If you are anything like me, you probably think that Twitter is pointless. That it's a waste of time and Twitter will just spam links to your site.I know you're thinking that there is no need to constantly send out what seems to be the equivalent of status updates, however, I have recently come to realize the value behind Twitter and how Twitter can benefit agencies and businesses.
People go to Twitter to share what they know and learn, experiences (both good and bad) and questions they may have. In a nut shell, Twitter gives you the ability to:
- Engage with your audience in a fast and efficient way.
- Be available to your audience instantly.
- Build credibility.
- Find and grow your target audience.
- Promote your company and your content.
Connect with Customers
Twitter allows you to have a network of followers who are interested in your business and the content you prove. You will be able to connect with your customers via Twitter to increase customer delight and retention. These users could be experts in your field, potential customers or similar businesses.
Twitter allows you to have a fast and efficient way to start conversations with people, provide them with information or see what information they are providing and even answer and ask questions.
Using Hootsuite, a Twitter and social media management tool to make a keyword search, allows you to gain access to hundreds of people who are talking and asking questions about that specific keyword being searched. This allows you to find people who are tweeting about things related to your business and help you build your audience by communicating with them on a personal level.
One important factor to remember when using Twitter is that it is a social media that never sleeps! Twitter allows you to stay connected anywhere. You can respond instantly, 24/7. This could be a problem for those workaholics who disconnect after work hours, but for those people always connected, it's perfect and will allow your customers to know they can always reach you at anytime!
Build Your Credibility
You don't need to be one of the big boys such as Nike to build your brand on Twitter. It takes time and work but when you create a large network of followers and find an audience that is looking for your specific services, you're golden! When building your brand it's important to:
- Create content such as a blog to relate to what people are talking about on Twitter.
- Be helpful in answering questions.
- Get engaged in conversations and people will listen to you.
- Tweet and retweet helpful articles.
Building your credibility will get you noticed. With the right mix of messages, you can build up a reputation for being an expert in your industry. Share your content, blog, videos, articles and make sure people know about it. If it's useful and informational content people will come back. Listening to them will help you in the future.
Everyone wants to connect with an actual person and not with some machine. Remember at the end of the day, once you have helped your customers on Twitter they will be loyal to your brand for a long time. This is why a strong social media presence is crucial for businesses.
Twitter Tools
If you're still contemplating on whether Twitter is right for you and your business I have listed some Twitter tools that will make your Twitter experience easier.
- Buffer: Allows you to tweet automatic posts at the next optimal time. Buffer makes tweeting great content on a regular basis easy.
- Twimbow: Allows you to stay on top of what people are tweeting to make getting started Tweeting easier for you.
- UnfollowerTracker: Allows you to see who un-followed you (great for reaching out to customers who had a bad experience).
- Hashtracking: Allows for getting powerful free reports on any hashtag (#)
- TwitSprout: Allows you to see your follower growth, total retweets and mentions over time.
- Smartr: Allows you to easily read on your iPhone, in your browser and soon on your desktop.
Trust me, your business will benefit from using Twitter and you'll become addicted to it along the way! Go check out Twitter and report back here with your experience. We would love to hear about it! Once you have your account all set up, don't forget to follow us on Twitter too!
