Does Twitter Still Seem Like a Waste of Time?

By NMC Account Executive Anna McDermott

Have you jumped on board with Facebook, LinkedIn or even Pinterest, but Twitter still seems like a complete waste of time? You’re not alone.

But you may be missing out on a great opportunity for your business. When used well and by businesses that are a good fit for the medium, Twitter can be an excellent brand strengthener and free marketing tool that has the potential to reach millions of people. I personally love Twitter and have found it to be a great match for some of my clients.

First, you can easily “listen” in to tweets that are about your industry or business. Any time anyone tweets something, it is made public.

Since I’m craving a fresh lobster roll as I write this, let’s pretend your business is start-up seafood shack in Maine. If you search the Twittersphere for “Maine lobster roll” you can see a list of all the recent tweets that include the text ‘Maine lobster roll.’

Should you find a tweet about your business, you can even reply directly to the person who made the tweet! “Glad you loved our lobster roll! Come again soon!” Bam! You just reached out and personally thanked a past customer. That is a very unique opportunity that Twitter can provide to your business.

Twitter is also perfect for asking your followers for feedback, offering discounts or other rewards for loyal customers, and championing good works or news within your industry. The seafood shack could tweet:

“What do you prefer: mayo or drawn butter on your rolls?”

“Mention this tweet and get 10% off your order tomorrow!”

Or “Lobster prices at an all time low, come in today for great prices!”

All of these tweets can benefit your company in real time. Unlike traditional advertising, you know the tweet worked if you get a response; and if it falls flat, it didn’t cost you anything other than the 60 seconds to write it.

The best way for a business to build a following on Twitter is be engaged. Retweet another user’s tweets that are complimentary, smart, funny or on target with their message. Search for your industry’s key words and reply to people when they ask questions you can answer, or when you agree with them. Twitter makes a very large world seem much smaller – and that can be a great thing for your business.

For an example of one of NMC’s clients with a successful Twitter account, check out @VisitMaine.

Twitter might just be the next best thing for your company!