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Social media has become an integral part of marketing strategies for most companies. However, despite its popularity, Twitter is often overlooked by companies in their marketing efforts. This is surprising, considering Twitter’s unique strengths and capabilities that can help companies reach and engage with their target audience. In this article, we will discuss how Twitter is often overlooked by companies in their marketing strategies and why it’s important to incorporate Twitter into your business’s marketing plan.
One of the main reasons why companies overlook Twitter is that they perceive it as a platform primarily used for personal communication. They assume that Twitter is more of a social network than a professional network, and therefore, it is not a suitable platform for their marketing efforts. However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Twitter is an excellent platform for consumer marketing, with over 330 million active users worldwide, and more than 500 million tweets are sent each day. In fact, Twitter is often referred to as the “water cooler” of the internet, as it’s a place where people gather to discuss and share their thoughts on various topics, including brands, products and services.
Related: Is Marketing on Twitter Worth It? 4 Ways to Leverage Twitter In Your Marketing
Humor in Twitter marketing
When talking about brands using Twitter in humorous and sometimes even raunchy ways for marketing, people often think about brands such as Slim Jim and Wendy’s, both of whom use memes liberally to “roast” their audiences, routinely using popular inside jokes to relate to a younger Gen Z audience. These strategies were popularized by Twitter user Jake Ryan (known as Santa Decides on Twitter) when he noticed this lack of brand engagement on Twitter and decided to do something about it.
Imagine Santa Claus using Twitter to publicly announce which celebrities and brands were on the “Naughty” or “Nice” list. That’s exactly what Jake Ryan did on Twitter. He created a Twitter account using the persona of Santa Claus (yes, jolly old Saint Nick) to “decide” who is on the Naughty or Nice list, eventually working brands into his content to help market new products. His @SantaDecides account became a popular Twitter account by leveraging pop culture references and relatable humor. Jake used the account for entertaining and engaging content in a new way, quickly gaining over 250,000 followers on the platform.
The account’s use of memes and humor also helped to humanize brands, making them more approachable and relatable to their audience, increasing engagement and loyalty. Jake was so successful, that he became the social media manager for several large companies and even collaborated with major brands such as Skittles, MrBeast Burger and Slim Jim. He also contributed to several viral content marketing campaigns for these brands alongside other online celebrities.
Related: How Oreo, Other Brands Dominated Twitter During the Super Bowl Power Outage
Twitter’s unique strengths and capabilities
Companies often underestimate the power of younger buyers and audiences and aren’t often run by younger people, leading to a lack of understanding of Twitter’s unique strengths and capabilities. Twitter’s real-time nature allows companies to engage with their audience instantly, and its character limit encourages concise and impactful messaging. Additionally, Twitter’s hashtag feature enables companies to join conversations around relevant topics and trends, further increasing their visibility and engagement. Moreover, Twitter’s advertising platform offers various targeting options, including interests, demographics and location, enabling companies to reach their desired audience.
Despite these benefits, companies find it difficult to measure the impact of Twitter on their marketing efforts. Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, Twitter doesn’t have as comprehensive analytics tools, making it challenging for companies to measure the ROI of their Twitter marketing efforts, which can lead them to overlook Twitter altogether.
While Twitter may not be as popular as other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it still has a sizable and active user base. Moreover, Twitter’s audience is diverse, with users from different age groups, professions and interests, making it a valuable platform for companies to reach a broader audience.
Related: How to Add Twitter to Your Marketing Strategy
Tips for using Twitter more effectively as a brand
As we’ve discussed, Twitter can be a powerful tool for companies to market to their audience. Here are some tips on how to effectively use Twitter for marketing:
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Define your target audience: Knowing your target audience is essential for creating effective marketing strategies. Use Twitter’s analytics to determine the demographics of your followers, and use that information to craft content that appeals to them.
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Use hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to make a brand’s content more discoverable. Do a quick search to see what’s trending, and integrate those tags into your tweets. Businesses often create hashtags for use to push their campaigns.
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Engage with your audience: Twitter is a social media after all, so it’s imperative for brands to engage with their audience. Respond to tweets and messages, retweet and like relevant content, and participate in Twitter chats to build relationships with your followers.
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Use visuals: Tweets with visuals, such as images and videos, tend to perform better than those without. Use high-quality visual material to enhance your message.
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Promote your Twitter account: Make sure to promote your Twitter account on your website, email signature and other social media channels to increase your followers.
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Measure your results: Use Twitter’s analytics to measure your results and determine what content is resonating with your audience, changing your strategies as the analytics dictate.
Overall, Twitter can be a powerful tool for companies to connect with their audience and build their brand. By following these tips, companies can effectively use Twitter to market to their audience.
