Yes. When you feel it’s appropriate, go for it.
No one likes an arrogant, self-absorbed, asshole (except people like me,oddly enough). Saying thanks is a quick, easy way to connect with new followers or people who enjoyed a post.
Some people think saying thanks for retweets clutters up the Twitter stream with noise. I disagree. Everything on Twitter is noise to someone, so if you bother them, they were probably angry to begin with.
Saying thanks, whether you do it publicly or privately, shows gratitude and humility. You aren’t any better than your fans, and without them reading your posts and clicking your share buttons, where would you be today?
Reading blogs takes time. Time people could spend with friends, reading books, or making the world a better place. Appreciate the time they spent reading your blog. Shoot them an @ reply or a DM with your gratitude.
Anyone who doesn’t like you saying “Thank you” is a hater, and you didn’t need them anyways.
Oh my, I was just thinking about this issue, should I say thank you to everyone that RTed me last night? or send a group thank, or should I dm each one of them to show gratitude (till they create conference in DM *praying*) and I read your post. thank you, I agree with you on this one:
“Twitter is noise to someone, so if you bother them, they were probably angry to begin with.”
Blessings
That’s all up to your discretion. I like to shot DMs. Feels more personal that way to me, but there is no wrong way to say thank you.
I think that in case you get a lot of RTs, it’s better to send thanks via DMs.. this is a more personal approach and you will not flood your Twitter feed with tons of thanks
Since the introduction of the Twitter retweet button I’ve noticed it is slightly harder to keep track of all the RTs due to the missing @reply. I do try my best though.
Yeah, the new retweets make it tricky. It hard to get everyone, but I think any effort is worth it.
Good post. My rule of thumb on saying thanks is: I thank retweets that pertain to me (my own random thoughts) or tweets of my own blog. I don’t thank people for retweeting a New York Times story I tweeted under the theory that they realize it’s the NYT, not me, who benefited.
I also thank people who #FollowFriday me. I think it’s just basic manners. I realize that for Twitter super-stars (10,000 followers or more), thanking could be a full-time job. So I don’t expect it from them. But I do expect people to thank me for #ff or RTs, and I notice if they don’t.
I think of Twitter as a conversation, and part of conversting is being polite, acknowledging other human beings. Manners is basically about making others feel comfortable in the conversation.
I do wonder if there is a gender difference in thanking, though. In “real life,” research finds that women tend to thank more frequently than men because it is a way to grease the wheels of conversation, whereas men tend to thank when they feel someone has really done something for them. Perhaps the same occurs online?
As far as thanks annoying others? That’s possible. Some people have a lower threshhold of annoyance than others. Also, if you have few followers, and one is thanking a lot, I could see how that could annoy. The answer, though, to me is to get more followers, so you’re in a more expansive and interesting conversation.
I guess people could thank in DMs, but I do think there is value in the “public thank” because it adds to people’s reputational currency.
I never expect for someone to thank for for sharing their stuff. I show what I like by my example, I can’t force other people to do the same as me. Likewise, I just don’t have the time to thank people individually when an article is shared anymore. Sad part of being popular.
There are hundreds of ways of to say thanks. If one is wrong, I want to see what’s wrong with it.
Hey Jay,
I always say thanks for the RT. If they go through the process of RTing my post why wouldn’t I spend one millisecond of my time to thank them.
Common courtesy and good networking
Anyway, check my last post, hope you won’t sue me
I try to do it as a DM, but I can’t get everyone these days. Life is SO HARD wen you’re popular.
Jay,
I completely agree with you. Saying thanks doesn’t clutter up your stream in my opinion, it enhances it. People see that you appreciate others and you’re not just a selfish boob.
Cheers!
The biggest thing you can do to get fans is to be your fans biggest fan. That and don’t be a selfish boob.
“Please” and “Thank You”, in my estimation, should be in everyone’s vocabulary — online and off.
I miss a few, every now and again, but I try my best to thank those who Re-Tweet my work. I consider the gesture a “professional courtesy”. And as Brankica was remarking — it’s part of common courtesy and good networking.
Yeah, it would be nice if we had common courtesy online. Then again, this is the realm of double rainbows, lolcats, and trolls. We all just make due.
I always thought saying thnx for RT was unnecessary..I certainly dont expect anyone to thank me for RTing their stuff, but I do thank people …even tho I think it does clutter up the stream …its just nice to do that.
So, when it comes to this one, I certainly dont practice what I preach lol
It’s hard to practice what you preach when you get retweeted 50 or 60 times, but I try to keep up with it some.
Hi Jay
I thank people for RT me. I think it is manners and as they are promoting my post why wouldn’t I? I don’t expect people to thank me when I do cos that isn’t why I am doing it but my friends do and they obviously follow the same pattern as me.
If someone didn’t thank me for a RT it wouldn’t bother me. I try and add a message when I RT my friends. I’ve seen where it has just got out of hand if you have thousands of followers but that isn’t me so can’t say what I will do when I’m “almost famous” lol
Patricia Perth Australia
The capacity to be thankful is a virtue worthy of our admiration.
This is the truth.
For what it’s worth, I always try to - I was raised to think you couldn’t have one too many thank-yous! Besides, if someone took the time and hassle to follow *me* of all people, they deserve the courtesy!
My 2 cents.
J.
Yeah, being nice to people is something we all need to do, whether online or off.
“No one likes an arrogant, self-absorbed, asshole (except people like me,oddly enough).”
Great line. Me too. Get in!
I do what I can.
Hi Jay,
Personally I think thanking people for RT’s is all part of how we build our communities online. Do we want strong or weak connections in our community? When I started out on Twitter I would RT a lot of Tweeters post’s which has over time most defiantly been a good strategy as I now have a strong community who RT my post’s in return and say thank you. It becomes a little trickier though when you have had an article Tweeted several hundred times.
I am still trying to figure that one out!
If I don’t say thank you on the day it’s always nice to give a Tweeter and #FF a thanks for all the RT’S they have given you over the week.
I think you want to make the effort to keep people who are RTing your post as sweet as you can! These Tweeters are the people who are helping you spread the message on your blog articles, news and promotions helping them go viral.
Wendy
Yeah. Gotta keep all the fans in mind and show them some love. That’s why I try to do a lot of sunday shout-outs.
I definitely agree with thanking people for retweeting - a little courtesy goes a long way