post and seemingly common sense stuff. I have been marketing on the internet in one way or another for quite a while and, while I do some direct messaging, it is only to trusted contacts, friends, family, etc.
For those social networks where there are so many I have never had a chance to build a relationship with I, instead, build trust and eventually relationship through driving traffic to my blog, answering questions, offering insight, etc…
Thanks for the post,
Darren
Sebastian Johnsson
April 18th, 2009 at 8:39 am
@Austin:
Very good points, especially the thought about placing the first direct message in a separate folder.
@Darren:
I like your thinking. Driving traffic to your blog and provide something of value to the visitors is a great way to earn trust. It’s all about providing (not taking) value.
After seeing a video by Ed Dale (I’ll post it and my thoughts on it in a bit) I’ve realized that this whole DM-spam-thingie is something I’m actually responsible for myself. When it comes down to it - I don’t really have to follow 13,000+ people you know?
Claire Boyles (Business Coach)
April 18th, 2009 at 11:41 am
HI Sebastian,
I’m totally with you on the whole spam thing and permission marketing, I’ve written on my own blog about it- first rule to sales qualify the lead- don’t waste your time or theirs otherwise. and of course listen listen listen- don’t sell “at” people- that’s just spam, and quite frankly it’s rude!
My suggestion on the DM thing would be that twitter creates an option that selects automatic DM’s to go into a separate folder- that way you only receive DM’s that are actually typed by real people.
I follow people that I have an interest in, that I share something in common with. My particular pet hate is people that don’t tweet anything of value- “Please accept my blah blah blah course on http://Idon‘treallycareifyoudon’twanttobuyI’mgoingtosellatyouanyway!!”
I unfollow fairly quickly and don’t respond to direct DM’s
i LOVE twitter! I love it to have fun and get to know people with similar interests to me around the world - it’s awesome- and in a few short months since I’ve been using it I’ve connected to so many really great people.
It is such a shame that we have to filter out the spammers.
Claire Boyles (Business Coach)
April 18th, 2009 at 11:42 am
sorry I need to correct myself- I don’t respond to Automated DM’s, not direct DM’s lol! oops! :)
Claire Boyles (Business Coach)
April 18th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Top Tip: When commenting on Blogs or online forums, always always read through your comment before posting!!
ben
April 18th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Great post.
Luckily hacking the twitter api doesn’t put you in the same boat as your fellow Swedes at Pirate Bay!
You’re right, twitter will have to sort it out eventually. I guess the affliate crowd will carry on posting if their conversion rates are high enough….
Have a great time in Oz.
Sebastian Johnsson
April 19th, 2009 at 2:32 am
@Claire:
Yeah, that’s a good idea as well, to place all direct messages that was created through the Twitter API in a special folder. By posting this post I’ve actually got a few interesting ideas for how I can implement a “anti-spam” system in the Twitter app I’m working on.
@Ben:
Haha, that’s true. I seriously think nothing will happen to those guys when this trial mess is over (for it’s far from over right now).
Yeah, I guess that will be the case. Can’t really figure out why people are so keen on clicking on all those links and buying the stuff those guys are pushing.
Thanks mate!
Darren Sproat
April 19th, 2009 at 7:31 am
@Sebastian, ya, following 13000+ is pretty much asking for it, isn’t it? ;) That said, following 13000+ in such a way as to have 13000+ follow you as well can be a valuable network. And, judging the quality of your posts, it should be a mutually beneficial relationships you are building.
Thanks again, and don’t forget to let us know when your experiment turns into something we can download. ;)
Darren
Video Phone Information
April 20th, 2009 at 9:37 am
The worst thing about Twitter is just that. I’m not asking any person I follow to automatically email me some stupid offer. 95% of my direct messages are also spam offers. I ‘unfollow’ these people as soon as they spam me I don’t care who they are. Once twitter sorts this out it’ll be a better experience for everyone.
I too have an Auto message, but it says ” Hey, thanks for the following, looking forward to your friendship. Vince.
It looks real but more importantly it’s genuine. If your going to spam me don’t even add me please!!
http://www.twitter.com/vincecianci
Vince.
Sebastian Johnsson
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
@Video
Yeah, as soon as Twitter get some anti-spam system going I also believe that the whole experience will be better for everyone. But until then I guess you have to choose between having a lot of friends and having heaps of spam DMs or having a few friends (and probably far fewer followers) and less spam DMs.
Dawn
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hi Sebastian :)
I just blogged yesterday about a very similar topic, only I expanded beyond Twitter. http://dawnaturservice.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/networking-turn-offs/
My only option is to unfollow anyone who spams me via direct message until Twitter puts something into place. I agree with Vince, if you’re going to spam me, don’t even ad me.
Dawn
http://twitter.com/DawnAturService
Trackback from To follow, or not to follow - That is the question | SebastianJohnsson.com
April 24th, 2009 at 8:13 am
[...] after writing my last post, ‘I don’t give a damn about your affiliate offer or whatever you’re trying to sell to me on Twitte…‘, I stumbled upon the following [...]
Sebastian Johnsson
April 27th, 2009 at 4:27 am
@Dawn:
Initially I tried to do what you are doing, but after a while it got a bit tedious to look up who’s sending spammy direct messages and unfollow them - all because of the amount of people I follow on Twitter.
Interesting blog post by the way!
Anna
July 14th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I have totally given up with Twitter and opened a new accout for friends and family only. Even thats hard work to keep up with.
Shame cos it can be such fun tho ..
Anna
Howard
July 17th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Twitter is a good marketing tool but it is about building relationships and trust - not a hard sell!
Life Quote
July 23rd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
It’s just the evolution of extreme annoyance. First we had the door to door marketer, then the telemarketer, then email spam, now social media junk (needed a new word other then spam). Soon we’ll probably have people zapping our brains directly. That is the downside to marketing, if you do a good job, people find you, especially the ones you don’t want.
Clement
August 24th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I think you are right about the spam and auto generated responses. I don’t think it is going away any time soon. If it does then another tool will be made to get around the temporary fix. The only thing left I feel is just to ignore what comes from unknown or untrusted sources.