5 Things That Annoy the Heck Out of Me on Insta DM
Aside from my aromatic morning cup o' Joe, there's nothing I look forward to more when I wake up in the morning than a flurry of DM replies flooding my Instagram inbox.
Whether it's in response to a Story I posted about my new lipstick, or it's a question about the specific location of an event I attended the night before, I absolutely love engaging with people on my Insta DM (I mean, that's why we post in the first place, amirite?).
That said, not all DMs are the same. While I totally dig a Story reply, I pretty much despise all other forms of direct messaging. Keep reading to find out five things that annoy the heck out of me on Insta DM:
1. When You DM Me a Post That You Could Have Just as Easily Tagged Me In
There's an appropriate time to DM someone a post instead of tag them. If the nature of the post is something you only want to privately acknowledge, then by all means DM. Or, if you want to relay a post by someone else without them knowing, then, once again, DM away. Or if the post will likely open a lengthy back and forth communication between us, okay, fine, DM.
But if you come across a meme or joke about why people are annoying, how traffic in L.A. is bad, why dating is hard, or anything from @Overheard[city], just tag me please. Throw on an "LOL" so people know it's a joke, or do whatever you've got to do, but I do not need the extra step of opening up my DMs to read a generic post I could have much more easily replied to with a tag.
(Riverdale via The CW)
2. When You DM Me a Post From a Private Account
Guess what? I can't read posts from private accounts that I'm not following—and chances are, that niche finsta account with 300 followers is likely one I haven't seen. Just screengrab the darn post and text it to me. Do not waste your time (or mine, having to not only open my DMs, but then ask you what it was that you sent because I cannot. see. it.) sending me something if there's a good chance it won't even show up.
3. When You DM Me a Meme or Gif of a Joke or Public Figure I Don't Follow
You and your inner circle may spend your entire day one-upping each other with hilarious meme after meme, or you may spend all your free time perusing Giphy for the latest and greatest Beyoncé gifs. That's great, and everyone is entitled to their own interests and senses of humor—but please know your audience when you share your humor over DM.
Sure, I can appreciate a funny meme just like the rest of 'em, but just because your group of friends relates to all things Salt Bae doesn't mean I'm going to have the same appreciation. Just because you eat, sleep and breathe Beyoncé doesn't mean I do. Replying with a forced "lol" gets old real quick, so let's just keep our Instagram exchanges to content I will actually indeed find amusing. If you're DMing something you find funny in the first place, that means you should already know me well enough to get my type of humor.
4. When You Slide Into My DMs With a One-Word Message (and No Follow Up)
Ah, the dreaded slide into the DMs. Honestly, I don't think it's that bad to reach out to a stranger (provided you're not being creepy). Like, if you're a fan of someone's content or you simply want to strike up a conversation and you do it in a sensible manner, the worst you deserve is no response. I don't think it's the most horrible thing in the world to receive a well-thought-out message from a random.
That said, what I do have a problem with is a one-word "hi" or "hey," or better yet, nothing but an emoji. Do you take pride in littering all over people's cyber space? If you don't have anything to say of substance, please steer clear from my DMs.
5. When You DM Me a Random Question That Should've Come Via Text or Email
Don't get me wrong—I think Instagram is an amazing opportunity to connect with people and brands that I wouldn't get a chance to interact with otherwise, so if someone who doesn't have my contact info reaches out over DM about something work-related, I embrace the communication with open arms. Or, going back to No. 4, if someone just wants to connect in general (work or otherwise), and they seem cool, I have no problem with them reaching out to me cold.
That said, if you're someone I know personally or professionally, can you please keep our non-Instagram-related communications off the app? I get it if I post a Story that spurs an idea you want to reply about, but just out of the blue? At the very least, text me. Please. DMs are hard to keep track of and they're a pain to continuously open. Let's make things easier—for both of us!
(Pretty Little Liars via Freeform)
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