Comments on: Auto Responding on Twitter: A Do or Don't?

By: Billy Cox

Billy Cox — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:36:57 +0000

How do you set up auto responder on twitter. I am having a hard time figuring out how to do this. I know it must be simple but please give me simple instructions.
Thanks

By: Why I Quit Auto-Following on Twitter: Reflections of a Social Media Addict

Why I Quit Auto-Following on Twitter: Reflections of a Social Media Addict — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:53:03 +0000

[...] few months ago, I even said Aut0 Responders were a [...]

By: More on Autoresponding on Twitter — Do’s and Don’ts

More on Autoresponding on Twitter — Do’s and Don’ts — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:17:46 +0000

[...] brewing. Since I’ve been writing about how impersonal business has become lately, I want to track back to one of Shama’s posts that offers a thoughtful comment about autoresponders on Tw… She offers good food for thought as you consider the do’s and don’ts that are going to [...]

By: Regina

Regina — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:12:53 +0000

Hi Shama,

I couldn’t agree more with your comments Shama! I stand by this quote, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care!” When we only look at this from a ‘self’ perspective, the potential to lose is huge.

Providing the ‘about’ me page link is fabulous tip! Thanks for sharing.

By: Peggy Duncan

Peggy Duncan — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:30:45 +0000

Shama, I’m with Chris on this one. So many people are just “playing with” Twitter and my focus is sharing to help all go to the next level. Others are addicted and spend their life sending useless tweets. If someone follows me and I check them out and all they’re talking about is what they cooked for dinner last night, a great cup of coffee, etc., I won’t follow because it would be a waste of my time.

Some autoresponders can be useful and a great way to market. People who sign up for my email list, automatically receive weekly computer tips. They love these because they’re learning a little bit at a time.

By: Andrea | The Seven Figure Psychic

Andrea | The Seven Figure Psychic — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:30:33 +0000

I’m just venturing into Twitter, so I was very grateful for this post.

As someone who became a follower of yours very recently on Twitter, I have to say I liked your automated response messages! I knew they were automated, but that’s okay with me …

Just wanted to add the perspective from the receiving end …

Blessings,
Andrea

By: Shawn

Shawn — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:53:28 +0000

You mentioned spam and I think this is precisely the right analogy. How do you differentiate spam from meaningful communication? Is it simply because it is automated? If I click from site to site leaving individual but meaningless messages like “Hey, like your website” or “Hey, cool profile” simply for the purpose of creating a link back to me, am I not engaging in the same kind of behavior (though less efficiently) as a spammer leaving automated comments for the same purpose? Intention is SO important and the temptation to blame tools instead of those using them is an all too human trait.

By: Carolann Jacobs

Carolann Jacobs — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:55:57 +0000

Shama,
You and I are totally on the same page about this. I want to be sure to follow anyone who follows me on Twitter, as I am building a relationship not a line. (I have this image of that guy on the Verizon commercial with all the people behind him. I have you notices that they’re all looking at his back and no one’s talking. It’s a weird sort of network, that Verizon ;P) Early on, I couldn’t figure out who was new and who wasn’t, and so I automated it.

I send my tweeps to my facebook page. I may consider the About page or the About page on my blog. We’ll see.

Other than that, I communicate with the person. Because I want to get to know them.

Carolann

By: Flowersbyfarha

Flowersbyfarha — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:14:11 +0000

You nailed it by acknowledging it’s recipient’s perception of being acknowledged as an individual. It FEELS more heartfelt sent if recipient doesn’t recognize a (bot) assistant sent the note instead of the sender personally.

I appreciate the points you listed as I’m in the limbo between thanking each follow individually and personally and not able to keep up with 30-50 new follows a day. Particularly when I realized that my current follows got tired of seeing “@username Thanks for the follow, here’s where you can learn more about me (URL)” even if I also balanced it with a note about “hey I like your (blog, item listing, website, whatever)”.

The discussion (or controversy) can be confusing to the neophyte when the cultural etiquette is still being hashed out. It helps to hear the thoughts behind the pronouncements–in more than 140 characters.

Thanks!

By: Marla Tabaka

Marla Tabaka — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:52:58 +0000

I couldn’t agree more Shama. If these tools are used courteously they are great tools. Both of them could get “spammy” but someone who’s walking that path will do it with or without the automation.

What’s worse? Knowing a message is automated or getting added to an individual’s newsletter list as soon as you click the “follow” button? Now that’s annoying!