Why your business should use Twitter
Lesson 1 of 8 of using Twitter to promote your business
Using Twitter for business
Twitter, much like Facebook, is a great way to communicate with friends and people who share your interests, but it’s also an excellent marketing tool for your business.
Estimates show that there are around 1.3 billion registered users on Twitter, and 135,000 new members sign up every single day.
This guide aims to help you make the most of Twitter’s magnetic draw, and shows you how to make this platform work for your business. So for starters, why should your business use Twitter?
It's popular
It’s difficult to precisely measure the number of people who actively use Twitter. Many people have multiple accounts, whilst old and unused accounts may still be measured using certain data.
Celebrities like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber have more than 90 million followers each. Worldwide, more than 300 million tweets are sent every single day.
With these kind of figures, it’s more a question of “why wouldn’t you use Twitter”.
It's mobile
Recent figures suggest that more than 80% of people use their mobile phones to send tweets. For businesses that are looking to access a mobile crowd, there’s no better social networking site to choose.
The nature of the site, with its 140-character maximum, lends itself perfectly to smaller screens and mobile keyboards, while the short-form text means that it is easy to read on tablets and smartphones alike.
It's viral
American comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres holds the record for the most retweeted message of all time. She posted a ‘selfie’ taken at the 2014 Oscars ceremony which went on to be retweeted over 3 million times.
Of course, not every tweet you send is going to grab your followers’ imagination like that, but all it takes is a great idea and a bit of luck.
It's quick and easy to Tweet
A tweet cannot contain more than 140 characters, and can be written in a few minutes or less, from pretty much any device with Internet connectivity. Even sending a series of tweets every single day shouldn’t take up too much of your precious time, and the rewards are well worth it.
If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014
You're no longer restricted to just text
Users are no longer restricted to only 140-character tweets, and can now post images and even video clips.
Expanded tweets, or Twitter Cards, which we will cover later in this guide, give users media-rich content without ever having to leave the confines of Twitter.
Customers love it
Because Twitter is so simple, customers often use it to interact with businesses. Its 140-character limit lends itself well to asking quick and concise questions without ever having to dial a number or send an email.
Potential customers may check you out on Twitter before making a decision about whether or not to use your services. So Twitter is a great chance to be responsive and make an excellent first impression.
Of course, you can get negative comments too, as it’s very easy to send a 140-character complaint via Twitter – but once again, this is an opportunity to show off your fantastic customer service, and turn a negative scenario into something positive.
Find out more about how Twitter can provide excellent “social proof” for your brand.
Stick with it
Building a popular and successful Twitter profile isn’t easy, as it needs a lot of time and persistence on your part. But like most things in life, if you put the work in you’ll start to see a return on your efforts, and your business will reap the rewards.
Let’s start by creating your Twitter profile.