By now everyone’s heard of Twitter, the phenomenally popular social networking tool. But many people are still hesitant to jump in. Maybe you’re one of them. “What’s the point?” you might be wondering. “I don’t see how a bunch of people talking about what they had for lunch could possibly be useful to me or my business.”
If you’re unfamiliar with it, Twitter is a site where people post brief messages (maximum 140 characters) about whatever is on their minds. Others can find and read these messages, called “tweets,” either by doing a search on the subject matter, or by choosing to follow that person. When you follow someone, all their posts pop up on your screen when you’re logged in to Twitter.
What do users tweet about? All kinds of things. Comments on the political scene. Opinions about movies, music, and TV shows. And yes, what they had for lunch.
It may sound like silly entertainment, and indeed sometimes it is. But Twitter has also emerged as a powerful tool for business owners. It’s helping companies create “buzz” about their products, find loyal customers and keep them, and collect valuable data about their markets. Search engines also read and index Twitter posts, so tweeting about your company can improve your standings on Google and increase traffic for your website.
Best of all, Twitter is free. And in a competitive market, you can’t afford not to take advantage of it.
If the prospect of using Twitter seems overwhelming, fear not: it doesn’t have to be time-consuming, and it’s easy to get started. First, read Twitter’s quick overview for business users. Next, sign up to follow a few people and companies you like, so you can get a feeling for how the whole thing works. And then start tweeting.
Here are some ways you can use Twitter to boost your business.
- Offer coupons and exclusive sales to your followers.
- Position yourself as the go-to expert in your field by regularly posting helpful hints and tips.
- “Listen in” on people talking about your company. If you hear negative word-of-mouth, you can jump in and address it with good customer relations.
- Conduct informal polls and surveys to get customer feedback and find out which products they’re looking for.
- Let your customers know when hot new items come through your door.
- Notify customers about last-minute changes in your policies, schedules, or product availability.
Check out this article for even more ideas on how to use Twitter to connect with your customers.
If you’re just starting out, don’t feel obligated to spend all your time monitoring Twitter; checking and posting once a day is fine. One other thing: this is social media, so don’t just bang the drum for your company. Post links to other topics that interest you and your customers, such as news items and events in your community. The more useful information you share, the more followers you will attract! And remember, if you don’t have a Twitter strategy, you’re missing an opportunity that your competitor will take.
Feel free to contact us for support and inspiration for your online networking adventures! And feel free to follow us on Twitter!
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