KTN Marketing: Twitter

There’s no doubt that Twitter has proved itself as a very good communication method and marketing tool. But are KTN’s using it right? Granted not everyone is a Twitter and Social Media expert, but there are some basic and clear no no’s that the Twitter audience just don’t like or appreciate – and what you certainly don’t want is to start pushing away the very audience you’re trying to engage.

So, below are 5 do’s and don’ts for KTNs using Twitter

1. Automated Updates

Yes, automated updates from other services maybe very useful and time saving for you, but they become just plain annoying to your followers – especially if they contain repeated or similar information over and over again. Even if a follower doesn’t unfollow you for it, chances are they’ll start to ignore your endless automated tweets with links, making them ineffective. When you actually do post a relevant or important tweet, it too may become ignored because they’re in the habit and just assume its another automated boring link.

Now, this isn’t to say automated tweets don’t have their place – when used properly and effectively they can be very useful, such as with services you infrequently use – for example; automatically informing a follower of a new YouTube video you have posted for the first time in a month. You have to ask yourself; do all your followers really need – or want – all this information!?

2. One Sided Conversations

Hello? Can you hear me? Are you there? – Twitter is all about making a conversation and a one-sided conversation isn’t very useful or helpful to anyone. If you’re using Twitter, you must take the time to look out for other users tweeting and interacting with you – and respond back. You wouldn’t have a phone in your office that you never answer even though people were leaving voice mail messages would you?

3. Watch the tone!

Many KTNs have grown up to be very formal affairs. This is great for the boardroom – but who wants to engage in conversation with a twitter account if all it’s going to do is spout out management or marketing speak?

Twitter provides you with a face for your KTN – so rather having followers talking to a formal brand which isn’t very helpful or interesting, and dare I say dull – make your tweets personal and more informal – just like a normal conversation. Offer insightful information and ‘behind the scenes’ details to your followers and have an approachable, honest tone – not a nonsensical marketing one. People in turn will feel more connected and will associate themselves with you better – and that’s what we’re all after right!?

4. Don’t over promote

What’s that you say? You have an event? An Event? An EVENT?

OK ok… I heard you the first time – repeating yourself over and over isn’t going to get me any more interested than I was before – if anything it’ll put me off attending as it will just start to seem desperate – not to mention annoying your followers by clogging up their twitter stream.

Say it once and move on – if you must, you can tweet one a few weeks before the event and again on the couple days leading up to it – but if someone wants to attend they will, badgering them into coming isn’t going to help you fill those seats.

5. Long URLs

www.thisisaverylongurlwhichisntverynicetolookat.com – why put your followers through that? And – why put yourself through that? After all, you only have 160 characters – so every letter counts! The answer? Use a URL shortening service like bit.ly – not only will it make your link super short, but also make people more likely to click it – and – give you more room to explain what the link is about in the remaining characters of your tweet!

Hopefully you found some of these useful and helpful for your marketing campaigns.

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