Hello everyone… We have ALL heard the hype about Twitter. If your friends are not already talking about it, then your friends probably don’t use the internet.
In the spirit of helping local business. Share with us how Twitter helps you and your business. If you are a Twitter Pro, please chime in with ideas for other business folks on HOW they can use Twitter to find more customers.
Ed Bejarana
Every time I write an article or comment, I have it linked on Twitter. I have seen my website traffic increase as a result
Twitter is really confusing. I do hear everyone talking about using it, but not very many people can answer why? I'm an civil engineer, why would I want to instant message people over the internet?
Hi Bruce,
You wouldn't. Use Twitter as a business news wire or direct mail marketing tool. Write new content on your business website or blogsite and promote the article on Twitter. I'm sending tweets from my blog sites and seeing a three fold increase in web traffic.
Burgervilled posted a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free Tillamook Cheeseburger on Twitter. I printed it out and took my wife and newborn baby boy out for a fun meal at the Hawthorne Burgerville. I'm happy to support local business!
I have been running some tests these last two weeks and using Twitter I have seen a three fold increase in web traffic. Bounce rates are right around 50% and average time on site is just under 2 minutes. Twitter is a viable business marketing tool. Use it as a direct mail marketing tool.
Twitter is easy to use and fun. Effective?? With thousands of followers who tweet many times or even just once in a while, no one can actually read all the tweets they receive. So the valuable and important tweets have very high chance of being missed…. they flew to the wind, never to be found.
Do you read all the tweets you receive from your followers? Or do you read all the tweets from those you tag as important in TweetDeck or other applications – unless you tag only a few?
Marketing tool? If you post similar (NOT same, to avoid spamming) tweets at different times of the day on different days to be visible to more people.
I think twitter can be effective, but it needs some strategic planning, and dedicated, focused tweeting, timely responses via 'direct message' (more than public tweets) and many other strategies. I hope it becomes more effective and that comes with wise use by all of us.
Interested in your thoughts.
I have several clients that I am working with and the starting point is listening and finding brand mentions. Then look at the overall marketing plan- define what you want to do. Twitter is a double edge sword- had a restaurant that went too fast and didn't plan to support feedback and had a flamer do a number on him- need to plan for neg feedback- just be real.
If you want Buzz Marketing out of it -plan out offline and online sources. I am running a pubcrawl and working with 8 pubs and will use Twitter for a real time feedback with local radio station. Have some folks using it as a coupon program- worked for 3 months getting their customers twitter name and also a blog up and running.
The last point I would like to make it is not about Twitter- Twitter is the tool. It is not magic- the business really need to have a clear understanding what their mission is, and believe it or not there are tons of companies that do not know what they are doing in this and look at customers as continuing resource to hit with Dm and everything. Social Media is slowing down and connecting 1 to 1.
I remember the web 1.0 the static site and marketing pros trying to figure out how to do 1 to 1 in those days it was your 1st name on an autoresponder e-mail. Now it is at speed of a tweet///// Communication skills at the personal level everyone has a lot to learn.
I am looking to share all best practices with the local small biz's under 10MM hit me at @smallbiztwit
Thanks and interested in everyone's thoughts.
Twitter is our 4th biggest driver to our website. I personally have also been blown away at the PR opportunities it has brought to my business. I have paid a fancy PR firm in SFO to put together press kits with press releases and sent them along with samples out at significant expense to hundreds of media address of editors crossing my fingers HOPING they make it to their desks – all to have generated maybe 3 or 4 articles or interview requests… Twitter on the other hand, has forced me to hire a part time person just to manage the blogs, online magazines, and interview requests I generate from networking on Twitter every week! AND IT'S FREE!!! I can't say enough about the power of social media.
I say – keep up with the competition and get yourself out there – it does take a while to get the hang of it and feel comfortable networking on Twitter – but it can also be really really fun and a huge benefit to your business.
See ya on Twitter Tweeps…! @naturallyknotty
XOXO Knotty Girl (CEO/Designer of eco-friendly women's fashion accessories)
http://www.naturallyknotty.com
All of my clients this year have come from my activity on Twitter. In addition to actually making contacts, it helped me realize that I needed a business blog to describe my process. The package deal of twitter and a blog has helped me define myself more clearly in the National market as a Small Biz Mentor, even though I've been doing it for 15 years.
It's been so exciting to see people come to me from all corners of the country!
I use twitter to post overflow deals that I don't have room to post on my deals and coupon code site. I also communicate with my followers and offer freebie links. I have seen a big jump in traffic to my website since using twitter. Twitter users are visiting the site to find more deals from the stores there. It's been a HUGE help in getting the word out about my site!
Twitter is an extension of business networking that you may already be involved in, without leaving your house. It's a quick and easy way to:
- build a network of people who share something in common with you, whether it be a hobby or business/service opportunity
- send information quickly and timely that relates to your business or industry
- receive information or news about the things you or your business cares about as they happen
- present yourself as knowledgeable and helpful, thus building a strong brand for your company
Heifer International Portland Volunteer Group has been using Twitter since the beginning of the year and have seen an increase in web traffic, volunteerism, and donations. Not bad for a lil' grassroots group trying to inform the community about hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth with Heifer International
- Created a blog that would have probably gone unnoticed if it wasn't for Twitter. We link our tweets to our blog about events we are having in the community and the work we are doing
- Met several Heifer supporters at local events (Farmers Markets, Earth Day) because they saw our tweet announcements. Love meeting Tweeples!
- Several people donated to Heifer International because of our presence on Twitter
If it wasn't for Twitter, we would have had to use "old marketing" techniques with email lists, mailings, etc. On Twitter we feel totally connected to our community. We Love You Twitter. Tweet! Tweet!
I've had customers come in to my retail store after seeing me on twitter. I typically search for keywords that relate to my business, and will reply to tweets that come up in search. I've also noticed an increase in web traffic from twitter.
Hi, found you thru your Twitter post. I like the blog. I