Consumers and Twitter have gone hand in hand for two years now, but finally businesses are starting to latch on to the idea. Although some companies are using Twitter well and being effective with it, Jeremy Pepper is afraid that Twitter might become the next “you must create a insert latest social media website account for your company or ELSE!” meme.
On his blog, POP! PR Jots, Jeremy lays out some simple ground rules for companies who want to join the Twittersphere. We’ve listed his recommendations below and made some of our own comments in relation to business microblogging at large.
Don’t have your PR firm set up and be your Twitter account.
In our opinion, it’s ok to have someone help you set up an account (if you’re new and need help), but ultimately you need to have someone within your company own the tool. Press releases are ok to outsource, but microblogging is too quick and informal to have an agent doing it on your behalf.
Don’t follow everyone willy nilly.
Use sense and reason. Follow those that are in your industry or that follow you first. If you go on a following spree and start adding tens or hundreds of people, the audience will catch on and end the process.
Get TweetDeck.
TweetDeck is just one application and there are plenty of others. The key here is finding an app that will take advantage of all that the platform offers and possibly also include some sort of analytics.
Be engaged. Be personable. Be responsive.
This isn’t something you can let sit like old voicemails or bills that need paying. If you do things right, people will start talking to you and you need to respond in a timely manner.
Be a person.
People like seeing companies microblogging because it makes them more transparent in the consumer eye. Don’t be afraid to announce the person behind the corporate account and let your audience get to know them as well.
Twitter [microblogging] is not for everyone.
Like so many other tools out there, microblogging is not the solution for everyone (yes, we’re not afraid to say it!). Identify your target market, identify your goals, determine whether or not microblogging can help you meet those and then make your decision.
If you start a microblogging account just to start one, you will not succeed.
What recommendations or guidelines do you have for businesses who want to start microblogging?
I agree with most of your points, but I do think outsourcing tweets can be effective, if a little less genuine. Many companies simply don't have owners or C-levels that have time to tweet...and are still to small to hire a social media expert directly...that seems to be a sweet spot for Twitter outsourcing.
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