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Tag Archives: Twitter
#SharkWeek
Is Discovery Channel the most successful event planner of all time? After all, they did manage to coordinate millions of ‘Shark-themed’ parties (including my own) across the U.S., and the party is still going. We are 4 days in to Discovery Channel’s Shark Week… and the madness is mad.
The 25th anniversary of Shark Week has far surpassed previous years in terms of online interactive components, providing viewers multiple ways to engage in Shark Week festivities. While there are multiple ways to engage – iPad apps, online quizzes, games, behind the scenes footage – the big question is, how many people are actually using these ‘extras’?
Hopes of high web traffic and surpassing their previous record of 30.8 million viewers in 2010 – the highest to date according to RealScreen.com – may be in the cards for Discovery Channel. As of Tuesday, the Twittersphere posted more than 1.1 million #SharkWeek tweets – a significant improvement over the 750,000 tweets for the entire week last year. Discovery Channel expects video streaming to double during Shark Week, compared to usual summer months.
The whole Shark Week ‘sha-bang’ falls back on Discovery Channel’s strategy, and what we at Sweeney preach when planning out a campaign.
- What do you want to accomplish?
- Who is your audience?
- How do you reach them (tactics)?
- In the case of Shark Week, what were the successes in the past? Areas for improvement?
- Don’t be scared to consider an integrated approach.
While there is much more to it than these five considerations, they can help get the conversation started.
So, now we’re curious. How has your Shark Week been so far? In your opinion, what is the most “jawesome” interactive component?
We’ll let you decide…but we love the shark cam.
Managing Your Reputation on Twitter
Whether you are a brand or an individual, Twitter can be the death of your reputation. While Twitter is a place for sharing opinions, news, feelings, etc., it takes just one errant tweet to send your social world into a rumble.
Take for example Voula Papachristou, a member of Greece’s Olympic team. Because of a single offensive tweet, Papachristou has been suspended from the Olympics.
Last year, a Chrysler employee confused the Chrysler Twitter account with his own, tweeting profanities from the Chrysler account about Detroit traffic. The employee needless to say, gained national attention and was subsequently terminated.
Long story short, if you/your company engage in social media already, or are considering implementing a strategy or campaign, it is essential to have a brand reputation management strategy in place. Yes, even personal accounts should understand the importance of reputation management.
While there is a long list of considerations out there, following are some basic questions/concerns to keep in mind when planning your Twitter strategy.
- Know your audience.
- Determine a voice and personality for your brand.
- Identify what types of information your brand will tweet.
- Confirm what topics your brand may or may not respond to.
- If your brand/company has risks associated with the product or services, how you will you respond in X scenario? (i.e. plant closings, product recalls, etc.)
And what if your Twitter account were to experience a crisis? Do you have a crisis communication plan in place? Here are a couple of key considerations:
- Monitor your account often. You can use social media monitoring tools or Google alerts to help stay ahead of the game.
- Establish a chain of command. Who is the first contact to reach out to in a time of crisis? Maybe it’s an advisory board, maybe it’s just one person calling the shots. Make sure to designate and have accurate up-to-date contact information.
- Act quickly. Twitter moves at the speed of light. This does not mean tweet back the first thing that comes to mind, but quickly alert your chain of command for a decision making process. It did not look favorable when Papachristou took two days to respond to outrage about her Twitter mishap.
- Listen to what people are saying. Make sure you understand multiple perspectives. This will help in crafting the appropriate response method and response itself.
Remember, Twitter is a communications tool; use it wisely. If your reputation matters to you – and it should – create a social media strategy that will help build, maintain and protect your reputation.
Twitter Hashtagging, Mentioning… %!@#!
What does it all mean? Twitter lingo is important for marketers to learn in order to engage effectively on the social media platform. To begin demystifying the terminology, following are explanations about the lingo that has evolved since the birth of Twitter, as well as how to use the terms.
HASHTAGGING
# – On Twitter, this symbol (#) is considered a hashtag used to mark keywords or topics within your tweet. By including a hashtag in your tweet, your tweet appears in a feed of all tweets tagged with the same keyword. For example, if you tweet:
- The tweet with the hashtagged keyword “advertising” will appear in a feed with all other tweets using the #advertising hashtag. This offers more exposure for your tweet and subject matter, while linking it to a common topic across the Twittersphere.
- Marketers can use this to identify with industry keywords, trending topics or even to engage followers with social media campaigns. Here are some examples of successful Hashtag campaigns from companies like Domino’s Pizza and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: http://on.mash.to/Ja0flJ
- DO NOT: Spam with hashtags. Hashtag stuffing or over-tagging a single tweet can come across over zealous and spamming. Limit hashtags to 2 per tweet.
MENTIONING
@ – The @ sign stands for “@ mentioning”. This allows users to call out usernames in Tweets, linking the tweet to the mentioned Twitter profile. If you want to share something specifically with another Twitter user, use their username and place the @ sign before it.
- For example, including @jamanocchio in a tweet sends an alert to Jennifer’s Twitter account that I have mentioned her in a tweet, prompting her to respond.
- Marketers should use @ mentions to engage with Twitter followers – whether they are customers, media or complete strangers. This can help create exposure for your brand and help shape the identity and perception of your company.
TWEET UP
Short for Twitter meet up, a Tweet Up is a gathering of your Twitter followers. Depending on your social media standing, this can be an effective way to bring your Twitter followers together. These can be local small gatherings of organizations within your community to large massive meetings and campaigns in various industries.
- For example, your local brewery may host a Tweet Up at their facility and invite Twitter followers to meet for drink specials, free brewery tours and entertainment.
- On a larger scale, check out how NASA uses Tweet Ups to give followers the opportunity to attend shuttle launches! Explore the NASA Tweet Up Program and watch the video on how they made some people very happy through social media: http://1.usa.gov/Mo2mDD
3 Online Marketing Resources
We are constantly finding new online tools that keep us fresh and provide inspiration. Check out our top three picks that have been inspiring us this week!
1. Media Relations Tool: When it makes sense for their brand, many marketers are using Twitter to connect with media. But, check out this Pinterest board featuring leading media brands on Pinterest to discover what they are interested in, and get inspired to deliver better pitches: http://pinterest.com/pinterestpower/media-brands-on-pinterest/
2. Video Inspiration: YouTube has taken the liberty of gathering some impressive examples of creative video marketing. Check out some excellent video case studies here: http://www.youtube.com/showandtell
3. Branding: We love TrendWatching.com’s monthly Trend Briefing reports. March 2012 focuses on the theme of Flawsome: the idea that brands that behave more humanely and show flaws are more well-received by consumers. For a longer explanation, the research behind this idea and real life examples, visit: http://trendwatching.com/briefing/
Twitter: New Age Media Relations Tool
Email after email, phone call after phone call and still no response. Now, more than ever, media are inundated with press releases and pitches. How are PR professionals supposed to break through the chatter?
While traditional media relations strategies are still important and useful, Twitter has proven to be another tool PR professionals can add to the toolbox.
Here are a few key processes to get started.
1. Engagement: Do not use Twitter to @ mention media for one-off requests or product announcements.
For example: Hey @Media1, @Media2, @Media3, @Media4 look at this innovative product from @Client! Newproduct.com
This can be flat out annoying to media. Blasting media with links to a press release already sent to them through email is not a good use of your time or theirs.
Do use Twitter to develop relationships with the media. Follow journalists and use them as resources. Tweet them questions, read the articles they tweet, and learn what they are truly interested in. Oftentimes journalists tweet articles they write, as well colleagues’ articles. Additionally, journalists may use Twitter to find a lead for a story, reach out to experts in the industry for comment, or just let the Twittersphere know what they are working on next.
2. Utilize Lists: Many publications have developed public lists of their editors, or industry professionals they often use as contributors. These are excellent resources. Follow these lists to pinpoint editors who may be a fit. If a particular publication does not have a list already built, research and build one on your own. Another option is to simply monitor a search stream that captures industry chatter. Journalists will likely use hashtags and keywords that will appear in these searches.
3. Tradeshow Tweets: Struggling to get media appointments at tradeshows? Try reaching out utilizing the tradeshow’s hashtag (#). For instance, if you are attending #Tradeshow2012, and are utilizing Twitter to “tease” your presence, new products, events, etc., make sure to include the tradeshow’s designated hashtag in your tweets associated with the show. This generates more exposure for your show news.
While tweeting, feel free to ask (in general) if anyone would like to schedule a media appointment, but make sure to include that designated hashtag:
i.e. Attending #Tradeshow2012? @Client is setting up media appointments. Tweet us if you are interested in meeting!
By including the hashtag, the tweet will show up in the #Tradeshow2012 feed/search, which many show attendees monitor for story leads, appointments, and general chatter about the show. We have had lots of success with this simple tactic, and set up appointments with top tier editors.
Excited to get started? Begin by simply following targeted media. Monitor their feeds. See what they are talking about, how frequent they tweet, who they are engaging with, and from there, determine who to contact.
Keep in mind: In the interest of time (you could literally spend your entire day searching through Twitter conversations, talking to editors, etc.), if a particular journalist only uses Twitter as a stream to post articles and never @ mentions or responds to questions, chances are Twitter is not a good outlet to communicate with this media contact. It is still beneficial to keep them in your list or search to reference and monitor, but move on to those who are actively engaging on Twitter.
Have specific questions? Tweet me @RachelKaylor, or feel free to leave a comment here!
Twitter’s Geographic Boundaries
The exciting aspect of social media is it opens the door for participants to make connections outside their geographic reach and focus on common interests (being a mom, running, cooking, etc.). However, a recent article “Geography of Twitter” by Barry Wellman, Yuri Tahkteyev and Anatoliy Gruzd published in Social Networks (Jan. 2012) proves there are more geographic boundaries than we initially thought with Twitter. In fact, the article proves through Twitter research that social media connections look more like an airline hub map.
Wellman, Tahkteyev and Gruzd analyzed half a million tweets to determine where people are tweeting from and who is following them. They discovered a lot of people have local Twitter ties mostly because people are interested in their local communities. Furthermore, Twitter connections are very much the same as the connections we have in the “real” world.
Airline connections already prove there is commonality between two cities, for example: trade connections, professional connections, entertainment connections, etc. And people on Twitter are more likely to follow others who are just a plane ride away from them because of those commonalities.
“Los Angeles is more likely to be connected to Toronto than St. Louis. And my apologies to St. Louis, but Torontonians rarely go to there. Tweets – to use the Twitter term – are more likely to be connected to each other between those localities than not,” said Wellman in a recent interview with NPR Morning Edition.
If we apply Wellman’s, Tahkteyev and Gruzd thought process – that “real” world and “social” world connections are the same – to marketing, it is highly likely the same consumers brands are connecting with through traditional advertising and marketing campaigns, are the same people brands are connecting with on social media.
Just How Big of a Deal is Social Media?
In the movie Flashback, Dennis Hopper’s character tells his young protégé “when we get out of the ’80s, the ’90s are going to make the ’60s look like the ’50s”. So would you think I am crazy if I tell you that when we get out of the 2010s, people will look at Facebook and Twitter the way people in the 1980s looked at disco and long hair? To paraphrase Nassim Taleb, if you think you understand the world and possess the ability to predict the future, you are probably wrong.
Social media has become the golden calf of marketing, with magical, mystical powers perceived worthy of worship. But let’s be clear about a couple points:
1. When the term social media is kicked around (and it is kicked around feverishly these days), the kicker is typically referring to two sites, Facebook and Twitter. There is some allusion to LinkedIn and YouTube and few others (including MySpace and Ning), but generally speaking, they are talking about one or two sites.
2. There is a growing sentiment that the collective voice of social media is the voice of truth and reason (aka, the great and powerful Oz). In point of fact, the collective voice of social media is just that, the voice of those people who are particularly interested and/or motivated to follow and talk about a particular topic. They are not necessarily representative of the population at large. In fact, they rarely are.
3. Although treated by many marketing experts as a tested and proven science, social media marketing is at best, three parts science, three parts magic and one part thin air. And anyone presenting themselves as social media experts should come under immediate suspicion. The fact that one has been involved in social media for a decade does not make them an expert.
[Disclaimer: This is the point at which I like to remind my readers that I am an advocate of social media as one of many strategies for reaching target audiences. I am simply flashing the caution light for all those who are speeding headlong into the traffic without fully understanding what social media is really all about.]
For example, Automotive News boldly announced today that Ford Motor’s global marketing chief plans to dive deeper into social media to promote new products. On the surface – as a headline – this sounds great. In fact, here is how the headline reads: SOCIAL MEDIA ARE KEY TO FORD’S PRODUCT PUSH.
But what Jim Farley actually tells us in the interview is that he plans to use social media as one of many tools to promote new vehicles. He doesn’t tell us how he intends to use social media, but he does say that his social media expenditure will now be up there with his search and digital banner advertising investments. He fails to mention that his investments in traditional media marketing – TV and radio and print advertising and publicity and direct mail – will be massive in comparison.
To be sure, social media is a big deal. But like the headlines of Automotive News, there’s a lot of hyperbole and misdirection you need to filter through before concluding how and when to use it.
How I Survived Losing My iPhone
Tom Hanks has nothing on me. Yeah, he was cast away on a deserted island for four years, but did he lose his iPhone? Did he survive a week without checking his email at every convenient moment? Did he suffer the inability to check baseball scores or the ESPN Fantasy Scoreboard? Did he know what it was like to not use a TV Guide app and have to actually flip through the channels to find a program? Did he go to his favorite coffee shop (Starbucks) unable to check in on Foursquare? Did he experience the anxiety of not being able to text friends and associates whenever the spirit moved him? Did he have a clue what it was like to be shunned by the mobile Facebook and Twitter communities? Did he stare into the eye of a QR Code knowing he could not scan and download?
No, Tom Hanks (aka, Chuck Noland, the FedEx systems engineer) had it easy. After all, I was one of those guys – one of those early adopters – who managed to secure the earliest version of the iPhone… the iPhone classic. And despite the crappy AT&T coverage and the grindingly slow speed at which it operated, it became a part of me. And I became a part of it.
So imagine the emotional pain of losing my right appendage.
Turns out it wasn’t that big a deal. Within the first 24 hours, I was back to my old routines (pre-iPhone). Within a couple days I was actually happy to be freed up to talk with people and avoid all the junk mail and conversations that were eating up my day. I even managed to spend the last two days in Atlanta on business without missing a beat. Suddenly my iPhone was a whyPhone, as in “why did I let it become such an important part of my life?”
By the time you read this, I will have survived seven days – a full week – without my soulmate. I will also be activating my new iPhone 4.
What can I say. Just because I don’t need it, doesn’t mean I don’t want it.
5 Ways to Convert LinkedIn Profiles Into a Powerful Branding Tool
B2B companies and industry experts have made rapid use of Twitter, Facebook and personal and corporate blogs to enhance their positioning as experts. Often thought of as a virtual resume or networking tool, LinkedIn – when used properly – can act as a powerful tool to strengthen corporate and employee reputations and reach target audiences.
In fact, LinkedIn profiles receive a fairly high page rank in Google. This alone provides confirmation that LinkedIn corporate and employee profiles need to be a destination, not just a supporting player in your company’s online presence.
Here are five fast and easy ways to transform your LinkedIn profile into a powerful brand building tool.
1. Optimize profile with targeted content and keywords. When completing your profile, every piece of information provided should be strategically crafted. From your title to your headline, develop copy and descriptions that incorporate key search terms for your company, product or service. Also, incorporate your value proposition (highlighting features and benefits) in the profile headline, summary or specialties sections. Finally, change the default URL for your profile to a custom URL that incorporates a key term relative to your expertise.
2. Customize and direct multiple unique website listings on your profile. List your company’s home page, company blog, key product or resources pages, etc. separately in your profile websites section. Choose the option to edit your website listings, and categorize each unique page as “Other”. Then, rename each page using key phrases optimized to help viewers find relevant company content.
3. Ask for recommendations. As a B2B marketer, you already know referrals and customer testimonials impact heavily on a prospect’s decision to purchase your product or service. Ask satisfied customers for recommendations, but ask contacts to specifically include how your company helped their business perform better in their review.
4. Use apps to place corporate and sales materials directly on your LinkedIn profile page. An app called SlideShare will allows you to embed 3 PowerPoint presentations into your profile – use it to provide introductory corporate and product/service information. Box.net’s free LinkedIn application allows you to upload and host downloadable corporate documents like whitepapers, case studies, etc.
5. Share industry expertise and social content. Use available tools to integrate your LinkedIn page to your blog and Twitter feed, and frequently post relevant news that is impacting your industry. The goal is to help establish you and your business as valuable expert resources that help customers and prospects do their job more efficiently.
5 People You Need to Follow on Twitter – NOW!
With all the talk and advice out there on what companies should be posting on Twitter, get back to the roots of social media and start by listening. Following are five categories of people that will give you the most insight on what you should be communicating about on Twitter and in other social media channels.
1. Trade Media. Many publications have branded Twitter accounts dedicated to disseminating breaking news. Pick the top outlets covering your industry and pay attention to what they tweet to get insight on current events and trends. Use this information to develop relevant content for the media and your social media sites.
2. Employees. Employees dealing daily with customers, vendors, co-workers and entrenched in industry news can provide first-hand knowledge about the small details that make your business tick. Also, you’ll want to ensure employees are following any company social media guidelines and not sharing trade secrets.
3. Competitors. Whether or nor they are doing a good job on Twitter, you need to know how and what your competitors are communicating. Follow competitors to study their Twitter strategy, and then track correlating changes in their Twitter followers, Facebook fans, website traffic (compete.com is free) and media coverage to determine what works and what doesn’t. Learn from someone else’s mistakes, and improve on their successful strategies.
4. Customers. Finding your customers on Twitter may not be as straightforward as identifying a media outlet or competitor. But you can use Twitter search and other key word tracking tools to identify the most frequent users of your products and services.
Also, you can import email addresses from your customer database and have Twitter do the work finding their Twitter names for you, or ask customers for their Twitter handle when appropriate. The key is to listen to what they are saying beyond commenting on your company. Find out what is important to them and use that information to drive new product development, contests, customer rewards programs, etc. And when they ask you a question, compliment you or even complain… respond.
5. Industry Experts. This can include leading journalists, industry bloggers, well-known professionals and self-proclaimed experts in your industry. Start by casting a wide net, but then trim the list down to a few who provide the most insightful commentary and who share the most detailed and current industry information.
These are people who already know how to generate compelling conversation. Study their technique and then use your own expertise to start a conversation or provide a different viewpoint on one that is in full swing.
Need help developing your social media strategy? Contact me at kayleigh at sweeneypr dot com or 440.333.0001 ext. 105.
The Difference Between Being Socially Connected and Senselessly Connected
I had lots of heroes growing up. Edward R. Murrow was one of them. And I am reminded of something he was once quoted as saying: “Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn’t mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.”
Likewise, just because you have 50 or 500 or even 5000 followers on your Twitter account does not mean you are socially connected. Let’s be honest, if you closed your eyes you probably couldn’t name 10 of them. And that’s fine.
And just because 25 or 250 or 250,000 people have “liked” you on your Facebook page doesn’t mean your observations are any more or less important than when no one “liked” you. As an example, 245,000 people “like” the Aflac duck, but as we all know, he isn’t real. In fact, he doesn’t even have a voice right now.
The last time I checked, Lady Gaga had nearly 10 million followers. Do any of these 10 million people actually believe they are somehow meaningfully connected to Lady Gaga? And do you think she actually reads the tweets of the more than 140,000 people she follows? This is senseless, not social.
Anyway, this past weekend I was debating via Twitter with one of my most highly respected friends whether it is necessary for reporters/journalists to interact via social media in order to remain relevant. And although we agreed to disagree on our beliefs, I think he – and Edward R. Murrow – would acknowledge that if you have something useful to say to someone who is actually listening, then being socially connected is valuable. Anything else is senseless. The numbers are not nearly as important as the nature of the relationships.
Good night, and good luck.
The Biggest Challenge Facing Marketing Today?
I have been participating in a personal social media experiment this week to measure the networking value of LinkedIn.
I picked an interesting topic in the eMarketing Association Network: “Can you use ONE WORD to describe the biggest challenge facing today’s Marketing?”
So far, there have been more than 320 comments – mostly of the “one word” variety. In and of itself, this is pretty scary. Do people in our industry actually believe you can sum up the single biggest challenge we face with one word? Yikes.
Anyway, whenever possible, I commented on other people’s comments to initiate dialogue or reactions, but with limited results. However, I did notice that a handful of the participants in this “discussion” were pushing to take the conversation to a higher level; this gives me hope.
Unfortunately, most seemed content to conjure up and spit out creative words, like this were an online game… Angry Birds or Bejeweled, as it were. And for me, that is the ultimate problem with LinkedIn and Twitter and Facebook as business tools. A lot of people are spending a lot of time talking about a lot of things that just are not that important.
When I was a kid and would chatter on and on with my dad, he would often tell me this: “Words are cheap, Jimmy. Show me.”
Or if you prefer the advice of Elvis, “A little less conversation, a little more action.”
Everything You Need To Know About Social Media Can Be Learned From Charlie Sheen
In one short day, Charlie “The Ma” Sheen has amassed more than 1 million followers on his Twitter account. That’s a Guinness Book of World Records achievement. This is social media, providing a global platform for a man with nothing to say to a mass audience of people with nothing better to do. Apparently, the emperor is not the only one with a new suit of clothes.
In the words of Forest Gump, “That’s all I have to say about that.” In the words of Forest Gump’s mama, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
What Content Should I Post on Twitter?
I just started a Twitter account for our company. How often should I post and what should the content include?
___________________________________________________________By Jennifer Manocchio
Let’s start by discussing what not to talk about. Avoid tweets on how you were stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work, what you ate for lunch, and how you cannot wait for the weekend. Sorry to be so blunt, but no one cares.
Of course, there is always an exception to the rule. If you have a product or service that helps you remain calm while sitting in a traffic jam (e.g. books on tape, or meditation), then by all means tie that in. Also, if your Twitter account is a fictitious spokesperson like Tony the Tiger or the Aflac duck, then it can be appropriate to include fun facts or exciting things that the icon is doing.
As far as how often you should post, we recommend between 3-10 posts per day. While that might seem overwhelming at first, you can use software that will allow you to write posts in advance and automatically update Twitter for you.
Prior to deciding what content you will be posting, be sure to set your goals for Twitter (e.g. increasing traffic, driving web site traffic, driving blog traffic, increasing sales, etc.) and your expectations. This will help you determine what to post and if the strategy has been successful.
Then, keeping in mind the goals you want to achieve, start Tweeting! If you are unsure what types of content to use at first, below are some tips on what you can post to get started and continue to maintain an active presence on Twitter.
- General tips/factoids about the industry you service. Be sure these tips will appeal to your target audience and aren’t too self-serving.
- Quality industry articles that your target audience will see as being helpful or interesting at their job or in their daily lives.
- News coverage about your company, product or service. Be careful not to overdue the news coverage. For example, if you distributed a news release and received good pickup, select the best story for your Twitter account.
- If you have a blog, include a link to your blog posts on a regular basis.
- Announcements about company speaking engagements and trade shows you are attending/exhibiting.
- If you develop online videos, link to those videos.
- Monitor Twitter conversations that mention your product, brand or expertise and respond publicly to any questions or retweet (RT) customer kudos.
Do We Need A Facebook and/or Twitter Account?
We are evaluating adding social media to our marketing mix, specifically Facebook and Twitter accounts. Is this a good marketing strategy?
________________________________________________________________________
By Jennifer Manocchio
Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites can be an excellent addition to your marketing strategy, but it all depends on what goals you are trying to achieve. You don’t want to invest in social media marketing because it is the latest trend and “everyone else is doing it”.
Just like any other marketing strategy, social media requires a time and money investment. It is a long-term strategy and requires a certain level of commitment from internal staff. Sure the sites don’t cost a dime to create an account, but you will need to support social media in order to increase followers, increase engagement, and continue to manage these sites.
The first step to effectively evaluating social media is to answer the following questions:
1. What are your goals for getting involved in social media (engage your target audience, create leads, generate sales, provide customer service support, etc.)?
2. What do you expect to gain from the social media involvement (enhance reputation, increase sales, reduce phone calls to call center, etc.)?
3. What level of commitment (time and money) are you willing to make to achieve a successful social media effort?
4. Is social media the most efficient and effective strategy to achieve your goals? Can other strategies (e.g., advertising, direct marketing, publicity, etc.) be equally or more effective?
Also, I highly recommend reading a great article published in Advertising Age – Ten Things Social Media Can’t Do — to set accurate expectations on what social media can and cannot do.
If after answering the questions above you feel social media will be a good addition to your marketing mix, then use your answers to start developing a social media strategy.
Identify what sites you will utilize, what the focus of the content will be (product reviews, customer service inquires/answers, special promotions, educational content, etc.), who will be the face of your company, frequency of updates, time commitment, how results will be measured and how often.
Too many companies view social media (blogs, videos, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) as a quick and easy solution to create sales, but in truth, it is no less time consuming and costly as more traditional strategies. However, if done properly, social media will generate results and help support your overall marketing strategy.
Need a social media strategy and support with implementation? Contact me at jennifer at sweeneypr.com or 910.772.1688.
5 Tips for Getting Started on Twitter
I’m thinking about starting a corporate Twitter account. What steps do I need to consider before creating an account?
________________________________________________________________
By Jennifer Manocchio
Twitter can be a great tool to engage customers and prospects with your brand. However, a lot of corporate Twitter accounts have crashed and burned mostly because the focus was too self-promotional.
The key to Twitter (or any social media site) is ENGAGEMENT. In order to effectively engage your customers and prospects, it takes some thought and strategic planning. To help you get started in the right direction, consider these five questions prior to starting a Twitter account.
1. What are your goals? Be sure to document what you hope to achieve by starting a Twitter account. Do you want to increase brand awareness, increase engagement with current customers, increase web site traffic, increase sales? This will help you determine what the content focus should be and provide a way to measure the success of this marketing tool.
2. Who will be Tweeting? Determine who the “face” of Twitter will be. For example, Zappos features CEO Tony Hsieh and Aflac features the Aflac Duck. The Aflac Duck works because he has a following and it is fun to see what the duck is up to (his latest post: “The best part of working in a nineteen story building? Paper airplanes that, with the proper counterweight, can near Mach 1”). Tony Hsieh’s Twitter page is successful because people want some insight into how and why he is so successful. He currently boasts 1.6 million followers!
Consider who at your company people would want to follow on Twitter. Does someone within the company already have credibility established or have good name recognition within your industry? Is there a fictional character associated with your brand that people care about and would engage with (i.e the Geico Gecko)?
3. What is the content focus? A Twitter account will be successful if the content is something your followers or prospective followers want or if the content creates an opportunity for engagement, or two-way conversation. It could be coupons or new promotions specific to Twitter followers, customer service support, direct tweets to answer product use questions, retweets (RT) that highlight viewpoints of a loyal customer or tips on how to make their lives easier. However, avoid too many news releases and company blog links. Too much self-promotion will only steer people away from your Twitter account.
Jet Blue is a great example of a successful Twitter account. It currently has 1.6 million followers because they have established a page (http://twitter.com/JETBLUE) focused on answering customer’s questions. In fact, I only saw one promotional post in the last week!
4. How much time will you commit? Sure social media can be an inexpensive way to reach customers and prospects on the surface (the account is free); however, consider how many hours a day or week you want to devote to Twitter. If you decide to use Twitter as a customer service function, you will likely need full-time staff.
It is important to establish a time investment to help ensure your Twitter account is updated regularly, but also that it is not consuming too much of your time.
5. How will you measure success? As with every marketing and public relations strategy, you want to establish metrics for measuring the success of Twitter. Certainly the number of followers is one easy way to measure the success; however, consider measuring how many people went to your web site from Twitter, how many people downloaded a coupon or participated in a special promotion, how many people are tweeting about your brand and the context (positive, negative, neutral) of the posts.
Need help establishing your Twitter account or want to increase your followers and level of engagement? Contact me at jennifer at sweeneypr.com or 910.772.1688.
