Twitter. Few people have never heard of Twitter. And if you haven’t, you probably had to do everything you could to avoid learning anything about it. Considered one of the fastest growing social networks, Twitter is transforming the way people connect with each other like never before.
Right up there with Facebook and LinkedIn in terms of popularity, Twitter is considered the third of these three networks that are a “must” for anyone who wants to stay connected online. Twitter, a San Francisco-based company, was started in March 2006. It was slow to catch up at first, but experienced meteoric success in mid-2009. With more than 45 million registered users, it is used to communicate personal news. and professionals to other people located around the world.
Like an instant messenger on steroids, its reach is vast, with not just one-to-one messaging, but virtually unlimited one-to-many messaging.
Originally, people used Twitter to report variations in their status throughout the day. Many didn’t see the point in sharing personal news such as “I’m eating my lunch” or “I’m going to work now.” Since its inception, it has become a great place to share the latest news from around the world, including resources, event notices, alerts and the like, as well as a wide range of company and industry specific information that is second to none. Many companies are even using it as their help desk and to enhance the customer service experience.
Integrated with other communications such as audio, video, images, cell phones, and other social networks, Twitter has become probably the fastest and easiest way to connect with others.
So how could you use Twitter for your business?
Connect with customers. If you can’t necessarily connect face to face, why not connect via Twitter so you’re just a tweet away? It’s amazing how much this can do to start, maintain, and sustain relationships with others.
Promote your new products and services. Twitter can be used to announce your latest offers, including special offers, discounts, and other anniversary events that would be important to your target market.
Customer service and support. Need a way to handle quick customer service issues? Why not use Twitter? While it might not be the best for handling complex issues, it’s a great place to handle easier issues with customers who follow you on Twitter.
Share company news. Twitter is a wonderful way to expand your public relations activities. The more avenues you have for promotion, both online and offline, the better your chances of further covering your target market.
These are just some of the things you can communicate through Twitter, not only to promote your company’s brand, but also to build relationships with interested prospects and customers.