Category Archives: Social Media Marketing

TwitterHubspot recently compiled a list of Twitter tips to help readers get the most out of the social network. The list consisted of 35 tips and tricks that can help turn a Twitter novice into an expert in no time. Here are our top 3 favorite tips from the “Ultimate Twitter Cheat Sheet.”

1. Optimize your tweets with keywords. Tweets are now indexed by Google which means people can search for them. If you optimize your tweets with relevant keywords, this increases the chances of your business being found by your target audience via Twitter.

2. Provide good customer service/support. Twitter is an awesome way to connect with your current customers and let them know you care about their questions and concerns. Encourage your customers to express their opinions on Twitter and publically address and find a resolution to their problems. This will show others watching that your company goes above and beyond to make sure its customers are satisfied. Read more about using Twitter as a customer service tool here.

3. Engage with followers. Social media is meant to be social. This means if you are only sending out content without actually creating a conversation, you’re missing the point. Send replies and direct messages to comment on your followers’ tweets and retweet others’ tweets that you think your Twitter audience might enjoy.

Following these tips will help you get the most out of your business Twitter account. Remember, you can’t build a great Twitter following in a day, it takes time and effort, so don’t give up! Still need more Twitter tips? Read the full article here.

Businesses often think of social media purely as a marketing tool. These days, however, companies like the airline JetBlue are beginning to see its customer service potential. There are many ways social media networks such as Twitter can be used to aid in customer service.

One reason why Twitter is so valuable for customer service is because it updates in real-time. This means the company will be able to view and correct customer service issues as soon as the customer posts a complaint. The other main appeal is that this exchange between the customer and the business is in the public eye. This means the customer complaint, as well as how the company handles and resolves the issue, can be seen by others. This can be an excellent way to earn the trust of potential customers.
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In order to utilize this powerful tool in your customer service department, you must make sure your customers know the communication line is open. Invite your customers to follow you on Twitter by promoting it on your website, blog, landing page, business listings, in your advertising and offline at your business location. Once your customers are following you on Twitter, be the first to share information about your company and the industry as well as promotions and entertaining information. “Tweet” periodically encouraging them to “mention” you or contact you via direct message with any questions, concerns, etc. to let them know you’re listening and ready to help.

Is someone complaining about your company on Twitter? Respond to them first! Make sure their issue gets resolved as soon as possible and your company will be seen as attentive and trustworthy by other Twitter users. JetBlue is an example of a company that uses Twitter mostly for customer support. If a customer mentions JetBlue in a post that says something negative, they respond right away so others can see how well the company dealt with the issue when they visit its page. Just be sure to have someone monitoring Twitter closely, otherwise this tactic will not be nearly as effective.

Using Twitter to resolve customer service issues not only builds trust and shows them that you care about their problems, but shows your customers you’re a tech-savvy, up-to-date company. Maintaining open dialogues with customers by allowing them to contact you directly through this social network as well as sharing useful information will encourage your followers to share your company’s news and positive reviews with others.

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Although Twitter is used by many businesses, it’s not currently offering businesses a way to verify their accounts. This means that potentially, your competitors could create a Twitter screen name and pretend to be you, tweeting on behalf of your business. This is a scary thought. However, there are ways business owners can increase the visibility on their Twitter accounts as well as make it more clear which account is official. Follow these tips provided by Mashable to protect your company’s identity today.

1. Link all of your social media accounts. Since Twitter’s user name policy doesn’t allow people to reserve user names, companies with a more generic name might find that their desired user name is already taken. According to Mashable, this might be a better opportunity for those businesses to better distinguish their brand if their business name is very common.

Another way to verify that your account is the official business account is to add a link to your Twitter account on your official website, Facebook, Foursquare or Google Places pages. Writing “official Twitter account for _____” in your Twitter bio is also a great way to indicate that this is indeed your business’s Twitter identity.

2. Customize your Twitter profile to make it more obvious that this is the official Twitter account of your brand. An impostor wouldn’t spend the time (or money in some cases) to customize a false Twitter account with your brand’s logo, colors, etc.

3. If you have a trademark over your business name or logo and another Twitter account is causing identity confusion, Twitter can step in. You can submit a help ticket and Twitter will examine the situation. If it finds the other account(s) is trying to cause a problem, it will likely suspend the account and give you ownership. However, this only applies if your name or logo is trademarked, otherwise Twitter cannot do anything.

Following these steps will help your brand keep its identity safe while social media marketing. When used properly, Twitter can be an excellent platform for reaching new customers, keeping existing customers engaged and enhancing your company’s image.