TWITTER, PART TWO
In our last blog, we introduced you to Twitter, one of the more popular social media tools that’s growing by leaps and bounds. As you may recall, we discussed the basics of Twitter, such as opening an account and choosing other users to follow.
In this issue we will explore how Twitter can be used for business. We will also share some examples of companies successfully using the service in a variety of ways.
One of the differences between Twitter and an instant messaging system is the ability to search and “listen” to see what is being said in the online world. Twitter allows you to search every single message by keyword to “hear” anything that is being said about you or your company.
As with the case with most social media tools, this process of “listening” is the first and most important step. Once you listen to see what is being said and how it is being said, you can then start to decide whether it makes sense to get involved and if it does, then how to go about getting involved and connect with your audience.
Many large companies have already taken the leap and now use Twitter to update people quickly on changes in the business and some have even used it to try to reach out to customers in order to improve their customer service. Cable giant Comcast might be the most notorious example of using Twitter for this purpose when they responded to an individual who tweeted about problems he was having with customer service. Through the use of Twitter they not only responded to his problem but also helped him solve it. He later sent a tweet about how responsive the company was in using this new media and the story got picked up and resulted in some great press for the company.
Many media outlets are also sending twits of breaking news, and more and more reporters are using twitter as well to solicit pitches and to keep their followers abreast of what they are working on.
Twitter works by connecting people but another advantage is that you have control over who you connect with. If you find someone who is interesting and who tends to have good advice or if there is a media outlet you like to read, you can decide to become a follower. Likewise, when people become interested in you or what you are saying, they follow you. When you send out a message it does not go out to the general public but rather it goes to those who are following you. There is also a way to send a message to only one of your followers. This is called direct messaging.
The bottom line is that Twitter helps businesses and individuals develop relationships and network with each other in a very personal way. Twitter helps you form new relationships and allows you/your company to stay in touch more quickly and more efficiently with your existing constituents.
If you are interested in looking into Twitter or other social media tools for your business, please contact ChatteRL&A, the social media division of RL&A. Check back next time as we continue to explore the newest social media tools and tactics.
Let us know what you think of Chatter and the rest of the RL&A blog. We are always open to suggestions, or if you would like a specific topic covered, please let us know.