Twitter has been the social networking phenomenon of the last six months,
but does it have a serious use for marketers? Rohit Bhargava offers 10
reasons which Twitter might actually matter.
Why it's good to tweet
WHO would want to read about what anyone had for breakfast? Chances are you've either read or personally had this reaction to the now ubiquitous new social media tool called Twitter that allows anyone to post 140-character updates about what they are doing right now. The site has millions of users from across the world, including politicians, Hollywood actors, and business celebrities.
Yet for all the attention that Twitter gets, its real significance is that it has started the trend of "microblogging." Through these short posts (called "tweets"), you can experience everything from updates written by witnesses of global tragedies to behind-the-scenes gossip from Hollywood. But is it actually useful from a business point of view? Below are ten business uses for one of the most misunderstood social media tools today:
1. Selling directly to customers. Twitter itself may not be making money, but if you want an example of making money through the site, just ask Dell who passed the $1 million mark in online sales from their @delloutlet Twitter account.
2. Listening and gathering insight. Not only can you get an instant pulse of consumer sentiment about a brand, but unlike Google results, most of what you fi nd will be only a few minutes old.
3. Learning "secret" information. Clients are tweeting about what they want in an agency, competitors share strategy, and potential recruits signal they are in the market. Can you afford not to be reading?
4. Managing or averting a crisis. By watching brand conversations happen real time, Ford recently used Twitter to help resolve a legal dispute with a fansite that could have been much uglier. Crisis averted.
5. Conducting a live focus group or poll. For a prolific Twitter user, tweeting a quick poll can generate hundreds of responses in a matter of minutes, as opposed to email invitations to polls that are deleted or fi led for later.
6. Demonstrating a brand personality. Social media can help to bring the human side of a brand to life. When a real voice responds to a mention, it is unexpected but has a great effect in fostering customer loyalty and encouraging word of mouth.
7. Promoting a campaign. Twitter should not be used solely to blast out links to your latest marketing effort... but once you have built a community of Twitter followers, tweeting a link could be your best short term traffic driver.
8. Tracking emotions. Many people share how they feel right now. So before pitching a journalist, check their Twitter account (yes, thousands of media now have them). If they had their car stolen that morning, you might want to wait until tomorrow to send them that press release.
9. Amplifying real life events. During any large event, you can see a surge in Twitter activity from people "covering" it in real time. This can be a powerful way for any brand to share an inside look at a real life event with a virtual audience.
10. Offer a direct communications channel. Beyond email, customers want more ways to interact with companies. Luckily, Twitter is also an extremely fast way to interact, so it can scale.
For more insights about social media and Twitter, visit the 360 Digital Influence team blog at
http://blog.ogilvypr.com.
Source: The WIRE - Issue 32