I know, I know, Twitter is not supposed to have rules. We’re supposed to figure this out as we go. Bla bla bla. I agree that you should be allowed to be yourself on Twitter. However, as with anything else in life, there is a certain etiquette that you must follow when you are on Twitter. One of the biggest things I’ve seen abused on Twitter is direct messaging. Here are some tips to help you use direct messaging in a way that doesn’t upset people who have decided to become part of your “doss” (twitter + posse = dos). I hate to say followers, that’s why I say two.

1. Never use auto-dms. Yes, I know they make things convenient, but they are very impersonal. I got one the other day that he sent me a link about something in San Diego. I live in Atlanta. That was not a good first impression. Another person sent me a DM saying that they were going to follow me and if I could visit his website please. Again, not a good first impression. The direct message feature is for PERSONAL conversations. If I see something in a direct message, it catches my eye because it’s something someone sent directly to me instead of the entire Twitter universe. An automatic dm is impersonal. It’s best to take the time to get to know someone before you start direct messaging them.

2. Don’t use direct messages for something that can be discussed on the public timeline. I know there are some things you want to keep between you and the other person you’re tweeting to (phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, etc.). It’s okay to use direct messages for that. It really annoys me when someone DMs me about something they already tweeted. That seems a bit repetitive. Another thing that annoys people is when you send direct messages to thank people for following you. Put that kind of stuff on the public timeline. It’s best to use direct messages only when you’re talking about something that’s only relevant to you and that other person.

3. Don’t start sending direct messages until you’re sure that the person you’re sending a direct message to actually reads your direct messages. Many people have gotten so fed up with spam being sent through direct messages that they don’t even read the things that are sent to them through direct messages. It’s best to send @replies before you start sending direct messages that might not even get read.

Twitter can be an interesting and useful tool. Use proper etiquette when on Twitter. Just as fast as you can make new friends on Twitter, you can make new enemies. We don’t want that, do we?