How to Integrate Twitter into Your Online Marketing Strategy
Last week, I finally “got” Twitter. I was attending the TIMA lunch and Twitter was brought up. The “tracking” feature is what attracted me to invest more time in the Instant-Messaging-Meets-Social-Media-Networking tool.
Using IM or SMS you can track a word and it will send you any “Tweets” (Twitter messages) that Twitter users submit to the Twittersphere.
Let’s pretend you work in-house at a company that sells golfing products. You could set up a Twitter page for my company. Then you could set up to “track golf” on my Google Talk. Anytime I see that someone is talking about golf, you could find that user on “Twitter” and start following them.
Here are 10 Tweets that mentioned “golf” last week.
- (jrnoded): plan for afternoon: Lowes run for new screen, get golf balls, eat mexican food.
- (hollster): I think I’m going thru golf withdrawal…
- (imadridcv): LO 470.000 EUR -Luxury apartment on the golf course and with partial sea views(Mallorca)*foto: A near.. http://tinyurl.com/29x9ar
- (chalko): Lunch with Maria at the golf course.
- (zedomax): New blog post: What every golf widow needs http://tinyurl.com/yqo4oa
- (flowerdust): watching nongolfers try to play golf, and losing their golf balls in her back yard. suckas.
- (cnafrontpage): Golf: Ochoa, Creamer set the pace for LPGA final-round qualifiers: WEST PALM BEACH, Florida – World .. http://tinyurl.com/2gugpc
- (cmail_breaking): Duck cull sparks golf club ire: THE greens at a Sydney golf club have been vandalised over the cul.. http://tinyurl.com/2ba9s9
- (gfwchina): Golf Magazines for Women: Some of the departments that this magazine offers include: equipment, instruct.. http://tinyurl.com/259tf9
- (MrBusinessGolf): @RexDixon I’m sure there are business men and women out playing business golf right now who are making a deal for more than a $1million.
Now, not every one of those is a good prospect. Golf widows probably don’t want to hear from you. But MrBusinessGolf sounds promising. You check his profile. He’s a business golf mentor. This is definitely one to follow.
Anytime you “follow” (which is like becoming a friend on other social networks like MySpace, Facebook, or Digg), it sends a notification to that user. So, MrBusinessGolf might check out your profile because you’re now following him. If he’s interested, he’ll follow you back (for which you’ll receive a notification).
At this point, you can start having conversations with MrBusinessGolf. Start casual. Make acquaintances. Don’t just say “Check out our sale on customized recycled golf balls!” Instead, build a relationship.
But you can establish an expectation with your followers (no, Twitter is not a cult) that you will send out periodic news and specials. Use TinyURL to do this. If you mix this in with general news or pointing to golfing blogs outside your company, you’ll become a resource for people, establishing a valuable reason for golf-lovers to be following you.
You might want to put up a few Tweets before you start following people, so they can see your pattern in order to make the decision on whether to follow you back.
By the way, when you want to send or respond to one particular user, use the @ sign followed by their user name. This is because everyone who’s following you can see your messages. It’s not one-on-one IM. So, if I write something and you want to respond to me, you would write @wrtrgrl – you are the coolest girl in the world. And then I would think how smart you must be to make such a poignant observation.
Clear as mud? Good. It’s easier than it sounds. just get started. If you want to Twitter with me, follow me at Twitter.com/wrtrgrl. Feel free to pick my brain, network, offer me large sums of money, etc.
Have any Twitter tips? Leave a comment and strut your stuff!
[tags]twitter, social media, conversation marketing[/tags]
Hi Nathania, I have zero tips, but am willing to learn! Thanks for the suggestions and am following you now for more
Joanna
Great breakdown of how a company can use Twitter for business.
Thanks
You only ‘got’ Twitter last week? That’s about the same time that I ‘heard’ of it for the first time! It’s fair to say that I’m a little behind the times. Anyway I’ve just signed up for it today. Just having fun with it at the moment but it was interesting to read your suggestions. Thanks for the help!
It sounds like aim that inserts links on what you are chatting about!? Am I right!?
Excellent post and fantastic idea on how to use this.
I’m still a little self-conscious to twitter myself – I think it says a little too much about how self-involved I am in – and it only opens the door to potential stalkers.
But I love the idea of using it to bag customers.
Very well done!
I’ve never heard of twiter, it sounds very interesting and I’ll have to look into it more. Thanks
This is the first time reading about twitter and “tweets” where it has inspired me to look into it further as a business tool.
It is sometimes hard to relate to certain social networking sites … and the thought of choosing to spend free time socializing on a computer. Based in a small ski town, this is not the norm, but I do realize that these social networking sites are a necessary part of building a successful business these days. Good post. Thank you for your insights.
I also find that it helps when you actively promote your twitter feed on your email signature and on your business cards.
Also, Facebook has a neat application where you can connect your twitter feed and when you post on twitter.com or via your iPhone application, it feeds your facebook status.
And to take it even further I just pulled through my twitter feed on my blog- which gets automatically updated.
Check out my twitter sample on my blog at: Seed the Web Tips Blog or follow me at http://www.twitter.com/shannonyelland if you feel inclined to as well – I am looking for friends too!