The document discusses the use of Twitter for business, highlighting its history, key terms, and effective strategies for engagement. It emphasizes the platform's suitability for B2B communications and offers best practices for businesses, such as sharing content, listening to feedback, and establishing a brand voice. Additionally, it suggests tools for managing accounts and measuring success on Twitter.

1. All about using Twitter for
business
Background, uses, influence and best practice

2. About Twitter
Twitter describes itself as “a service for
friends, families, and co-workers to
communicate and stay connected
through the exchange of quick, frequent
answers to one simple question:
What are you doing?”

3. History
 Twitter was created in March 2006
 Based in San Francisco
 Inspired by Text Messaging

4. History
 Estimated revenue through advertising (promoted
Tweets) as of 2010 was $140 million

5. History
 Twitter has over 500 million active users
(2012)
 Generates 340 million tweets per day
 Handles over 1.6 billion search queries per
day

6. History
 The first unassisted off-Earth Twitter message was
posted from the International Space Station by
NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer on 22nd January
2010.

7. Key terms
 DM = Direct Message
 @ = Use to reply and always include proceeding a
Twitter ID in reply
 RT = Retweet
 Tweet = sending a message on Twitter
 # = Hashtag used to organise information

8. About Twitter
 Twitter is a microblogging tool – a short form of blogging
 Tweets are limited to 140 characters (including links – we
use url shorteners to save space)
 Users can post and read Tweets through the website
Twitter.com, through smart phone apps, and via portable
devices such as iPads
 You can post updates, follow and view other people’s
updates (this is similar to subscribing to an RSS feed)
send a reply or direct message to connect with other
Twitter users

9. About Twitter
 Although it is often called a ‘social media’ it is more like a
blog - you are announcing or making short one sentence
blog posts which a wide audience of people can share or
reply to.
 This is different from Facebook which allows for more
one to one conversational style posts directed at friends
(although some businesses work well on Facebook too)
 Twitter is best for B2B while Facebook is best for B2C
 It is a communication platform for listening as well as
posting information

10. Users
 People in the business sector were ‘early adopters’
of Twitter
 Twitter is mainly used by adults (majority age
range 25 – 54 years old)
 Slightly more women (60%) than men (40%)
 Multiple languages in use on Twitter
Source: US survey 2012

11. Twitter Handles & Bios
 Each Twitter account has a ‘handle’ – your online
name
E.g.: @simpsonrc
 The name is included in your letter count for
Retweets so shorter is better
 Choose a good profile photo & background – match
brand identity
 Your ‘bio’ is also important. Appears at the top of
your Twitter profile and explains who you are.

12. Public or private tweets?
 You can make your Twitter account private which
means you must approve each new follower and
your Tweets are not available to view publically.
 Businesses, products and services tend to be public
for better coverage
 Twitter accounts are public by default – don’t say
things online that you wouldn’t say in person!

13. #Hash tags
 Messages can be grouped by using hash tags
 For events - It’s important to choose an event
hashtag early and to reinforce it with your followers

14. Trending Topics

15. Trending Topics
 These are topics which Twitter is talking about –
usually grouped by #hash tags. You can also set
these by region

16. Sharing
 As well as Tweets you can post photos and
videos as updates
 Gives your followers an instant live view of
an event

18. Retweets
 You can Retweet other peoples updates to your
followers and they can Retweet your posts.
 The communications team can constantly cross
promotes content from different brands if it is of
interest to the followers
 This drives up website traffic, helps gain new
followers and increases the public’s awareness of
brands

19. Measuring Tools
 Important to have measuring tools like Hootsuite
or Tweetdeck
These allow us to:
 Manage multiple Twitter accounts at once,
 Schedule updates,
 Monitor who is talking about us and to us

20. Direct Messages
 As well as tweeting @ someone you can also send
them a direct message
 Many companies have auto messages saying
‘thanks for following!’ this is up to you as sometimes
it may appear impersonal and spam-like
 Used more for correcting mistakes, to set up longer
conversations and to pass on personal/private info
(phone numbers etc)

21. #FollowFriday #FF #ff
 Follow Friday is a game in which people suggest
who to follow on Twitter – it’s hugely popular and our
brands do it from time to time.
 You Tweet the handles of all the accounts you think
people should follow and tag it with #ff or
#followfriday

22. How to promote your Twitter account
(not on Twitter)
 Account added to e-mail signature
 Widget on website
 Part of newsletters
 End of presentations
 On business cards

23. Best practise for businesses on Twitter
 Share – share photos, give glimpses of behind-the-
scenes action, upcoming projects, events
 Listen – Monitor what people are saying about our
brands
 Ask – ask your followers questions and gain insight
 Respond – in real time
 Reward – tweet time sensitive offers, discounts and deals
 Demonstrate knowledge – show off expertise!
 Champion stakeholders – Retweet customers and
partnerships
 Establish your voice – use a direct, genuine tone, think
about how your voice appears to the Twitter community

24. Social Media in general
The Communications and Social Media team
must:
 Understand the brand
 Develop content
 Create strategy
 Be empathetic
 Lead
 Analyse
 Mediate
 Be Relevant

25. What is Social Media good for?
 Useful because it pushes the brand and
boosts awareness
 Useful for customer feedback
 Making customers feel valued and
emotionally bonded with the product

26. Social Media & Selling
 While selling is ultimately the aim Social Media
works by not focusing on it but not ignoring it
either – keep it subtle
 We help build loyalty, awareness and positive
feelings about the brands and keep everyone up
to date on our products
 We help create an emotional bond between the
customer and the product

27. Social Media Feedback
 Customers WILL talk online about your product – so
we need to be there to shout about our good points
and to tackle our negative points
 This helps empower customers
 Tidies up bad press, highlights our good reviews
 Peer feedback can even help shape the next years
strategy

28. Social Media Feedback
 Take negative conversations OFF social media and ON
to your customer service team
 Reply quickly and politely
 Acknowledge the problem and direct them to a solution
 Swift resolution may even result in online praise
 DON’T say nothing and hope it goes away – it won’t.
 ...but don’t engage in an online row – always stay
professional

29. Got questions?
Tweet them to @simpsonrc
Happy Tweeting!
Presentation by Rachael Simpson
Journalist, Communications & Social Media Officer