Twitter is a social media platform that has millions of users. A company that views these users as potential customers and markets to them appropriately will gain a lot of exposure.
Using a platform like Twitter allows businesses to engage with their customer base at a low cost. It allows them to reach audiences all over the world while also allowing them to interact with customers rather than constantly promoting products and services.
Consumers can act as brand ambassadors when a company establishes a Twitter presence. The company can keep an eye on competitors and respond quickly to any problems that arise. When used correctly, Twitter can help businesses build their brand and multiply their marketing efforts.
Twitter Followers Can Benefit Your Business
Followers of a brand on Twitter are more likely to visit the company’s website. Twitter is used for marketing by three-quarters of companies with an online presence.
Having a Twitter presence shows that you want to interact with customers who expect to have a conversation with the businesses they buy from. Determine the type of Twitter presence you want (these are just a few options):
- Will you respond to customer complaints 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
- Will you develop a “voice” that engages followers in a humorous or enjoyable manner?
- Do you want your Twitter feed to be a platform for broadcasting company messages and promoting products?
Your feed could be a mix of options. If you decide on a style, try to stick to it as much as possible. Customers will come to expect interaction from your company. If you believe that different customer interactions are required, you could try adding Twitter users specifically for that purpose. Assuming your potential and existing customers are on Twitter, you can immediately announce a new product, provide updates or a special deal, or discuss an upcoming event they might be interested in.
Monitor Competitors Using Twitter
Twitter allows you to hear what others are saying. You can use Twitter Search to find out what people are saying about a specific topic, allowing you to stay informed about your company and the competition. Chances are, if you’re on Twitter, your competitors are as well. They are watching you, just as you should be watching them. Create a strategy behind your tweets, rather than blindly tweeting. This can help you build relationships with your customers and edge out others that are not tweeting strategically.
Customer Interaction on Twitter
The obvious use is to post information about your products and/or services. Twitter also provides an additional channel for sentiment analysis, allowing you to collect social sentiments (information on consumer feelings and conversations about your products or services) and then analyze the sentiments for themes. The themes you discover may provide suggestions for improvement or provide insights into popular products and why customers like them. These are all useful tidbits of information for growing your business.
By using Twitter to communicate with others rather than push product announcements, you can present and develop the kind of image that attracts your potential customers, as well as refine your brand.
Design Business Network
Twitter is an excellent tool for networking. An active Twitter presence will provide you with opportunities to interact with people you would never have met otherwise. Some of those people may become business contacts, potential partners, product suppliers, or even employees.
Conclusion
Twitter, like any other marketing tool, should be used by people who have received social media marketing training. A misguided or poorly timed tweet can do irreparable harm to your brand.
The time and effort you put into Twitter will determine what you get out of it. Sending out one-way messages isn’t very engaging (or social). If that’s your goal, you should look into Twitter’s advertising tools.
Every opportunity to increase brand awareness is worthwhile, and Twitter can provide another channel for your small business to engage both current and prospective customers.
