how to use twitter for business: 101

Understanding TwitterUnderstanding Twitter

Jeff Long

Video, Web Design, Media

@Jeff_Long @ExitRowVideos

Contact me here:


#CMN

Common Myths

• “It’s just for teenagers”

• “I don’t care if someone eats a bagel for breakfast”

• “No one can use this for business”

• “I’m too busy”


How do I use it?

“Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users'

updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140

characters in length.”


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-blogging

Who uses it?

• Local & national Media outlets

• Fortune 500 companies

• Customer service: Dell, Southwest, Comcast Cable

• Locally owned business

• Jeff Long of Exit Row Productions

• Celebrities: sports, movies, music

• Authors, ministries, speakers, industry leaders


How can I use it?• Get involved locally

• Find out what customers need & help them get it

• Share relevant material to your followers

• Alert people to new content on your website

• Get to know people on a personal level

• Answer questions

• Learn about events & news in real time


Here’s how I use it.

1. I post info, stats, articles of content I’m already reading...I just share it...and it makes me look smarter.

2. Alert people to new content on our website

4. I get to know people on a personal level by sharing about myself and responding to other’s lives

3. I ask and answer questions

5. Quickly learn about events & news in real time


6. I’ve gotten several clients, through Twitter

Stats

Twitter started: 2006

Tweets per day in 2007: 5,000

Tweets per day in 2009: 35 million

Tweets per day, currently: 50 million (600 per second)


Set up:


myusername


Set up:

Set up:


Twitter Lingo

•At Reply or @reply - a reply to another user •DM – direct message (a personal message no one sees but you

• Hashtags or # – using a symbol at the end of a tweet to follow messages in a series

•Retweet (or RT) – repeating another’s tweet

• Tweet – sending a Twitter message

• Twitterverse – the Twitter community


Who to follow:

WeFollow.com

-city

-category

-tag


Live Search


Mobile phone

iPhone, Blackberry, Android, texting

TweetDeck Tweetie


Desktop Applications

TweetDeck & HootSuite


Who sees it?

• E-mail is private but social networks can be open for all to see.

• Anyone can follow you and see what you are saying.


• You don’t have to follow everyone that follows you

Why is Twitter important? 1. It builds relationships outside the work day

UD basketball game & a bucket of chicken


Google started to index Tweets

2. It helps with your Google rankings (not as good as video!)


Why is Twitter important?

3. Learn what people are wanting & asking

- Trends - Search



4. Twitter shows you live results of sports, opinion, news, etc

Janis Krums via Twitter

Under 5 minutes



http://twitter.com/jkrums/status/1121915133

5. If business is about relationships and Twitter is also about relationships then there's a natural business fit.



6. Only people that are interested in you will follow you, so you have a captive audience that wants to know about you and what you offer.



- This can be a good thing for ministries/non-profits to spread the word and raise awareness...if used properly.

- Old media was a shotgun approach, while new media offers a targeted strategy. Twitter is new media.

Best Practices

• Social Media is about relationships...not selling• Ask questions and get immediate responses

• Engage in customer service

• Find trends and engage with those involved• Talk about your business 90%. Sell to your audience 10% or less


What to Tweet!

2. Share articles, blogs, stats and ideas based on your occupation and interests.3. Share quotes of inspirational content: verses, historical figures, etc

1. Share with people what you are doing: CMN, planning your marketing campaign, at a local restaurant, at church, meeting a client. See who responds when you do!

4. Answer questions and get involved in the conversation.


Set goals

• How many times a day/week will you Tweet

• Set up analytics to track who reads your content

• Determine how you tweet: personal, business, or both


Getting Started

2. Find people to follow: in your area, common interests, industry leaders, clients, potential clients

3. Get involved.

1. Sign up your business and personal name in Twitter



Jeff LongVideo, Web Design, Media

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

how to use twitter for business: 101

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