Why Not Every Business Needs to Tweet

..But What About Twitter? 

​Your resident social media expert is back with some insight into the world of Twitter. Now, those who know me personally know that Twitter is my favorite social media of all time. I would give up every other platform just to keep my sweet Twitter account.

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Why I like Twitter as a person: Relatable content, easy to digest (even though the 140 character limit got bumped to 280), easy way to get news, and above all, the internet is full of hilarious people and I see that the most through Twitter.

Why I like Twitter for a small business:

I don’t! I don’t follow many brands on social, and the ones I do are ones that do one of two things:

1. Don’t take their content on the platform too seriously
2. Use Twitter to LISTEN to their audience/customers/fans, and act as a real-time FAQ.

Brands that do this well:
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Fast food brands are continuously pushing the envelope with their Twitter content. Like I mentioned, the reason I ADORE Twitter is because it’s hilarious. For example, back in June @IHOP decided to change their name to @IHOB to promote their new burgers on the menu. And big names used it as a perfect opportunity to poke fun at them:

See what I mean? Funny right. This is what makes Twitter Gold! However, people who are looking for information about your business (store hours, press releases, etc) are NOT going to Twitter. 40% of US adults that use Twitter are between 18-29, and this millennial demographic loves lighthearted, funny, witty content. They also like news. If your brand isn't offering something newsworthy or genuinely comical then move on.

The other reason I follow brands on Twitter is if they are engaging with their customers. A great example of this is @Southwest. Anyone who’s ever traveled has had their fair share of nightmares at the airport. Flights delayed, cancelled, rude staff, etc. I (on numerous occasions) have taken to Twitter to give @Southwest a piece of my mind. I was always replied to. Every. Single. Time. No matter what I said. That is what I call customer service. They most likely have an entire team dedicated to crisis management which is a huge win in my eyes. I follow them because they’re a great resource in real time, and I don’t have to sit and wait on the phone with customer service. I get help in the palm of my hand.

What this means for businesses using Twitter?

​Well, unless you’re carrying an account with 50k + people, you’re probably investing valuable time into Twitter when you could be looking at different strategies across the spectrum of social. It’s great to have Twitter to follow breaking news, brands that offer something truly unique, and meme accounts. Other than that, I don’t need your brand pushing out the same content I just saw on Instagram (cue the eye roll). If I am interested in a smaller brand, they will get my follow on IG or my like on FB. So, at Think, we stopped pushing to Twitter in late June. While it can be a useful platform, it is also an incredibly time consuming one. If you don’t have the team to sit on Twitter all day and engage, comment, like, reply, and DM people who are searching for you, then it may not be worth the time.