For many of the small businesspeople I advise, Twitter is one of the most confusing or overwhelming social media networks to make sense of. The barrage of information on Twitter is unrelenting, and it’s hard to know what strategies will work best for marketing your small business.
Good news! Most small businesses can ignore Twitter altogether and focus on other areas of web marketing.
More good news! If Twitter marketing makes sense for your small business, you’ll find it fairly easy (and maybe even fun!) to get results.
When Twitter Marketing is Right for Your Business
- Fame is your game. If you are a thought leader, public personality or otherwise benefit from personal fame, then Twitter is an important place to see and be seen.
- You naturally have fans. For sports teams, restaurants, event venues and other brands that could describe their customers as ‘fans,’ Twitter is a great place for them to follow you.
- You’re in the information business. Twitter traffics in information, so it’s a useful tool for information-based businesses like newspapers or recommendation services (like Roadtrippers, Angie’s List, etc.).
- Your customers are active on Twitter. Usually, this applies when your business offers products or services to the previous three groups. Promoting your customers’ tweets and engaging with them on Twitter is a great business-building activity.
When Twitter Marketing is Wrong for Your Business
Businesses that don’t meet the above criteria can probably cross Twitter marketing off their list and move on to more profitable media. In addition, even if my list describes your business, Twitter marketing is wrong for your business if you don’t have the time or resources to develop an active, loyal following. Turning Twitter into business success requires a dedication to the community, including near-constant monitoring and engaging in authentic conversations.
Have more questions about Twitter marketing? Send me an email: amanda@zooinajungle.com