While traditional advertising, such as media buying and ad placement, can yield positive results, it often comes with a hefty price tag.
However, many companies (small and large alike) often underuse “free” solutions, such as Twitter.
Often overlooked as just another obligatory social media channel, Twitter is often underutilized by most companies. It takes a certain combination of maintenance, combined with a dash of luck, to really massage the usefulness out of Twitter.
Any company can gain a respectably large following, commensurate with the size of its consumer audience, by correctly deploying these three rudimentary techniques:
1) Responsiveness & Spontaneity
2) Follow, Follow, Follow
3) The C-Suite Strategy
When it’s time to tackle Twitter, an easy rule-of-thumb to instill within your social media team is to be as responsive as time allows, but also a flare for spontaneity. This means actively replying to Twitter accounts that call you out directly on Twitter.
Here, companies can allow their personal brand to show through in a more empathetic way, as opposed to simply retweeting or using a “canned” tweet link from an external source. That’s what customer relations bot programs are for, like Zendesk. It means allowing for flexibility in how to handle some opportunities.
Take a look at Wendy’s corporate Twitter account, for example, which is very responsive (at the user’s own risk).
Another often overlooked Twitter technique to improve activity and followers is carefully constructing your strategy for which accounts to follow. This means following as many accounts which are pertinent to your company, and also all of the top publications – and their journalists – in which your company could appear. Even if a fraction of these followers follow you back, it’s worth it.
Simply following accounts can also lead to fruitful relationships with journalists who might cover your company and reach out spontaneously.
Lastly, companies looking for developing a successful Twitter game in the long run must employ the C-Suite Strategy. This means utilizing your founders or C-Level executives to use their own personal brand via their own Twitter accounts, and direct traffic towards company Twitter profiles.
With some time and dedication applied towards taking Twitter more seriously, brands can easily – and for free – improve their marketing metrics. After all, Twitter is perhaps the most modern form of public relations.
Based in Los Angeles, Joe is the Director of PR & Marketing for BlockGroup.
