Importance of Twitter for Brands

twitterWhen I first joined Twitter back in 2007, it was a different time. Twitter was in it’s infancy, ad agencies didn’t see the value, but us marketers did. It was a way for people to connect with people, learn from others who they may never have met and interact with brands. It was a place where the early adapters would have conversations with brands, reporters other folks in their industry, etc. I have met some amazing, awesome, smart people on Twitter that I still connect with today.

Today, over one billion Tweets are sent every three days. It is a different time. There are more people on the platform than ever before. More people are engaging with hashtags, brands, sporting events, etc. It is a place where live marketing can happen in a moment, hence the Oreo lights out ad (You can still dunk in the dark), when the power when out during the Super Bowl a few years ago. 

I am going to take a quick moment and tell you how a big name brand interacted with me on Twitter. During the Chicago Cubs playoff run in October, my employer had a tailgate potluck event for the staff. We were grilling brats, hotdogs and hamburgers. I took a picture of the grill with the brats and hotogs on it. I posted it on Instagram and Twitter and tagged Johnsonville Brats and used them as a hashtag. Shortly there after, Johnsonville liked my Instagram post and shared it on their Instagram feed. I then Tweeted out that they shared it on Instagram and Johnsonville then Tweeted me a gif with a thumbs up. Now, that is how Social Media should be done.

Here are some suggestions on how brands should operate on Twitter.

1. Tweet Frequently

Twitter will tolerate much more frequent posting than Facebook will. Twitter is a constant stream of information. Tweeting more often increases web traffic by 31% and engagement by 89%.

2.  Engagement

As a brand you want to engage with your consumer, and you can do that by Retweeting their tweets, liking their tweets, replying to consumers when they use your Twitter name, and interacting on your brands hashtag. Users will share the love that they have for your brand, you just have to embrace it as they will be your biggest brand advocates.

3. Hashtags

It is good to participate and be active on your brands hashtag but do not abuse other hashtags. When you have an ad running during the Super Bowl or at anytime on TV, add your brands hashtag to the ad in the upper corner. That way when people see your ad they can interact with it and other consumers online. Monitor the hashtag and engage with your consumers through it. Remember these could potentially be your brand advocates. Engage with the negative and positive.

4. Customer Service

Utilize Twitter as a customer service tool. When I travel for work, I notice that some of the hotels that I have stayed in, interact with their guests on the hashtag. When I am in a conference, that conference usually has a hashtag for attendees to use on Twitter and interact with. The hotel then interact with guests on the hashtag who mentioned the hotel. If done properly, this could be a great concierge tool for hotels and companies.

5. Visual Tweets

Twitter’s image visibility has also increased recently. This has allowed brands and consumers to post more images and gifs. People love seeing images of things, so the tweets that have images are more than likely going to receive more engagement. Remember to make the image visually appealing to attract consumers to RT your image and like it.

One last thing that I want to mention, Twitter gives you a chance to be an influencer. Everyone has a passion and everyone is an expert at something. Share that knowledge and connect with other people who have the same interest. It’s all about being a part of the conversation. But don’t forget to listen, as that will allow you to know when and what to interact with.

Agree, or disagree? Anything that you would add?

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