by Ruth Belena

Created on: February 10, 2010

The direct message system at Twitter allows anyone with a Twitter account to send a private message to a follower. Many Twitter users send automated direct messages to all their new followers, to ensure each one gets a brief thank you message. Sending automated direct messages is also way to encourage Twitter followers to visit a website or a blog, from a link in the message.

Private messages can be accessed by Twitter members on their home pages. For each direct message an email notification also goes out from Twitter to announce "Direct Message from ..." and the message appears within the email, with a link to reply to the sender. The recipient can respond to a direct message on the web, or from a phone, or simply ignore it.

◊ The advantages of sending automated direct messages.

• People are active at Twitter twenty-four hours a day in different time zones around the world. You could find you have gained dozens of new followers while you were asleep, and more when you are out at work, so you might not have time to send a direct message to thank each one individually.

• When you send automatic direct messages to your Twitter followers you can include a link to a website or blog you would like them to visit. You can introduce your link with a few words of encouragement, provided you can do so  within the 140 character limit allowed for each direct message.

• New automatic direct messages can be sent out at intervals to all your followers, new and old alike, to remind them to visit your website or blog, or to recommend a new link to something your followers might have missed from your updates.

◊ The downside of sending automated direct messages.

• Automation is not appreciated by everyone who uses Twitter. Some people see automated messages as spam. A personal direct message could be more effective for some Twitter followers, but there is no way of knowing who will appreciate an automated message, who will be indifferent to it and who will really not welcome it.

• Automated direct messages should never be sent too frequently. An occasional message will be read but constant messaging will result in loss of Twitter followers and being blocked from their accounts.

• Not everyone will bother to read direct messages from their Twitter accounts. Some people use a separate email address just for Twitter notifications and never see them.

The main downside is that not all direct messages will be read, and too many automatic direct messages will result in loss of followers. The main advantage to sending automated direct messages to Twitter followers is the amount of time it can save. It is good manners to acknowledge that someone has decided to follow you at Twitter and sending an automatic message of thanks is a quick way to do this.  You can always follow it up with a personal message, and promote another link, when you have more time.

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