Unsurprisingly, we get asked a lot about Twitter nowadays! It is definitely the flavour of the month in B2C and B2B marketing circles. The question is always the same.. How do I exploit Twitter!?
First of all, what is Twitter? Twitter is a micro-blogging site which allows people to easily write very short (140 characters) mini-blog entries.
For example here is a new Chilli Digital Twitter feed which we will start using from now on.
Why do people use Twitter? It is intended as social network where people can easily update each other about what they are doing, thinking, planning and observing. As in Facebook and MySpace, Twitter users have connections who follow their 'tweets' (mini-blogs) and vice versa. Some celebrities and other public figures have their own Twitter feeds which the use to communicate directly with their supporters. For example; Barack Obama
How can that translate to Online Marketing? Anyone using LinkedIn or Facebook, for example, should have seen the positive effect that social network driven recommendations can have on visits and conversions (sales or enquiries). Twitter can provide the same type of introductions to people you don't know - and it can also provide a very easily accessed channels of information about your products/services for people who already know you (and who use Twitter!)
For example, you could have a Twitter feed from your Head of Products about new developments. Or one from a support person about FAQs. Or from an expert on their field of expertise. As long as you keep the subject fairly well defined and on-topic, and there is a demand for the type of information then Twitter offers a simple, digestible way of people accessing your different "message streams"!
A simple and easy place to start is to create a simple feed on Twitter and publish all or at least some of the most interesting new pages on it. Note that the URLs will be shorterned to stay in the 140 character limit!
Later on we will explain about the large number of web sites and services that surround Twitter and that make it easy to publicise your Twitter feed, find followers, find interesting users to follow and update your feeds on the move!
The Chilli Digital "101 Online Marketing actions you should take before your business dies" is designed to help you get started with SEO, Email Marketing, Web site management, Social Networks and Digital Asset Optimisation. It is also available via the Chilli Digital Twitter feed and via Facebook. If you want to get serious about Online Marketing, contact Chilli Digital via 020 8241 8818. If the line is busy please try again later.
