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

2. About Twitter Twitter describes itself as a service forfriends, families, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequentanswers 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 (promotedTweets) 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 perday 6. History The first unassisted off-Earth Twitter message wasposted from the International Space Station byNASA astronaut T.J. Creamer on 22nd January2010. 7. Key terms DM = Direct Message @ = Use to reply and always include proceeding aTwitter 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 weuse url shorteners to save space) Users can post and read Tweets through the websiteTwitter.com, through smart phone apps, and via portabledevices such as iPads You can post updates, follow and view other peoplesupdates (this is similar to subscribing to an RSS feed)send a reply or direct message to connect with otherTwitter users 9. About Twitter Although it is often called a social media it is more like ablog - you are announcing or making short one sentenceblog posts which a wide audience of people can share orreply to. This is different from Facebook which allows for moreone 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 asposting information 10. Users People in the business sector were early adoptersof Twitter Twitter is mainly used by adults (majority agerange 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 onlinenameE.g.: @simpsonrc The name is included in your letter count forRetweets so shorter is better Choose a good profile photo & background matchbrand identity Your bio is also important. Appears at the top ofyour Twitter profile and explains who you are. 12. Public or private tweets? You can make your Twitter account private whichmeans you must approve each new follower andyour Tweets are not available to view publically. Businesses, products and services tend to be publicfor better coverage Twitter accounts are public by default dont saythings online that you wouldnt say in person! 13. #Hash tags Messages can be grouped by using hash tags For events - Its important to choose an eventhashtag 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 setthese by region 16. Sharing As well as Tweets you can post photos andvideos as updates Gives your followers an instant live view ofan event 17. Retweets You can Retweet other peoples updates to yourfollowers and they can Retweet your posts. The communications team can constantly crosspromotes content from different brands if it is ofinterest to the followers This drives up website traffic, helps gain newfollowers and increases the publics awareness ofbrands 18. Measuring Tools Important to have measuring tools like Hootsuiteor TweetdeckThese allow us to: Manage multiple Twitter accounts at once, Schedule updates, Monitor who is talking about us and to us 19. Direct Messages As well as tweeting @ someone you can also sendthem a direct message Many companies have auto messages sayingthanks for following! this is up to you as sometimesit may appear impersonal and spam-like Used more for correcting mistakes, to set up longerconversations and to pass on personal/private info(phone numbers etc) 20. #FollowFriday #FF #ff Follow Friday is a game in which people suggestwho to follow on Twitter its hugely popular and ourbrands do it from time to time. You Tweet the handles of all the accounts you thinkpeople should follow and tag it with #ff or#followfriday 21. 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 22. 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 ourbrands 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 andpartnerships Establish your voice use a direct, genuine tone, thinkabout how your voice appears to the Twitter community 23. Social Media in generalThe Communications and Social Media teammust: Understand the brand Develop content Create strategy Be empathetic Lead Analyse Mediate Be Relevant 24. What is Social Media good for? Useful because it pushes the brand andboosts awareness Useful for customer feedback Making customers feel valued andemotionally bonded with the product 25. Social Media & Selling While selling is ultimately the aim Social Mediaworks by not focusing on it but not ignoring iteither keep it subtle We help build loyalty, awareness and positivefeelings about the brands and keep everyone upto date on our products We help create an emotional bond between thecustomer and the product 26. Social Media Feedback Customers WILL talk online about your product sowe need to be there to shout about our good pointsand 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 yearsstrategy 27. Social Media Feedback Take negative conversations OFF social media and ONto 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 DONT say nothing and hope it goes away it wont. ...but dont engage in an online row always stayprofessional 28. Got questions? Tweet them to @simpsonrc Happy Tweeting! Presentation by Rachael Simpson Journalist, Communications & Social Media Officer