I was doing some research this week reading various blogs and news articles and decide to write down some of the statistics that caught my eye. A set of these statistics focused on Twitter and how people are using the service to take action.
43% Follow Brands on Twitter Looking for Deals and Offers
One of the first things we do with a new client is ask them the following question, “If I follow you on Twitter, what’s in it for me?”
Now we know that some people will follow a business back to help build their own network. But, what about others. Are you providing value to them? What will capture their attention?
Coupons, discounts, special offers are a great way to engage customers and prospects. We recently ran a promotion with Copeland’s Atlanta where they gave away $50 gift cards to the first 5 people that walked into a location and said “Best Brunch in Atlanta”.
The promotions was publicized using Twitter, which then fed into their Facebook account. “It was a great way to generate buzz about our restaurant, while also providing value to those who choose to connect and engage with us online.”, stated Bill Goudey, one of the managing partners.
“One of my favorite experiences was with a customer that ordered one of our Deep Fried Cajun Turkeys for Thanksgiving. She tweeted that she just ordered her turkey and that next time she hoped to have the money to also order one of our cheesecakes. When she came in to pick up her turkey I was waiting and gave her a cheesecake. She broke down crying. That moment happened because she chose to follow us and we paid attention to our followers. It’s powerful”, relayed Glen Helmstetter, a fellow managing partner.
Are you providing value to those who choose to follow your business?
23% Find the Content Interesting
This statistic definitely struck home. One of the ways I love to use Twitter is to search for tweets on a topic. In the past I might have used Google, but Twitter has become my primary first source for content.
Twitter searches per month (19 billion) outnumber Yahoo (8.4 billion) and Bing(4 billion) monthly searches combined. Google the King of Search currently has 88 billion per month.
If you’re looking for a website Google is still likely your best option. But if you’re looking for specific content Twitter is a viable alternative.
Its also a great way for me to share new posts that I write with those following me. Plus when a number of people retweet the message new people are introduce to my blog and I gain a number of new followers.
Are you using Twitter to search for and share great content?
24% are current customers
Your customers want to engage with you. They want to know that their voices can be heard. Many companies send out newsletters to stay in touch with their customers. You can create an online newsletter and use Twitter notify your existing customers of the latest newsletter, and also reach potential prospects.
In addition your customers are a great source of retweets, which introduce your messages to their network. Any customer communication you send out using email or mail can be tweeted. You provide an alternative way for your customers to interact with you, plus Google is indexing the content.
Are you leveraging your existing content to share on Twitter?
4% are Seeking Service Support
Before social media if you had an issue or a complaint you were left to call a 1-800 number, fire off a email, send a letter, or post a comment in an online forum. The first three of these kept the conversation between you and the company. The forum was at least a way of sharing your discontent.
Companies are starting to pay attention and use Twitter to resolve issues. Comcast has done a great job with their @comcastcares twitter account, actively searching out tweets from customers with complaints. They then try to resolve the issue online.
The fact that someone complains or makes a negative post isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In the past if a customer was unhappy you might never know, and lose a customer. With Twitter if they complain you at least now have an option to resolve the issue.
Over time I expect that the % of people using Twitter for service support will grow. Are you paying attention to your own buzz, positive and negative?
Wrap Up
Statistics can help you understand how people are using the available social media tools. Using the above statistics can help you plan you Twitter strategy so that you are focusing your efforts.
The world is listening, people are responding, and Google is indexing. All you have to do is tweet and retweet.
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