The year is 2006; Pluto was downgraded from its status as an ‘official’ planet, American Idol was the #1 ranked television show, and Google purchased YouTube for just under $2 billion. The world as we know it is evolving - and into a very digital and technical one at that. In 2006 Twitter was also born.
Now, nearly 15 years later, Twitter boasts more than 330 million monthly active users, and of those users, more than 40% are active on a daily basis. So, what does that have to do with business? Even though Twitter is known as a platform primarily used for quick information and witty hashtags, its uses go far beyond. A major one is a platform for promotion and advertising for companies and businesses. There are many benefits to using Twitter for business and here are some statistics that support its relevance for businesses.
Whether you’re a small, medium, or large business, Twitter can be helpful and relevant for your business. Not only do you want to be recognized but you want to stand apart from your competition. One of the biggest reasons why businesses have Twitter accounts is to increase brand awareness. This provides you with the opportunity to reach out to those who are already interested in your business, as well as those who have yet to discover you. On Twitter, businesses can start or be a part of conversations relating to their industry, products, or services. Users can choose not only to follow other users but topics, hashtags, moments, etc.
User experience plays a major role in social media; interactions on Twitter are no different. Companies using Twitter for customer service see a 19% lift in customer satisfaction. Consumers like to know there is a human behind the screen. They also want to know they are being heard. What better way to make an impression - combine both to treat your platform as a customer service system - or at the very least, a channel to direct your contacts to the right resources to resolve their concerns. Even a simple thank you mentioning the user or using humor can go far. Be a bright light of positivity in your followers’ day.
From trending hashtags to going viral, there are many ways in which a product or service can be seen on Twitter. Get out there and show your consumers what you do and what your product or service is all about. How? Provide a short video or a series of images to complement a short description. Retweet and reply to those who have used your products or services. There is plenty of room to convert those followers to customers and it all comes circling back to your content. Show your users what they never knew they needed in their life.
There are multiple reasons why users follow brands on social media. Customer connection is definitely one of the biggest reasons. When it comes to quick, online interactions with current and potential customers, Twitter serves as a sort of ‘home base.’ Those who identify with your brand will keep coming back and want to stay in touch with what’s going on. Twitter allows you to connect, convert, engage, and delight with product updates, industry information, and new releases about or services provided by your company.
Again, Twitter is known as the ‘quick information’ platform. So what better place to go to than the platform you know can give you the fastest answers to your questions. Tweets can include content, hashtags, images, videos, and live streams; this provides a dynamic environment for your customer to learn more about your product and potentially funnel them to your landing page to learn even more.
Most of this has to do with the content these businesses produce. This can help pull in users as well as give them a feel for what your business provides. Customers also have the opportunity to turn on post notifications so when their favorite brands tweet, they automatically receive an alert. This makes them feel like they are connected in real-time and have the latest insight into what is happening.
‘Mentions’ are Twitter’s bread and butter. It can be seen as a customer service platform where the user is either praising or voicing concerns - both of which can be responded to with just a simple reply or direct message. Twitter can also be seen as a user promotion tool. That way others can see what your business is like from the eye of a pre-existing customer.
These are only a few Twitter statistics but there are many more that continue to support its relevance for using it for business. Hopefully with knowing these few above it will help you navigate how you use Twitter for your business.