Is twitter worth the time spent on it?
I have been analyzing the business use of twitter. I believe it helps bloggers a lot to drive the traffic to their site. Apart from driving traffic, does that add any value to your business?
regards,
@rajamanohar
www.hexolabs.com
Good Answers (4)
Wayne S
Social Media Strategist, Technology Evangelist and Mobile Consultant - for conversations wayne@wayne-sutton.com
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (2), Blogging (1)
It looks like a few people have left some good feedback already, I have a video talking about twitter & microblogging here: http://idek.net/Uy and here's a slideshare presentation about twitter used as a pr tool here: http://idek.net/Uz . After watching both and you still need more information let me know.
Thanks
I'm @waynesutton on twitter and twitter is worth the time to me.
Links:
It really depends on several things. You must know what you are looking for and you must have a plan for how to get it. The thing is, Twitter has "no rules" but it does have an etiquette. Twitter is like going into a very noisy party with everyone talking at once. If you just want to drive traffic without sharing and participating, or you want to endlessly tweet about your business it will be pretty much one way and, I would suggest, not the best way to engage. Your followers will probably get annoyed with that too. But if you genuinely take an interest in your followers, answer questions not necessarily about your business and share, as well as talk about your blog posts... then you can get much more out of it. For businesses I believe the time commitment to do this is considerable. Many users are already saying they feel overwhelmed, and annoyed by the number of marketing messages they are getting innundated with.
Unless you are there in the moment people may not see your tweets and the more followers you have the harder it is to both see and be seen. If you don't see Tweets you can't respond and response is at the heart of the Twitter experience. Twitter is fun and cool, but for many reasons, I don't believe it takes the place of blogging. I do believe it is a great way to find out what's going on, what people are saying and other interesting stuff. Personally I have found it can be very distracting... but it has also driven traffic to my own blog and I have done far more commenting on other blogs than I would otherwise have done. Hope that helps.
Clarification added 7 months ago:
I should add that commenting on other blogs and forums, just because I was interested in what the blogger was saying has driven far more traffic to my blog than Twitter.
Sonny G
Online Marketing and Social Media Strategist
Best Answers in: Public Relations (1), Blogging (1)
It does depend on what your company is looking to do but aside from that, there's a missing factor that Twitter allows companies to do with their customers - build Relationships.
Plain and simple. You've become a facilitator of the conversation going on about your brand/company and you're reaching out to these people, in a human way, and connecting with them, building rapport, and creating advocates out of them.
How do you do that?
Monitor your brand first. Check out Twitter Search and type in relevant keywords to your business and see what is being said. Get a pulse for the community (if they actually exist on Twitter - some just aren't there) and build a plan around that and whether you'll be reaching out to already made advocates or a customer service role (a la @comcastcares) and addressing issues customers may be having with your product/company.
This transparency (a word we all love to use) is what sets apart companies from one another and shows how they're adjusting to the evolution of online marketing and it's shift in communication and actually giving a damn about customers by truly wanting to build relationships.
Hope it helps Raja!
Links:
Ellie M
Inbound Marketing Manager at HubSpot
Best Answers in: Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Internet Marketing (1), Viral Marketing (1)
All great comments so far. As a marketing professional, twitter has been great - our whole marketing team (among others in the company) use twitter for business. Just a few of the results we've seen:
- Generated PR with bloggers and more traditional media outlets.
- Generated traffic AND leads by promoting valuable content, such as blog articles, webinars, events, etc.
- Addressed customer issues early on, and gotten valuable feedback from our community on product-related topics.
- Secured great (public!) testimonials via twitter from our customers and fans, and further promoted those testimonials within twitter and beyond.
We did a short (~30 min) webinar specifically on how to use twitter for marketing & PR - it's online (free/open) at www.hubspot.com/twitter-for-marketing - we address your exact question right at the beginning of the presentation.
http://twitter.com/ellieeille
Links:
More Answers (26)
Kimm V
Troubleshooting life and business challenges; connecting people with technology
Best Answers in: Career Management (3), Organizational Development (2), Education and Schools (1), Freelancing and Contracting (1), Job Search (1), Accounting (1), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Property Law (1), Labor Relations (1), Planning (1), Professional Networking (1), Business Plans (1)
It depends on how much time you spend on twitter!
No, really - what is it you want out of twitter & what sort of experience(s) are you after. When you know the answer to that question, you can budget an appropriate amount of time for the activity.
Enjoy!
Kimm
Thao L
Incoming Law Student with Aspirations of Becoming Senator or Governor
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (3), Education and Schools (1), Job Search (1), Criminal Law (1)
There are many things you can do on Twitter, such as asking questions and getting almost instant feedback.
Networking is extremely easy on Twitter, keeping up to date on news and the world around. Somehow Twitter-ers are able to get news much faster than other sources. Keep in touch with family and friends. You can set up a network with your customers and respond to their queries, it shows that you care.
Hope that helps. If I find more links, I'll link them to you.
Gerard C
Personal Brand Coach and CEO, Redphlag LLC
Best Answers in: Public Relations (2), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Advertising (1), Web Development (1)
Raja:
Like others have said, the value of Twitter is a function of what you put into it.
From my experience, Twitter is a great tool for realtime networking, business development, customer service and giving back. It takes time to build your network and hit a resonant frequency. But once you do, as the saying goes, you will never go back.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Gerry Corbett
Jay P
Information Technology and Services Consultant
Best Answers in: Software Development (8), Computers and Software (1)
It's good if you want to get answers right away on something from people you are following but honestly I think instant messenger is the way to go for this.
It's good to use if you are sending updates/questions during a meeting/event.
It really all comes down to - what are you tweeting about? Is it really adding value or is it justtaking people away from work?
http://twitter.com/jayphilips
Jim K
Real Estate Broker, Writer, & Technology Consultant
Best Answers in: Blogging (5), Internet Marketing (3), Writing and Editing (1), E-Commerce (1)
It's really dependent on what you expect and what you do to get it. I spend almost zero time on Twitter once it was set up. I have two accounts, each posting the feed from a different blog. So, I just do what I need to do, post my blogs. Twitter tells the world what I'm doing in that respect without my involvement.
I almost never read my Twitter posts, or those of others that come in, thus no time spent.
Links:
Yes it does. Here are a few links to answer your question.
Links:
Christopher L
Owner, Sterling Cross Communications
Best Answers in: Viral Marketing (1), Mobile Marketing (1), Public Relations (1), Search Marketing (1), E-Commerce (1), Web Development (1)
Hi Raja;
Simple answer is YES!!
What other ways can you use it? Here is a list of Twitter campaigns and implementations we have done successfully for over a dozen businesses:
Customer Service
Lead Generation
Vendor sourcing
Public Relations
Creation of Focus groups
Database building
Hiring
Sourcing Contractors & Partners
Small group communication
Event Promotion
Just to name a few....
You can check my other answers for further details on some of the above, or you can check my blog or the links posted below. We are featured as a PR case study in the just published book - Twitter Means Business:
How microblogging can help or hurt your company. It's linked below or you can find it on Amazon.
If you'd like to discuss further, feel free to drop us a line!
Christopher Lower
Sterling Cross Communications
Traditional Storytelling Integrating Today's Technology
www.sterlingcrossgroup.com
Links:
Raja,
I've been researching this from something of a 360 degree perspective and I think your question resonates with a lot of "new media/social networking" participants and observers. I network with at least one gentleman who Twitters as an ALTERNATIVE to blogging. If you hate writing but want to maintain a high online profile, have certain experts on whom you like to keep tabs or just can't consistently set aside the time to blog, Twitter may offer the most visible and effective alternative.
I also understand the argument that it serves as a distraction. Great feedback on this post, I think...and yes, like anything, if you have a plan, you can make it work. I think Twitter is getting a bit lost in a veritable ocean of social networking tools...it won't be for everyone...and I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth it for me to "Twhirl" my "tweets..."
Thanks for a timely topic.
Mike
Ian M
Savy Internet Marketing Mngr: Pay Per Click, Social Media Strategy & SEO. Outdoor Adventure Photographer
I recently set up twitter, although all tweets happen automatically through my Wordpress blogs. So although there was a bit of time setting it up, once that was done, it's pretty much hands off. I occasionally log on to twitter and make a quick post if I don't want to spend the time writing something more in depth on my blogs.
Although it tends to be short lived, each post on twitter does drive a surge of traffic and slowly but surely, my posts are being 'followed'. I believe frequent updates on twitter could result in some decent traffic.
Links:
Warren S
Director of Content Marketing at Radian6
Best Answers in: Events Marketing (2), Advertising (1), Direct Marketing (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
I pretty much agree with everyone's points. Twitter really is a function of what you put into it. Now that you have everyone's perspective here, please consider it from a customer perspective. We surveyed 240 Twitter users and 89% of respondents agree that brands should engage their customers on Twitter. You can read the full details below.
Links:
Greg P
Marketing strategy and implementation pro at PFS Marketwyse
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (1)
Suggest you go into "advanced answers search" tab in the Answers section. There are 30+ pages of Twitter discussion.
To answer your question with a question - isn't driving appropriate people to your site adding value? Folks who follow you/your company on Twitter have some interest in what you're Tweeting about and so they are more valuable than 'random' people?
Links:
Ari H
Online media strategist and community manager for business and government, and Newburyport City Council candidate
Best Answers in: Blogging (2), Organizational Development (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
Glancing at your LinkedIn profile, Raja, I see you are an expert in mobile marketing because you were awarded a "best answer." You know more about it than me, from a LinkedIn Answers perspective, so if I have a question, I now know to ask you.
You weren't awarded a best answer because someone went to your profile. They wouldn't have known of you, most likely, unless you responded.
That's how social media works -- knowledge sharing and organic expertise growth.
Perhaps you should not think about driving traffic to your business, but about helping other people in areas relevant to your business. Help enough people, impart enough advice, and you will be sought after for your expertise.
Sure, you can use Twitter to drive traffic to your business. But unless there's an incentive, why would they come?
Links:
Peter B. G
Co-Founder & CIO at P3 Social Media
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In my experience no! But I may yet be surprised
Why is this such a hot topic at the moment?? this is the 3rd question I have answered tonight.
Gianluigi C
Web Marketing Strategist ★ Consultant @ Traffic4u
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (23), Business Development (16), Using LinkedIn (14), Advertising (5), Viral Marketing (5), Search Marketing (4), Pricing (2), Career Management (2), Small Business (2), E-Commerce (2), Education and Schools (1), Conference Venues (1), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Mobile Marketing (1), Public Relations (1), Lead Generation (1), Corporate Governance (1), Inventory Management (1), Market Research and Definition (1), Professional Networking (1), Business Plans (1), Starting Up (1), Blogging (1), Computers and Software (1), Web Development (1)
Raja,
Yes it does, like other social apps, you're not shouting, your talking in a targeted manner. Sure it all depends on your input, those who you follow and are following you.
But it will definately help in business.
Alexis V
Business & Communications Consultant and Mindmapper at Alexida & World of Minds
Twitter provides a nice insight in what people or businesses are doing. It can be used as a microblog to drive traffic to a blog or website. Several websites try out new services which u can follow on twitter. For instance, twitterjobs provides adverts for new jobs in your twitter stream. Twitter is also a source for inspiration and help on questions. I think that twitter will evolve in a highly customizable information/life stream.
Xurxo V
Co-Founder, Search Marketing Strategist at Bloom Search Marketing | xurxo@makeitbloom.com
Best Answers in: Search Marketing (3), Internet Marketing (2), Events Marketing (1), Lead Generation (1), Small Business (1), Web Development (1)
It definitely is worth the time if the time is well managed and you have a focused plan in place for using and getting the most out of twitter.
I've answered another twitter question on LinkedIn that provide more insights into getting the most out of this great tool. I've included the link to it below along with a few useful links.
You can follow me at: http://twitter.com/XurxoVidal
Links:
- http://www.linkedin.com/answers?viewQuestion=&questionID=370568&askerID=301...
- http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2008/10/04/12-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-tw...
- http://www.geekpreneur.com/twitter-ebook
Xurxo V also suggests these experts on this topic:
beware of twitter.com ... your posts are made public to other sites.
Brandon M
Journalist, Speaker, Activist
Best Answers in: Writing and Editing (1), Web Development (1)
Yes. It builds your personal brand, allows you to converse with customers in a relaxed setting (and it shows you care about them by responding to their tweets), and you can create a resource separate from your blog.
You can also launch new ventures such as Twitter Novels or Test Prep services as I have.
Peter "
President at User Effect / Usability Specialist
Best Answers in: Blogging (3), Web Development (3), E-Commerce (2), Search Marketing (1), Business Plans (1), Computers and Software (1)
I've had a very positive experience using Twitter, mostly in the sense of branding and being a networking touch point. What I've found is that, by following people on Twitter who I'm familiar with from blogs and forums, I've been able to develop more personal relationships, many of which have manifested offline at conferences, Tweet-ups, etc. Ironically, while Twitter connections sometime have a reputation of being shallow, Twitter has been a major force in helping solidify my offline business relationships.
I think Kimm's caveat in the first answer is worth repeating, though. Spending 30 minutes/day on Twitter and interacting sincerely with people can be very beneficial. Spending 2-3 hours/day and tweeting everything that happens to you is just soaking up time and probably costing you money.
Links:
Steve K
Public Relations and New Media Marketing Consultant
Best Answers in: Public Relations (2), Corporate Law (1), Internet Marketing (1)
Here is a great article from Steve Mulder on how and why one should use Twitter to market a business:
Links:
ShriNagesh D
Google certified analyst, Web, Ecommerce Strategist (Social Media, Web2.0 expert)
Twitter is a great tool. Its not just a networking tool, but can be leveraged for various purposes. With the growing number of apps & tools, twitter is going to make major difference in social networking. EX: with twitpay, u can pay or get paid instantly. Recruitment, customer care, consultation services can be worked out with ease.
I think it's a great way to keep up to date on what's going in your area of interest. It's good for networking, getting quick answers to questions and keeping track of what your friends and colleagues are up to. Big fan.
Tammy G
Director of Web Marketing (Tammy@WebMarketingCommunications.com)
Best Answers in: Public Relations (2), Internet Marketing (1), Search Marketing (1), Social Enterpreneurship (1), Branding (1)
When doing a search for keywords, I have found my satus updates. Granted these keywords are a part of the long tail, though it tells you something about how the pages are being crawled by the search engines.
I am currently testing to see if links are being indexed within the body of the satus, if so then it would be great for link building just ass digg is. I still have liks indexed in digg from over a year agao.
Links:
Clarification added 7 months ago:
"Status"...type to fast...spelling suffers.
Yes, for finding new information and disseminating your own.
It's a wonderful way to keep in touch with a friend or family member who is far away (as in on the other side of the world). My mother and I have a closer connection to my sister - we know how she is, funny things she's seen, if she needs cheering up, or is safe after a local incident.
Professionally, I have used it to update during a conference session and to follow others in sessions I'm interested in. Finally, it was a terrific real-time source of information about the US elections on Nov. 4. Absolutely fascinating to watch the updates that day.
Rich B
President of flyte new media and professional speaker on social media & Web marketing.
Best Answers in: Professional Networking (1), Blogging (1)
The best definition I've heard for Twitter is that it's a living rolodex that responds to you. I've found that to be true. I've posted questions at Twitter and gotten amazing responses from around the world. I've also gotten business directly from Twitter. There are conversations going on there that aren't happening elsewhere.
I'm not sure that Twitter will exist in a year or two, but the type of microblogging it represents certainly will.
