I’m not a Twitter “power user”, so I don’t receive many direct messages (DMs).  When I do, I pretty much immediately click through the email notification to read it.  Most of the time it is an automated DM, saying something like “thanks for the follow, check out my website.”  If it is relevant, I’ll check it, and send a (non automated) DM reply letting them know who I am, and what I do.  In the rare instance I get a unique DM (“read your blog, saw you know this person, etc.”), it really stands out and prompts a more detailed DM from me, and hopefully a more close relationship.

I read a lot about automated DMs, and most people don’t like them.  I think they can be abused, but I don’t see a lot of that, because I’m selective of who I follow.  I don’t automatically follow everybody who follows me.  Rather I look at their profile, see if there is relevance to what I do, and follow them if there is common bond.  By not auto-following everybody, I don’t open myself up to spammers.

I always thought of Twitter as a killer app because it can be “spam free email” if used strategically.  By only accepting DMs from people you follow, you can’t receive junk DMs from random spammers.  That leaves the occasional auto DM as less of a nuisance, and maybe even a bit of a positive.