Most business owners recognize that social networking is key to a successful online marketing strategy; some consider a well-designed Facebook page the workhorse of their social media campaign. According to CNBC, however, Facebook is destined to go the way of the dinosaurs, and in fact, its relevance is rapidly fading compared to Twitter. In an age where smartphone sales are experiencing unprecedented growth and more people are using their mobile phones for news, email, search and information, Twitter is the fastest-growing way to engage with your customers. If you aren't already harnessing the power of a tweet, here are six reasons you should start today.
In business, to stay relevant, you have to be on the same playing field as your competitors—and your customers. When the landscaper and the window washer and the dry cleaner are tweeting, not to mention giant brands like Dell and AT&T, your business looks out of touch if you're not engaging your customers. A website and Facebook page are simply not enough.
Twitter is a great way to show great customer service. As soon as you get some followers, you will start getting almost immediate feedback from your customers that will allow you to improve your product or service. Answering questions on Twitter is a great way to show your commitment to providing excellent service to your customers.
Tweet news of a sale, special event or coupon code to your followers and see what happens. A restaurant, for example, can tweet a special price for customers who mention Twitter when they order and gauge pretty quickly how their customers responded to the promotion.
If your tweet is topical, humorous, useful—especially all three—your followers will re-tweet it to their followers all through the Twitter-verse, allowing you to reach untold numbers of people, who just might decide to also follow you, increasing your influence and visibility.
Reading what your competitors post on Twitter, and what their customers are saying, gives you invaluable insight into what’s hot and what's not in your industry. It allows you to see what everyone else is doing and gives you a chance to tailor your marketing strategy around proven trends.
Twitter is direct interaction with your customers—you are doing much more than just spamming them with ads and product announcements. You are answering questions, engaging in conversation, responding to feedback. Once you've engaged your customers on a personal level, they will respond by staying loyal to your brand.
Take advantage of the power of Twitter today to grow your business. If you are new to the platform, this useful primer will help you get started.