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Sound Off: Twitter Automation Good or Bad

By TwitterFools Editorial Staff, September 16th, 2009 in Opinion | Comments

9 Comments

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Tweets heralding the benefits of Twitter Automation are everywhere!  Software programs and websites claiming to manage your Twitter account on auto-pilot appears to be a booming business.  Twitter Cash schemes abound! In fact, after looking at the prices of some of the systems, it is clear someone is already monetizing Twitter.  So we wondered, is Twitter Automation really a good thing? Is it okay for some purposes and not for others?  Here is your chance to sound off! Tell us what you think.

We have always viewed the chief goal of social networking sites like Twitter to be building authentic relationships with others.  Engaging those who share your interests as well as creating a dialogue with those who may not share our opinions.  In this manner a conversation that is truly global in nature can take place.  Passions and resources can be shared.  Ideas and opinions are ultimately elevated by free exchange.  Discussions between and about our brands, our businesses, and our family and friends can thrive. Credibility – the new currency – is either increased or diminished by how we handle ourselves.  That’s what we’ve been thinking any way.

So, it seems odd for a platform that prizes the very act of showing up and being real that there are so many companies providing tools so you don’t have too.  A Google Search for Twitter Automation returns no less than 3 million results.  And with headlines like “Social Media Domination” it is no wonder some people are buying. But is that really a worthy goal?

We may be TwitterFools but we aren’t naive.  We know people will always find a way to game the system.  Ingenious people with quick to market products will make a fast buck before moving onto the next money making scam adventure.  Capitalism has its ups and downs.

Of course we know we own our tweets and by extension we collectively own the Twitterverse.  So isn’t it our job to police it a little bit.  Aren’t we collectively the arbiters of proper Twitter etiquette?  Shouldn’t we say what we’ll accept and what is good or bad?  So we put the questions to you and ask you to sound off.  Sound off and share your opinion for or against Twitter automation.  Really, let us know what you think, but please refrain from any foul language.

Some questions to guide your [polite] rant:

When someone automates their Twitter account,  does their personality and credibility go out the door as soon as they flip the switch?

Can someone use an auto-responder to welcome new followers or to send out scheduled tweets when they are otherwise busy and still be viewed as a person worthy of following?

How do you feel about ‘bots’ flooding the twittersphere with porn, affiliate links, and goodness knows what else?  Is colon cleansing that urgent?  Okay, don’t answer that last one.

Do you automate your Twitter account and think it is the greatest thing ever?

Can automating your Twitter account really make you thousands of dollars a week? It sounds too scammy to be real.

Sound off below!

Tags: Twitter, twitter advice, twitter apps, twitter tips

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Comments

Comments

  • cjack
    Hummm....I guess it all depends on what you came to Twitter for.

    If you're looking to churn for profit, most likely you're not at all interested in forming any relationships, or a real following. You just want people to open your wallet and BUY. So, for these people, they just head down to road of PUSH marketing - spin another plate and load it with CPA and affiliate offers...and connect it to a bot or feed. Then onto setting up the next one.

    That's what MOST of the make money on twitter courses are telling them to do. So...the list they're building is essentially worthless.

    This increase in junk feeds hurts the twitter experience...at least the idea for which it was begun.

    This is giving a twitter site over to FULL automation for profit.

    As for auto DM message - don't do them...don't believe in them. As of today, with @spam NOT included, I have 3269 DM messages - more than 1000 of them came in the past week! MANY are DM autoreply spam.

    Should I set an autobot or feed when I can't be there? Nope! I don't think that's a good idea IF people are used to you being LIVE when you post.

    MOST of what I'm seeing in my feeds are scheduled feeds that are scraping articles and quotes. Others that I've nuked actually scrape eBay feeds, ClickBank feeds or several other providers sending out offers disguised as info.

    You've seen them...teeth whitening and acai berry weightloss are the recent favorite. And I've been pseudo spammed with several twitter feeds announcing the latest fast cash with twitter system. FIVE subscribers were essentially IDENTICAL feeds.

    Hummm...

    I guess THAT must be part of the system, right?

    No VALUE on either of those feeds OR that of the guys who created the system (yes...I even found he connected as a follower...)

    IS there a way to use automation and still remain authentic? Yes...but it has nothing to do with automating your day to day communication OR interacting with your followers. I, for one, believe that should always be you. LIVE!

    Long live twitter!
    cj
  • I agree that automation can cause you to step over that fine line between getting things done and being annoying or spammy. One of the things I do is try to keep a tight rein on what I automate so I don't cross that line, as well as do most of my tweeting in person. For example, I automate my follows, and send a DM with each one. Rather than spam, however, my autofollow message says something simple like, "Thanks for following me, I appreciate it." I don't try to sell anyone on my follow message, and just want to let them know that I do appreciate people following me. I just don't want to have to type it a few hundred times a week.
  • Wow! So many points here! And like you Rob, several are on my pending list of "blog fodder!"
    Social is the key word! Do you send an automated message to your friends to keep the relationship going?
    Not only is it inherently insincere, what happens (not even if, but ESP if you are trying to sell something!) when someone replies? Your "bot" sends out your great offering and a prospect "raises their hand" and you're not there!
    To me this is not only NOT helping your Biz, it's HURTing it!
    Social media is (as Tara Hunt puts it) about "turning the megaphone around" it's about LISTENING. Do they have "auto listeners?"
    Don't even get me started on Spam!!!
    The beauty of social media however is that (I hope) those who really are just self-serving and too lazy, "show up" exactly as they are. They are waving a flag at the world calling themselves out for all the world to see! And in some cases that message will be "shared" by others as well when people publicly call them out on it (I would love to know the twitter profile you were referring to Rob!)
    I completely understand that people are busy, etc. If you are having an event and want to make sure that the reminder goes out and you are going to be busy getting it set up, then automation is one thing. If you are setting it up because you are just "too busy" to promote it, but want others to have time to come??? hmm..let's think about that?
    Lastly, is the "quick and easy" version of ANYthing ever BETTER? or even good?
    Whether it's rapid weight loss, overnight wrinkle cures, get rich quick schemes, or instant oatmeal and microwave popcorn, they are never very effective and the results (if any) never last:)
  • Short comments, as spam is on my list of topics for a heated blog post...

    My new pet peeve is Twitter spam. It's always been a peeve--it's just recently became a pet. I was actually followed by a "user" yesterday evening whose profile was 100% automated with TweetSpinner. The profile posted for the user, followed people for him, and presumably unfollowed users who wouldn't reciprocate. Considering the fact that the profile billed the guy as a social media guru, I was irritated. I tweeted my displeasure and, much to my surprise, got a call from @deanholmes about half an hour later. The conversation was a good introduction to Dean and his expertise, but I still don't agree with the profile in question.

    Limited automation is acceptable. I have one automated tweet scheduled for every weekday. I'll publish 10 tweets a day or so, so that's a good spontaneous-to-scheduled ratio.

    A fully-automated Twitter account, however, is only acceptable for larger publications, IMHO. Examples of fully-automated profiles that I follow are @gadgetwise and @breakingnews.

    That being said, I can recognize and understand how people are making money off of automation in two ways. First, spammers are driving traffic to revenue-generating blogs and such. Second, opportunistic "entrepreneurs" recognize the gold mine potential of Twitter and they're selling the services that allow the spammers to spam their spammity-spam-spam.

    Want more? Check out last week's rant on the very topic: http://connectiveinsights.com/post/Blocking-Twi....
  • Twitter should be utilized as a tool to communicate with your related audience. The minute you start using it as a selling channel, you're going to start questioning your methods.

    With the exception of the obvious spammers: I think using automated tools is a great way to create a sort of launching pad for your company but it does not replace the human element that can make utilizing twitter a success. If you're looking to simply seek out new people in your industry and/or pre-post frequent news and events then, okay. In the end, your brand/company should speak for itself and carry it along even without the use of these tools.

    It's the folks that abuse these automated tools to send you auto DMs or play the numbers game that makes me question the intent. I don't need an auto DM saying, "Thanks for the follow". Follow me back. That's thanks enough.

    I say use the tools to assist, not replace the invaluable element of human interaction.
  • lesjames
    I can't stand Twitter automation when it comes to following people. I can't trust any new followers anymore. I have to look at their profile and determine if they really care about what I'm saying or if they are simply hoping that I automatically follow them back. Now I realize that most people don't care about this and never block any followers. But this has become a real pet peeve of mine. I want to know that the people that follow me are real and interested in what I'm saying. It's not a numbers game for me but I feel like I'm in the minority. Everyone else seems to be in a race to build the biggest following no matter how genuine it is.

    I love how you mentioned that credibility is the new currency. It's thinking like this that makes me feel good about the way I'm handling Twitter. I read every tweet from the people I follow and I feel like the people that follow me are real and genuine. Now how many people on Twitter can honestly make the same claim?
  • I don't mind some automation. I understand that people are not actually watching Twitter 24/7, well, not many anyway. So using something to send out a tweet about something important at a later time... not so bad. Maybe if I post a new blog entry, I set it to tweet it 3 times that day, just so I don't forget.

    The auto DM's are the worst! Hello friend, would you like to make $47/hr by doing nothing? Please, do I really need to block/ban 3 or 4 people a day?
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