Own a business? Be a Twit
When it comes to our lives we like routine. Ordering a takeaway? Bets on you’ll phone the same place and order the same boring meal every time. Off to the bar? It’s that regular vodka and coke or pint again. The thing is, people like to stick with what they know.
It’s exactly the same when it comes to your businesses’ social media – you go for what you’ve experienced before. Odds on that’s Facebook and there’s nothing wrong with that… Facebook is great! But the thing to remember is that there are other social networks out there that will bring your business a great return too.
Now is the time to abandon routine and look elsewhere in your businesses’ social media strategy for other sites that will help you reach your business targets. Twitter could well be your perfect solution.
Twitter works for both B2B and B2C companies as it is totally open; you can literally talk to anyone who has an account may it be Gordon Ramsay or a little business in Ayrshire who you want to work with in future. What stops businesses joining though is the fear of the unknown, which is often passed off as scepticism of Twitter’s benefits.
So here are Outbox4’s Top 5 reasons on why your business should be on Twitter:
1. Networking
Facebook is generally for connecting with friends and business to consumer. Although, it is imperative for every business to have a presence on Facebook many do not realise the value of twitter. On Twitter, it is easy to find communities who want to hear about what you’re passionate about i.e. your business. If you want to get involved with other small businesses there are plenty of hashtags dedicated to this. If you want to target people in Glasgow who like pizza then you can set up geotargets so every time someone in Glasgow mentions pizza you’re notified.
People are also generally more welcoming on Twitter. You can follow both consumers and other businesses and find that they are open to following you back. Twitter is all about getting involved in the conversation and by doing so you can build your brand very easily.
2. Real-Time Search Engine
News ALWAYS breaks on Twitter – do we all remember when Osama Bin Laden’s capture was live-tweeted by his rather confused neighbour? More and more people are using Twitter as a search engine, which is one reason why Facebook were so keen to launch their new Graph Search, and this is something businesses can take advantage of.
By following influencers in your industry you will find out news and opinions first and share it with your customers. This builds your brand as a trusted provider of news and data – it also encourages people to share your tweets thus building your following.
3. People’s Procrastination
Facebook used to be a great place to procrastinate on but when you think about it, the average person has around 200-300 friends who won’t update their status all that often for fear of backlash. On Twitter people can tweet 10-20 times a day and no one will bat an eyelid.
People spend a lot of time on Twitter scrolling through new Tweets at all points in the day. It’s also important to note that not all Twitter users tweet but 100% of Twitter users are listening to what people, and your business, are saying.
4. Customer Service
Twitter is the perfect channel for building exceptional customer service. Unlike Facebook you can search to see who has been tweeting about your brand very easily. This means if you find someone championing your business you can thank them personally or if someone has a complaint you can find it quickly and resolve it before it becomes an issue.
Big brands are constantly helping their customers on Twitter – the quicker you do it the more likely these people will thank you publically to their followers too.
5. You Can Build a Brand Personality
Twitter isn’t for robots or a tool for shouting about your business. Instead you can use it to build a personal face for your business. What use is this you ask? Well as a rule, the more you put into networking on Twitter the more you will get out of it for your business. So by getting involved in the conversation you are promoting your business without mentioning it at all.
Twitter is millions of conversations about what’s going on in the world. Any TV show now has a hashtag as do all major events. If you sell cakes in the UK then get involved with conversations about Masterchef or the Great British Bake-Off. By finding a conversation that relates to your business your brand will excel.
Still confused? Get in touch with Outbox4 where we can offer one-to-one social media consultations.