Social media has become a very important aspect of online marketing, but many people don’t understand that Twitter, the platform that first started by asking people “what are you doing?”, can be a huge benefit to their business. There are lots of Twitter myths floating around the world wide web, but here are a few we find interesting – or maybe even a little humorous.
- Twitter has nothing to do with business, and is designed for “shooting the breeze”. Well, duh! What is social media? It’s about getting social. Just as you wouldn’t walk up to someone and start blabbering on about your business right off the bat, you don’t do that on Twitter, either. Making small talk and connecting with those who share our interests is what Twitter is all about – and oftentimes, it leads to beneficial business relationships.
- Twitter is a huge time suck, one that I don’t have time for. True, any social media platform can be a huge time suck, which is why you have to manage it. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes a couple of times each day to relax and engage yourself in a little conversation on Twitter. Don’t forget to reply to comments and search out a few new people to follow. Try out tools like Crowdbooster to optimize your social media campaigns even more!
- Nobody cares “what you’re doing”. While that is the main question posed on Twitter, and it’s true nobody probably cares that you’ve just finished your bowl of Super Honeylicious Oat “O”s in your efforts to lower your cholesterol, there are plenty of things your followers do care about. If your followers share your interests, they’ll be interested in that new book you just read or an amazing marketing secret you’ve just discovered. It’s all relevant. Use tools like Topsy to figure out what’s trending and work your way into the conversation.
- You need tens of thousands of followers. Sure, it would be fun to have 10,000 followers – but you can still enjoy the engagement if you only have hundreds. For business, Twitter can be very effective if many of your followers share your interests. Again, it’s all about relevancy.
While it’s definitely not a must, Twitter can be an effective way to engage with people, get involved in the conversation and put your business in front of an interested audience. Put these Twitter myths to rest, and enjoy your experience!
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