All about Twitter and Twitter Marketing

Twitter is an up and coming instant messaging tool that is one of the most effective social media options for marketing. An overwhelmingly large number of celebrities and brands are employing it to convey their message effectively to their target population. Since it allows users to post messages up to one hundred and forty characters, it is called a ‘micro blogging’ community where users post their comments, thoughts, feelings, updates etc. in simple terms, twitter lies somewhere between instant messaging and a chat room since it allows you to restrict users who can view your posts or send messages to you etc. Twitter, after becoming a raving success with users, has been increasingly used for marketing by celebrities, well known brands and smaller businesses across the globe.

Chief Executive Officers or Presidents of well known companies can rarely make time to post on blogs especially if they are responsible for running a company of international fame and market presence. Twitter, since limited to one hundred and forty characters per post, is a godsend for such people and gives them a media for interacting with and getting to know opinions of the company or brand’s target market. Another benefit of using twitter is that you can follow the movers and shakers of any industry with as much as a click of a mouse. In a surprisingly large number of instances, these influential people follow you as well. Thus, it is the most effective way of communicating with them even more efficient than getting hold of them over the phone or their email account. Various websites have made it really easy to monitor your brand or company on twitter getting real time updates on what is being said about it or you.

Twitter also offers to unique opportunity to market your products by offering various deals such as discounts, rebates, subsidizes and sales etc. Another opportunity for celebrities and brand marketers is to provide updates live from various events such as international conferences, concerts, conventions, retreats etc. This spurs the interest of potential customers who will be convinced to buy your product/service, follow you if the right marketing strategies are employed. Another tactic that most celebrities have utilized is chatting live with their fans providing prompt responses to their questions, queries etc. Because of the ease with which web links can be posted on twitter, it is very easy to route fans and potential customers to their own promotional websites and other relevant content.

The classic mistake most celebrities and marketing managers make is gauging their or the success of their brand only by the number of followers on their twitter profile. However, what needs to be kept in mind is that the number of users provides only a partial picture which is completed by analyzing who is following you and the response of your target audience. It is important to have active followers who are engaged which will share your web links and other relevant information with their followers further spreading the message. Celebrities and marketing managers need to keep in mind that twitter offers the perfect opportunity to supplement your (existing) marketing strategy but is by no means enough on its own. Moreover, it is important that you do not share your personal opinions or feelings on your brand’s account especially on sensitive or controversial subjects since this might end up perturbing users resulting in negative marketing for the brand. Building consensus or a community of loyal supporters can also go a long way towards helping build a brand name. Thus, it is important to use twitter very carefully as a marketing tool because, although effective, it can have negative repercussions if used inappropriately.