by Doreen Martel

Created on: May 17, 2010

Direct messages can be sent to users who follow each other on Twitter. If you are following someone but they are not following you, a direct message is not possible due to Twitter restrictions. Some people who have auto-follow set up have their automated Twitter tools set up to send out direct messages to their followers - there are both pros and cons of sending automated direct messages to your Twitter followers - here are a few of them.

Pros

Automated direct messages to your followers can be a significant time saver, especially if you have new followers several times a day. It is often frustrating to remember who you thanked for following and who you did not.  Automating your direct messages to your Twitter followers is less likely to result in someone being overlooked.

Many of Twitters automation tools allow you to create a variety of messages that can be used for automated direct messages to Twitter followers. This ensures that each message that is sent out can carry a different message - this can be helpful if you have followers who have multiple Twitter accounts.

Cons

Perhaps the most significant downside of sending automated direct messages to your Twitter followers is not knowing exactly what message(s) they may have sent to you first. If a follower sends you a "targeted" message and your automated message responds by stating "thanks for following please read XYZ" you are liable to alienate some followers.

Another negative aspect of sending automated direct messages to Twitter followers is the lack of personalization. Even if you are using Twitter for business reasons, it is a social networking site. Effective use of social networking should include personal contact with your followers. This is naturally difficult when you start gaining larger numbers of followers, making personalization even harder.

Solutions

After weighing the pros and cons of sending automated direct messages to Twitter followers you will have to determine whether they are right for you. You may want to continue using automated welcome messages and follow up with a more personal message to your followers. This can be done by simply addressing the direct messages that are sent to you and deleting them once you have responded so that you know which you have answered.

Summary

There are both pros and cons of sending automated direct messages to Twitter followers. Each Twitter user must make a decision based on their own experience what works best for them.  In some cases, a direct automated message is better than no message at all, while in others, automated messages could cost you followers.

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