I've added a poll to the sidebar (http://edittorrent.blogspot.com in case you read this through a feed reader) asking for your response to a common marketing practice on twitter. Please note: I'm not asking whether you as an author engage in this form of marketing. I'm asking what your most common response is when you receive this from another author. Please be honest about your response. Don't answer with how you hope others might receive your marketing, but with what you typically do when you receive this yourself. It seems feelings run high on this subject. I'm looking for a measure of response to this practice, not for a defense or condemnation. Okey-dokey?
Thanks!
Theresa
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Commenting to say that I sometimes vacillate between "let it slide" and "delete without consideration," for the following reasons.
Before I follow someone, I usually look at a page or two of their tweets. If they engage other people, talk about themselves, have actual conversations, I'll let it slide. If I see nothing but book plugs and blog links, chances are I won't follow them.
I also tend to be more receptive if someone's profile is more than just a book pitch or link.
I hope this information is helpful & doesn't exceed the scope of the poll. Thanks.
The distinction here is that you illustrated some interest in them by following them. That's what makes it annoying and not exactly spam. Spam is when someone just @'s you a link randomly and you don't even follow them.
Daniel, your insights are welcome. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is what kind of result/response this type of marketing is most likely to generate. Highly unscientific, but I am curious. I agree that, for me, anyway, it's easier to let it slide when there's evidence of a real tweeter behind the PR.
Theresa
Amber, that's a valid point. Does it change the way you respond to that kind of DM?
Theresa
I'm with Daniel. I follow people because they've commented on one of my tweets and/or look interesting and have actual conversations with people. While it's not exactly SPAM, a DM promo tweet reminds me of all the emails I get from online stores where I've shopped. It's like junk mail. I don't respond and don't click on the link.
I usually unfollow the person and delete the DM. I follow someone because their bio and their tweets appear engaging, so spamming me the moment we follow one another puts me in mind of a bait and switch.
It's annoying. I follow someone because I like them or are interested in them and will likely click their profile and check out their stuff, anyway. I'd feel a little used if an author immediately DM'd me with a link like that. Particularly since I usually read the books of the authors I follow anyway.
On the other hand, if I follow an author and they tweet to me "Hey, thanks for the follow!" and it feels personal, that's awesome. If I've followed them for a bit and their book launches, then they DM me and say, "Just wanted to let you know..." with a link. That's fine, although, still, unnecessary since I assume they'll tweet the link and I'd click over from there anyway.
I use social media for, well, social interaction. I want to talk to people, exchange opinions, puns, and interesting content.
If someone treats me as a potential customer (particular as a potential customer who is too stupid to understand what I'm missing by not buying their product) I'm not interested. I'm not investing my time, money, and effort to make someone else a profit.
Talking about your book (or other product) after you've established a relationship with me is different - these days, I mostly buy books by friends, acquaintances, and books reccommended by friends, and I *want* to cheer my friends on - with emphasis on 'friends; rather than 'complete strangers.'
I also think that social media is for social engagement, but I do look up writers I meet on twitter. Not every time -- and I never click links, of course, because there's too much crap floating around out there. But I do sometimes go to amazon and run a name search. Old habits. You know, part of being an acquiring editor is being alert to potential new talent, and that's an urge that doesn't fade. I suspect many editors and agents do the same from time to time. (I didn't routinely google authors when I was an agent, but that's only because this was in the dark ages before god invented google.)
Theresa
I don't welcome those DMs. If I'm following you, it's because I want to and I already know about your books -- or know how to find out about them. Also, I don't shop at Amazon, so sending me an Amazon link really is a waste of your time and effort. Know what's even worse? The people who send a free download of their book.
Unfollow immediately. If I wanted to look at your* books, I'd google you, or look you up on amazon, or check your twitter profile. I do that quite often if someone consistently has something interesting to say on twitter/blog/whatever they're using. But if you spam me with links right after I followed, it gives the impression that you're not interesting in communication or social connection, you just want to sell me things. I have doorknocking salesmen for that.
* General 'you' here, at the imaginary author who just did this.
Theresa,
I frequently check people's books out - if their tweets/blogposts interest me. More people have gotten themselves on my 'to buy' list by writing witty and intelligent posts or tweets than have reached me through their marketing effort (the latter number is zero, just to make it clear.)
It's usually pretty obvious who is trying to 'implement a marketing strategy' and who is there because they like Twitter.
I get a little annoyed because it's yet another thing I have to delete. But I don't really consider it SPAM if I've followed them (even if it's a reciprocal follow). If I have time and the link looks interesting, I'll go to their page or blog or whatever and check them out. I figure being on Twitter is opening myself up for SPAM. It's going to happen in social media. May as well get used to it.
When I follow and immediately get a DM with marketing/promo link, I immediately unfollow. Life is too short.
I don't unfollow them if I get an immediate DM, but I ignore it. I will unfollow if their tweets are offensive, full of f-bombs, etc. or if they never have anything interesting to say. But then I do check out profiles before I follow and see what their recent tweet history looks like, and won't follow back if it looks rude or spammy.
For me, the poll is showing a 404 in your sidebar.
Self promo DMs are incredibly annoying. They're SMS and some users will incur a charge for that. Therefore, it's rude and disrespectful to DM for something like that.
Since I unfollow immediately, the other answer is no, those DMs don't sell any books to me. Not only do they not sell that book, they're likely to prevent a sale of any future book as well.
Likewise, I just about always unfollow people who DM me a "thanks for following me."
For me, DMs are for when you have something private and personal to convey. Selling me something is neither.
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