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Twitter’s first-quarter earnings report exceeded expectations and sent the company’s stock soaring by 15.6 percent. With an estimated 134 million daily active users, there is no reason your business should count out this social media site when building your online presence.
After a drop in users in July 2018 when Twitter purged a large number of fake accounts, Twitter is rebounding and continuing to grow. The great news for businesses everywhere is that Twitter users are huge online browsers. They actively make purchases from mobile devices (49% of Twitter users in the past 6 months) and are influenced by social media sites (25% of users have taken action from a social media post).
The questions arise: What does your business need to know about this platform and its users, and why is it important for you to have a presence in this landscape?
Consistently Innovating
Twitter continues to optimize the app for user well-being, rather than just engagement metrics. The company has been testing features like removing the “like” counts from tweets and hiding replies to unclutter conversations. Other features in the works include indented tweets that give users a visual cue of replies, and curved responses to provide an appearance of an online discussion board.
In June, Twitter is launching another feature that allows users, including businesses, to hide any replies to their tweets that don’t contribute to the conversation. This will allow businesses to rid their timelines of hateful remarks and trolls. The goal is to encourage people to present their thoughts in a polite and less abusive manner. All features are currently being tested in Twttr, a new prototype app created specifically to test new features and see how users respond to them.
Twitter also revealed several new content deals and renewals at a NewFronts event for digital advertisers at the beginning of May. The company said their collaboration with top publishers allows them to elevate premium content and bring new magnitudes to conversations already happening on Twitter.
Their list of partnerships includes NFL (highlights and analysis), Major League Soccer, ESPN, Bleacher Report (House of Highlights), Blizzard Entertainment, The Wall Street Journal, Live Nation (concert series), Time and many more.
If the company continues to adapt to user preferences and partner with top publishers, it is likely we will not see the fall of Twitter any time soon. Twitter is sticking around, and your business should, too.
Twitter Users Care About Your Business’ Online Presence
34% of U.S. adults use Twitter and 56% of those users have used Google maps in the past 6 months to search for information about a local business (including for location, hours, phone number and reviews). Twitter users are actively doing online research before choosing a business.
Make sure they’re able to see that you are active and responsive on the sites they use most – including Twitter! Posting frequency on Twitter can vary depending on your industry, but 2-3 times per week is a safe number to ensure you are establishing a Twitter presence. If you are in the B2B industry or an emergency-based service like plumbing, you will want to man your Twitter account just like any other customer service channel.
Make sure you respond to any mentions and replies on Twitter. Responses show customers who search your business on the platform that you value your customers, a characteristic that could make your business stand out from the competition.
A Growing Customer Service Platform
Although some may say Facebook outperforms Twitter when it comes to using the platform to sell, Twitter has unique advantages. It gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their customer service. In recent years, Twitter has proven to be a social media site where people go to talk about their feelings, including their feelings about your business (and they may not always @mention you).
Have you ever taken the time to search your business name on Twitter to see what “Tweeters” are saying about you? You might be surprised to find your business has been mentioned somewhere! That being said, it is crucial to search your business name often, including your business name misspelled (sometimes users tweet so fast they post with grammatical errors), and see what you find.
If you’re not responding to these tweets, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to engage with customers and provide a 5-star service that shows customers you care about them and value their feedback.
Want to know how your business is doing on social media? Click the “Get Intel” button at the top of the page to get a custom analysis of your business’ online presence.
