We all know what a horrible first impression that Twitter makes.
Some brands don’t know where to start. Not certain what to do, shocked when they don’t end up with hundreds of followers , and completely underwhelmed by results; they come to Drive Action Digital and ask: “why is this valuable?”
Twitter is a listening tool. Value lies in following people with interests that surround your brand, and your brand advocates. Really listening to what these people are Tweeting will help you define your brands engagement strategy. Really listening could help you define new product segments, and define trends as they emerge.
So, if you’re a high-end gentlemen’s groomer, you should follow luxury designers, celebrities, fashionistas….and then listen. Read their Tweets, see what’s on their minds.
While each Tweet that you see from these individuals can seem like mundane chatter: I’d argue that this is the real power of Twitter. What are they reading? What cities are they travelling to? Who or what influences them?
Imagine if you will, that you’re viewing a gorgeous impressionist painting. You’re up close and viewing each brush stroke. Alone, these strokes seem like nothing. However, if you take a step back, to view the bigger picture, these brush strokes (like tweets) start to offer something greater.
Viewed in aggregate these Tweets begin to paint a picture. This “ambient awareness”, in my view is the real power for brands on Twitter.
You’re tapping into the “small talk” or “water-cooler” chatter of thousands of people that you’re actually interested in hearing from.
So an image like above over time starts to look like the image below.
Tweets tell a story. Listen close enough and the story could mean everything for your next product offering, the new direction for your brand, or even help define a new market.
