Being Invested in Twitter
On our #TwitterSmarter chats, we often talk about how worthwhile it is to focus on Twitter to grow your community. We discuss how the platform enables genuine conversations, brand awareness, and growth. To take this further, we invited data analyst, Dentin Waweru, to talk about how you can invest more time and effort in Twitter so as to get the optimum results. Here’s a summary of our chat.
Guest: Dentin Waweru
Topic: Being Invested in Twitter
Format: Eight questions directed at the guest. Everyone’s welcome to share.
Q1: What does it mean to be invested in Twitter?
To be invested in Twitter is to adopt the platform and its functionality so that you can successfully deliver your business content.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314256907935395842?s=20
That doesn’t mean you stand aside and let Twitter bring you business. Instead, you have to be committed to showing up every day and consistently sharing your knowledge with your audience, explained Rachel from Express Writers.
A1: If you're invested in Twitter, you see it as a worthwhile platform to be on for building your brand and connecting with your target audience. You're committed to showing up and sharing content here. #TwitterSmarter
— Express Writers | Your Content Writing Partner (@ExpWriters) October 8, 2020
As Zen pointed out, it’s essential that you put in time and effort to nurture your communities. Because at the end of the day, your community drives your success.
A1. On #Twitter just like on other #socialmedia, your community makes your brand the next big thing. You get what you put into it. Invest in your communities to reap your return on relationships! #twittersmarter
— Zen Yinger (@ZenYinger) October 8, 2020
Q2: Is it worthwhile investing in Twitter even if your audience isn’t on it?
You might need to answer this yourself, based on your business and the resources you have. However, as our guest mentioned, almost no other social media channel gives you an engagement model as high as Twitter. The nature of this platform is to drive conversations, and so even if your audience isn’t on Twitter, it might be worthwhile to spend some time on it. Twitter is an excellent way to increase your reach, and potentially find a new audience.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314257331618811904
Dorothée made an excellent point about how audience changes over time. Even if your audience isn’t on Twitter, perhaps those on Twitter at the moment will become your audience in future. In some industries, like the logistics industry in rural Asia, for example, Twitter is regarded as too complex and confusing for anyone to dabble in. In some other industries, though, like IT, even young interns in rural areas join Twitter as one of their first tasks on the job. It all depends on your audience.
A2 Maybe tomorrow’s audience is right here waiting for you on Twitter. #Twittersmarter Also good to keep etes and ears open, you never know.
— Dorothée Lefering (@DoroLef) October 8, 2020
And anyway, even if your audience doesn’t use Twitter, you still can. As Nick said, it’s where most people get their news. Just look at Trending Topics and you’ll know pretty much what’s happening in the world. Although, be wary of evil and fake news as well. Twitter is generally a good place to meet new people, share conversations, and grow your personal reach.
A2. It's worth weighing your options and how much bandwidth you have, but I think investing in Twitter is always worth it. This is where the news and conversation happens online.
Even if your core community isn't here, adjacent communities probably still are. #TwitterSmarter
— Nick Martin (@AtNickMartin) October 8, 2020
Q3: How does Twitter help you generate new leads?
Twitter is like squats. It’s an all-in-one exercise that targets multiple muscle groups so you can effectively achieve success. It helps with multiple lead generation activities like content marketing, social listening, SEO and domain authority, customer and audience feedback, and more.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314257788382711808
Besides, as Gene pointed out, Twitter and chats can help you engage with anyone in the world in real time. And so even if they’re not familiar with who you are and what you do, they can click through to your website and check it out right away. It’s a good way to build instant connections that may become leads immediately or come back later once they’ve engaged with you more.
https://twitter.com/LDRBRND/status/1314257606479880194
Q4: What is community management on Twitter?
It’s about managing your community—not in the sense of a micromanager, but more in the sense of nurturing them. Not only do you take responsibility for the content you/your brand posts on Twitter, but you also interact with responses, your fans, and everyone who engages with your content, both positively and negatively. This includes providing customer support, answering industry questions, and dealing with trolls.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314258303036293123
As Kelly mentioned, a key part of community management is social listening. Sure, you can respond to everyone who replies to you or sends you a direct message or tags you on a post. But it’s equally important to acknowledge those who don’t explicitly tag you, but still talk about you. You’ll need to set alerts for such mentions and make sure you’re on top of what people are saying about you.
A4: I agree with @MadalynSklar's answer. Community engagement is all about making sure you are responding to people who leave comments and doing whatever you can to build a relationship. Also take advantage of social listening! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/mPtxKjxlgU
— Kelly Kostanesky (@kmmkcomm) October 8, 2020
Q5: Share some tips to nurture your community and customers.
One of the most important qualities that a lot of people either forget or fail to do: embrace humor. It’s not the easiest thing to do—being funny without being inappropriate is tough in today’s social media world. Take the time and effort and you’ll quickly become likeable and approachable.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314260451119771649
Jignesh shared a few good tips, including using Lists, participating in chats, and consistently sharing valuable content.
A5.
✨Embrace Twitter Lists
✨Content creation is imp
✨Host and Participate in #TwitterChats like #TwitterSmarter
✨Engage
✨Tweet consistently about relevant topics
✨Gain recognition in your industry— Jignesh Thakkar (@socialjignesh) October 8, 2020
Alexis mentioned the important point of being human and relatable. Just as it’s important to be funny, it’s also crucial to be yourself. Don’t try to replicate someone else’s success and pretend to be someone you’re not. Authenticity beats everything else.
A5: Tips to nurture your community and customers
– Be authentic and human.
– Be responsive! Show that you're listening by engaging with them and responding to them.
– Be helpful! #TwitterSmarter
— Alexis Rogers (@alexismrogers) October 8, 2020
Q6: Why is Twitter ideal for customer support?
Twitter beats call and email support because it’s instant reassurance. People will complain, but at least they’ll know you’re on to it right away.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314261165304840193
Plus, when you respond to a customer complaint on Twitter, reassuring them, it also boosts your customers’ satisfaction and brand image.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314261417198059520
Twitter is a great medium for customer support, because as Bernie said, it’s quite easy for a social media manager to stay on top of a customer’s issue or question because they can converse back and forth in real time. But it also takes effort to be available and attentive all the time.
A6: It is so easy to listen and to respond back in real time. I love how @Zappos is always on and always listening. You can address a customers questions so fast and provide resolution. But you have to be active and present. #TwitterSmarter
— Bernie Fussenegger (@B2the7) October 8, 2020
Q7: Can you use your Twitter audience to grow your business?
Of course! Twitter is possibly the only social media platform that caters to both B2B and B2C audiences so well. Also, when you have a happy customer, they will spread the word, Twitter being the easiest way for them to do so. That’s why it’s such a great platform to grow your brand and business.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314262435969236997
Emma summed it all up beautifully. Twitter is a perfect medium to grow your business if you understand that it doesn’t happen overnight and you invest quality time to engage your audience and build a community instead of being salesy off the bat.
A7. Yes, if you observe, learn, engage then sell (in that order) and appreciate that it's not going to be an overnight process. #twittersmarter
— Emma Radcliffe (@ERadders) October 8, 2020
Q8: How is Twitter, as a platform, helping businesses stay relevant and helpful?
Twitter has evolved over the years, to help businesses use hashtags more effectively, follow specific topics, promote their content, to run polls and giveaways. And most importantly, it’s enabled businesses to support their customers in real time.
https://twitter.com/the_dentin/status/1314263385589059584
Rachel also mentioned how Twitter has become one big source of user research. Because so many people show up on twitter every day and discuss about anything small or big, the platform is now a large database of opinions. And the best part is, it’s all public content!
A8: There is no shortage of opinions on Twitter. You may not agree with them, but this is where people come to vent & express themselves. A presence on this platform is user research you can’t get anywhere else, and it’s free. #TwitterSmarter
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) October 8, 2020
Well, folks. That’s all from me this week. Thanks for reading and for more great insights from our chat with Dentin, have a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana put together. And if you’re got some free time next Thursday, join us at 1pm ET for the next #TwitterSmarter chat.
About me, Narmadhaa:
I write all things—technical and marketing copy to fill the pocket; haiku and short stories to fill the soul. A social media enthusiast, I’m a member of the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and always happy to take on writing gigs.
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