As the Thanksgiving holidays draw near, we find ourselves showing a significant amount of gratitude to our followers on social media. But when is “thank you” the wrong thing to say? And what should we be saying instead?

People will often judge your level of sincerity by the way you say “thank you.” On Twitter, where you are only allowed 140 characters, it is hard to offer a simple thanks without sounding like a robot. For example, these common “Thank You Tweets” do not sound grateful, but rather insincere and automated:

  • Typed word thanksThanks for the follow. Looking forward to reading your tweets.
  • Thanks for sharing.
  • Thanks for the Awesome RTs.

Instead of sending out these all too common tweets, be original. When someone gives you a retweet or follows you, not only thank them, but actually give them meaningful feedback. Share an article that might interest them. Ask them for their thoughts. Encourage them with personalized thanks.

Managing relationships on Twitter may sound like a daunting task. Thankfully, there are tools to help you out. Commun.it allows you to prioritize your followers, and then sends you notifications based on your priorities. Twitter Lead Generation cards allow you to give someone the option of signing up for a newsletter, an event, etc.

Knowing how to say thanks is key to maintaining your social media presence. Show true gratitude, and your followers will be grateful to you.

See iag.me for more.