2. Workshop Objectives/Outline
Purpose: Is Twitter an effective tool for home performance/energy
auditing/energy efficiency businesses?
•Twitter demographics and traffic
•Results from April 2010 qualitative survey of home energy efficiency/green
building professionals using twitter
•Featured PRO‟s who are doing it well
•ROTisn‟t just for buildings. Is there a Return on Twitter? And how do you
measure it?
•Later, in exchange for beer, I‟m happy to help with:
• the mechanics of twitter and how to use it (@, #, RT, etc)
• advanced techniques/becoming a power twit
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 2
3. Simple Definition
Microblogging Platform
• Send short messages to a bunch of people publicly
• Send short messages to a specific person publicly
• Send short messages to a specific person privately
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 3
4. Big and Growing
1. Registered users: 106 million (1,500% growth over 3
years.)
2. New sign-ups per day: ~ 300,000
3. New tweets per day: 55 million
4. Unique daily visitors to the site twitter.com: ~ 180 million.
(That's dwarfed by the traffic in twitter ecosystem-- 75% of
traffic is through the API.)
5. Registered apps: 100,000 (doubled in last 4 months)
6. Search queries per day: 600 million
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 4
5. Twitter
Demographic
Summary
from Quantcast 3/2010
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6. Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 6
7. Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 7
8. April Survey--Summary
• 33 Respondents; known
#EE PRO‟s on Twitter ID & Close New Biz
• Rank order value
Building Professional Reputation
Networking w/ Peers Nationally
• Likelihood of Networking w/ Peers Locally
recommending to fellow
#EE PRO‟s (Net
Source of News & Information
Promoter) Search Engine Optimization
Drive Traffic to Website
• Twitter is valuable to my
business because... Participate in Online Community
Research
Connect w/ Biz & Homeowners Locally
Other
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 8
9. Results--Value of Twitter for...
# of respondents choosing value
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX
10. Results--Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• What is the likelihood you would recommend Twitter as a business tool to
fellow members of the energy efficiency community?
• 0 to 10 Scale--Very Unlikely to Very Likely
Average Rating: 9
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 10
11. Results--General Observations
• Business Development lowest of all values
• but...most auditor/contractors do claim biz dev results
• Reputation Management, Networking Nationally,
News and Information Lead
• It‟s Easy (once you understand it)
• Very high enthusiasm from practicing users
• Strong local (and hyperlocal) marketing tool
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 11
12. @AHAenergyaudits NPS
Amanda Evans
Santa Fe, NM
HERS rater, BPI certified Building Analyst and
NAHB Green Verifier in Santa Fe, NM.
Followers: 186 Following: 156
10
On Twitter:
“it has helped me make connections, notify others
Bldg Reputation
about energy efficiency issues in Santa Fe and stay
Nat‟l Networking
up on latest EE news. Unfortunately, many people Local Networking
laugh when they hear I am using twitter and don't News & Info
realize the potential it has! They think it is Web Traffic
something only young people and celebrities do - I Online Community
think they are missing a lot.”
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 12
13. @eXapath
Mike Hines NPS
CT, USA
10
Co-founder of Homepath Products...promoting
eXapath as a way to create dwellings that conserve
energy while keeping pace with consumer
electronics technology.
Followers: 2478 Following: 2656
Bldg Reputation
On Twitter: Nat‟l Networking
“it's an easy way to interact and exchange Local Networking
information with those who express News & Info
Web Traffic
interest.” Online Community
Research
Connecting Locally
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 13
14. @GreenCurmudgeon NPS
Carl Seville
Atlanta/Decatur, GA
Green Building Consultant & Curmudgeon
Followers: 674 Following: 97
8
On Twitter:
“Keeps me in front of other people in the Nat‟l Networking
industry with minimal effort. The few Local Networking
News & Info
minutes it takes to generate a tweet is a SEO
good investment.” Web Traffic
Online Community
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 14
15. @MichaelAnschel NPS
Michael Anschel
Minnesota & Everywhere
Green Design & Remodeling Expert
Followers: 1195 Following: 221
9
On Twitter: New Biz
“it helps manage, grow, and maintain my brand. Bldg Reputation
Nat‟l Networking
#Socialmediarocks! Traditional metrics for Local Networking
evaluation of success in today's world are largely News & Info
useless. Re-tweets and click through on Twitter are SEO
part of the new currency. Mentions and "love" of Web Traffic
your brand by the community is where the value of Online Community
Research
your brand is really seen. ” Connecting Locally
Building Rapport &
Understanding
Drives Information
Foreward
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 15
16. @RecurveUS NPS
San Francisco
Formerly Sustainable Spaces. Bay Area‟s
Leading Home Energy Specialists
Followers: 1234 Following: 1385
10
New Biz
Bldg Reputation & Brand
On Twitter: Nat‟l Networking
“It demonstrates a more informal nature to the Local Networking
News & Info
company and allows for a two-way dialogue to take
SEO
place.” Web Traffic
Online Community
Research
Connecting Locally
Productive Use of Social Media DATE 16
17. @cincienergy NPS
Cincinnati, OH
BPI Certified Building Performance
Analyst
Followers: 1998 Following: 1257
10
On Twitter: New Biz
Bldg Reputation
“With the energy consulting and performance Nat‟l Networking
contracting industry experiencing exponential Local Networking
growth right now twitter is in my opinion the best News & Info
platform for energy professionals across the SEO
Web Traffic
country to communicate on how to grow their
Online Community
business and the industry itself into one that is fully Research
legitimate and sustainable for years to come. I have Connecting Locally
gained invaluable tools from connecting on twitter
from marketing strategies, to website development,
to different performance related contracting
strategies.”
Productive Use of Social Media DATE 17
18. @mfrencher NPS
Marc French
Northwest
Low Income Weatherization Energy
Auditor/Inspector
10
Followers: 660 Following: 697
On Twitter: New Biz
“Seeing what is important to the most respectable Bldg Reputation
Nat‟l Networking
energy pros in the business is invaluable to me. I Local Networking
operate in a rural part of the country and would News & Info
otherwise have no contact to this type of network. SEO
My networking with these individuals and sharing Web Traffic
with my local group has undoubtedly moved my Online Community
Research
own local industry ahead 10 years or more in one Connecting Locally
years time.”
Productive Use of Social Media DATE 18
19. @HorizonMaine NPS
David Milliken & Team
S. Portland, ME
Providing Energy Audits and Green
Building Services for Southern Maine
10
Followers: 195 Following: 121
On Twitter: Bldg Reputation
Nat‟l Networking
“it is an easy way to share information and Local Networking
stay connected to a professional network.” News & Info
Web Traffic
Online Community
Connecting Locally
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 19
20. @GreenRater
David Rabineau NPS
St. Louis, MO
Show Me Home Energy Solutions
Days in the life of a green rater and building performance
analyst, doing home energy audits. LEED AP. Certified
HERS rater. Certified BPI Professional.
8
Followers: 653 Following: 277
On Twitter:
“Somewhat isolated, it gives me an avenue to express
New Biz
myself, forcing me to think about building science issues Bldg Reputation
and about what's important to the general population. A Nat‟l Networking
nice benefit is that it has brought me a fair amount of News & Info
praise, and connections with others nationally who want SEO
to use my content.” Web Traffic
Connecting Locally
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 20
21. @jwolfworks
Jamie Wolf of Wolfworks NPS
Avon, CT
Designing and building future friendly homes in Avon, CT in
the hope that guidance allows us to manage our fair share
of the climate challenge. Certified Passive House
Consultant.
10
Followers: 92 Following: 6
On Twitter:
“1. I know things most other people don't know, and I know them
sooner, and I get that news from folks I come to respect and trust; 2. Bldg Reputation
When I find things that are valuable (or am doing/thinking/writing Nat‟l Networking
something myself) and share them, it benefits others and they get to
News & Info
know and respect me.
Web Traffic
It allows me to identify and share with communities that are exploring Online Community
ideas and interests we hold in common with convivial brevity and Research
salience. Early Warning System-Hive
Mind
Before I got it, I didn't get it. Once I got it, I thrive because of it. As
the friend who got me going nudged, „just do it‟.”
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 21
22. @HomeEnergyMag NPS
Berkeley, CA
Home Energy Magazine, Advancing
Home Performance for more than a
quarter of a century
8
Followers: 627 Following: 1237
On Twitter: New Biz
“I hope that it builds name recognition for Home Bldg Reputation
Nat‟l Networking
Energy. We have had growth at our site, but it is Local Networking
most likely a combo of factors from Tom's E- News & Info
Newsletter, to Twitter, Linked In or weather (with SEO
people looking for answers to problems). I think the Web Traffic
Online Community
question maybe, is can we afford not to participate.” Research
Connecting Locally
Productive Use of Social Media DATE 22
23. @WolfgangFeist NPS
Wolfgang Feist
Founder, Passivehaus Institut
Innsbruck
Building Scientist. Curious physicist with
interests in sustainability, energy
5
efficiency especially.
Followers: 40 Following: 124
On Twitter:
“a fast exchange of ideas is possible.”
International Networking
News & Info
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 23
24. @DebSlobe NPS
Debbie Slobe
Boulder County, CO
conservationist, media strategist, nearly
net-zero homeowner and PHEV driver
10
Followers: 542 Following: 363
New Biz
On Twitter: Bldg Reputation
“Twitter is a natural medium extension for the EE Networking w EE Pros
trades. Many in the EE world are engineers, Networking w Journalists
technicians and all around technophiles so Twitter Local Networking
News & Info
is a natural medium for engagement. Twitter is also
SEO
great at making information viral. We use Twitter Web Traffic
extensively in media campaigns to advance EE Online Community
policies and programs. It is an essential medium for Research
Connecting Locally
reaching journalists.”
Productive Use of Social Media DATE 24
25. Metrics
• # of followers
• # and frequency of ReTweets (RT‟s)
• # of mentions
• Web traffic from twitter.com
• # of clicks on links (bit.ly)
• # of views of images or videos (twit pic)
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 25
26. My Case for Giving it a Try
• Targeted, powerful local marketing/brand
building tool
• Watch and listen
• Connect with the media
• Educate
• Extend this community
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 26
27. And one final wish
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 27
28. Peter Troast
EnergyCircle.com
207.865.3400
ptroast@energycircle.com
Productive Use of Social Media ACI Conference, April 22 2010, Austin TX 28
