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HOW TO FAIL AT TWITTER
Observations From A
Twitter Enthusiast &
Semi-“Twitter Famous” Person
Danny Sullivan
Founding Editor, Marketing Land
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@dannysullivan
Twitter Famous?
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/daily-news/2014/11/twitter-anil-dash
https://medium.com/message/nobody-famous-37790cb4d014
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@dannysullivan
Many followers
without being an
offline celebrity or…
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@dannysullivan
Anyone someone
might view as an
“influencer”
 TWITTER FAMOUS: People & brands
reach out because my of followers
 INFLUENCER: People & brands reach
out because of my job
My Many Lives On Twitter
 REGULAR USER: People & brands
reach out to me as regular Twitter user…
 And I reach out because I just enjoy
Twitter as a regular person
My Many Lives On Twitter
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #1]
When a busy
traveler complains….
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@dannysullivan
Respond with an
essay!
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@dannysullivan
OMG
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@dannysullivan
Replying & listening
aren’t the same
thing
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@dannysullivan
[WIN TIP #1]
Read, listen &
respond appropriately
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #2]
Offer to help but then
make it worse!
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@dannysullivan
Promise vs reality
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@dannysullivan
[WIN TIP #2]
Don’t break the customer service
promises you make on Twitter
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@dannysullivan
Credit was issued.
Also, I don’t always
complain….
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@dannysullivan
And more on
customer service…
http://marketingland.com/twitter-publishes-122-page-customer-service-playbook-for-brands-137786
https://twitter.app.box.com/customer-service-on-twitter
http://marketingland.com/twitter-customer-service-tips-137991
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #3]
Reach out!
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[WIN TIP #3]
Reach out appropriately
From “Customer Service On Twitter Playbook: 2015 Edition”
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #4]
Have a contest with
complicated rules!
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@dannysullivan
Win a
t-shirt by…
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@dannysullivan
Tweeting
about us!
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@dannysullivan
With this
specific
hashtag….
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Right
now!
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@dannysullivan
And log-in to
tweet on
your iPad!
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@dannysullivan
Uh, No
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@dannysullivan
[WIN TIP #4]
Make it easy for people to share
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #5]
Ask questions just to
get engagement
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@dannysullivan
I – we – are not your
Google for things
easily found
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@dannysullivan
“Real” accounts
don’t constantly ask
question
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@dannysullivan
[WIN TIP #5]
Share things really likely of interest
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #6]
Ask to be followed!
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@dannysullivan
Just don’t
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@dannysullivan
[WIN TIP #6]
Be real, be interesting.
If people like your tweets, they may follow you for
more.
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@dannysullivan
Some responses on
why people say they
follow others…
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@dannysullivan
[FAIL TIP #7]
Jump on a bandwagon!
http://marketingland.com/brands-newsjack-lebron-charmin-cottonelle-shoot-worst-tweets-ever-
http://marketingland.com/spaghettios-remembers-pearl-harbor-day-on-twitter-67494
From “Customer Service On Twitter Playbook: 2015 Edition”
AND see: http://marketingland.com/digiorno-99289
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@dannysullivan
[WIN TIP #7]
Jump on bandwagon with thought &
relevancy
http://marketingland.com/waffle-house-fires-shot-belgian-waffles-scores-worldcup-engagement-win-89609
http://marketingland.com/guy-behind-arbys-tweet-pharrell-williams-rocked-grammys-
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@dannysullivan
[BONUS FAIL TIPS]
Crowdsourcing FTW
https://medium.com/message/nobody-famous-37790cb4d014
Celebrities are the same as other users
of twitter. They don't like the 'teaspoon dipped
into the Mississippi River' aspect of twitter: that
they're always missing so much of their feed.
And it's the same for them when it comes to
retweeting: if you want something retweeted, than
post something retweetable! And of course what
they like is the reach, immediacy and brevity of
the platform.”
-- Rob Gregory, CRO of WhoSay
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@dannysullivan
 Listen to your followers, don’t blindly respond
 Deliver on what you promise on Twitter
 Appropriately reach-out & with value
#140Takeaways
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@dannysullivan
#140Takeaways
 Pick the right moments in the right way
 Don’t lose sight of building your brand &
follower among the “trees” of requirements
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@dannysullivan
#More
 7 Ways To Fail At Twitter
http://marketingland.com/7-ways-to-fail-at-twitter-141809
 Marketing Land’s SocialPro Event
Nov. 18-19, Las Vegas: use code “inbound” for 10% off
 Marketing Land:
Social Media Marketing Channel & Weekly Newsletter
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@dannysullivan
THANK YOU!

How To Be A Disaster On Twitter

Editor's Notes

  • #50 <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-493219p1.html?cr=00&pl=edit-00">Your Design</a> / <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/editorial?cr=00&pl=edit-00">Shutterstock.com</a>