A new web-based tool called Twitter has had a lot of press in recent weeks. But probably the most common question about this new tool is ‘what on earth is Twitter and how can I use it?’
Most of the media reports about Twitter have been about how celebrities use it. But it has fantastic application for small businesses and if you’re running a small business it’s worthwhile exploring how it can work for you.
What is Twitter?
Twitter members post short statements called ‘tweets’ about what they are up to and things they are looking for, among other things. Many Twitter members have thousands of followers. When you sign up, Twitter will automatically generate a handful of followers for you. Getting more followers involves putting up regular posts so other people want to follow you and also being diligent about following other people, so they will follow you.
How can I create a following?
Following someone on Twitter is as easy as clicking on the ‘follow’ button on their Twitter page. But Twitter isn’t like Facebook in that most of the people who are your Facebook friends are friends in real life. On Twitter most of the people who follow you will be complete strangers. But, similar to Facebook, you can block people from following you if you want. You can also lock your page so only your followers can see what you’re tweeting.
How do I become a member?
To become a member of Twitter, simply go to www.twitter.com and set up a username and password. When you join up, the site will ask you to enter a short description about what you do. Think hard about this statement. If you have a small marketing agency, for example, don’t just describe yourself as ‘a marketing agency’. Instead, try to include a point of difference. For example you might write something like ‘we’re a small marketing agency with big ideas and massive impact’.
How does Twitter work?
Twitter can work as a way of gathering information. Let’s say your marketing business needs to find out what consumers are saying about a client’s product, let’s call the product the Widget. You might post a tweet that says something like ‘what’s the buzz about the Widget?’ Assuming you’ve built up a number of followers, you should get a whole heap of tweets back answering your question, which will give you great data for your client’s marketing campaign.
Twitter is also a great way of sourcing suppliers. Simply post a tweet that says ‘looking for a red hot researcher for an upcoming project’ and again, you’ll get a whole heap of tweets back. Need some new business? Why not post a tweet telling the community what you’re looking for? You’re very likely to have your message ‘re-tweeted’ and a number of new business leads sent your way.
If all this sounds confusing, the best way to familiarise yourself with Twitter is to become a member and try it out for yourself. But be aware tweets cannot be deleted or changed – once you’ve posted a tweet, it’s online for good. All the major search engines can also search Twitter, so don’t think only the Twitter community can see your tweets.
Twitter is a really fun way of finding information and connecting with possible suppliers and clients. Why not have a go and while you’re there, why not start following
Kochie's Business Builders? My Twitter name is
Kochies_biz. Happy tweeting!