Set up, in the words of its founder, as a forum for short bursts of inconsequential information, Twitter is now a global phenomenon worth $10bn according to recent valuations and with almost 200 million users.
What is it?
For the vast majority of users, the site offers a way to tell the world what they’ve been up to, and what they think about the issues of the day. It allows users to post short snippets of insight, or ‘tweets’, a bit like a diary – or, as the industry calls it, a ‘microblog’.
Need to know
The use of Twitter as a marketing tool, by businesses of all sizes, is now prevalent. Much like Facebook, it gives businesses a way of communicating with customers and potential customers and learning more about their market.
Through choosing who to follow, the site gives you a way of finding out what your target audience is talking about. You can also hear what, if anything, they’re saying about your business or product.
Through Twitter, you can promote your company as young, resourceful and dynamic– and use your tweets to give your point of view in the event of controversy or negative coverage. If your service is liable to delay or disruption, you can allow customers to post feedback or complaints via Twitter, and provide a point of contact.
You can also use Twitter to increase traffic to your website. You can use it to publicise any discounts or special offers you’re running, or run competitions – either on Twitter exclusively or by linking with your Facebook page. When tweeting links, use URL shortening websites to make it easier to avoid going over your 140 character limit.
Dos and Don’ts
Here are some simple dos and don’ts to help you maximise the potential of Twitter for your business:
Do
Interact. If someone sends you a complaint, query or suggestion via Twitter, it’s vital you get back to them with a personal message. If you’re not able to complete all the necessary replies yourself, assign the task to a member of your team – a specialist who can offer relevant advice. Tweetdeck gives you an option to be alerted every time one of you keywords is used, giving you the opportunity to respond accordingly.
Retweet. If you see a post you particularly like, you can publish it on your own page – or ‘retweet’ it. The original author will still take credit, but you can promote your company as connected and knowledgeable – and boost your community.
Boost your SEO by using keywords and key phrases in your tweets.
Measure your activity. Google analytics can tell you how much traffic you’re getting from Twitter. Other tools, such as bit.ly, are able to measure the number of click throughs from links in your tweets.
Tweet enough. You need to tweet a few times a day to make a measurable difference. If this is difficult, there are tools (such as tweetadder) that allow you to prepare tweets in advance and will publish them automatically at set times.
Don’t
Post rubbish. If you’re going to tweet, try to make each message relevant – and make sure you offer genuine advice in every post.
Follow too many people. Remember that although it seems sensible to follow as many people as possible, with the aim of getting followers in return, quality not quantity is what’s important in both who you follow and who follows you.
Over-sell. If you’re constantly pushing your product, and promotions, then people will avoid you.
If you’re running your Twitter account for business, make sure you stay focused, and keep your company reputation in mind at all times. If you want an account which allows you to go wild, set up a personal one!