Jenny McCutcheon's Blog

I have to admit, when I first heard about Twitter some months ago I didn’t really get it. Who has time to write and read little updates from random people all day long? I was dead wrong about the power, and usefulness of this microblogging site.

A screenshot of my Twitter page @jennymccutcheon

Although I have only been using Twitter for about six days, I have already experienced the value of this social networking tool. Twitter has pointed me to interesting articles and blog posts that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. What makes these articles and blogs so interesting, is that they are being posted by actual people. These are people that comment on the personal comings and goings of their days in addition to posting useful links to blog entries, articles, photos, and videos. Participating in Twitter has provided me with unlimited access to professionals in my field, and individuals with shared hobbies and interests.

As mentioned in my last post, I am interested in how social media tools can be effectively leveraged by businesses to open the lines of communication between companies and their customers. By following several companies on Twitter this past week (e.g., Starbucks, Whole Foods, CNN, WOSU, etc.), I have learned the following:

1. It’s important for companies to reciprocate follows on Twitter by following back. It’s hard to tell when your company is going to come up in conversation (or “tweets”). By following those that follow your company, you’ll gain a clearer picture of your target audience. What do your followers do for a living, what t.v. shows do they watch, what music do they listen to, where do they hang out, etc.? It’s amazing how much can be revealed about target segments if companies stop to listen.
2. Companies should post useful, amusing, or personal messages through Twitter rather than just pushing their own services or products. For example, thanking people for attending an open house (@Fahlgren did this beautifully), or pointing followers to interesting articles that are relevant, but not about your company (@wholefoods does a nice job of this). Providing personal responses to comments makes people feel like they’re dealing with a person rather than a faceless entity.
3. While following those that follow you is a good way to learn more about your audience, it’s still important to regularly search for your company name to see who else is talking about you. If you see your company name mentioned, follow that person. Listen in on the conversation about your products or services without being pushy where applicable. People are going to talk about your company, don’t you want to hear what they’re saying?

Although it has only been about a week, my understanding of Twitter as an important tool for businesses is blossoming quickly.

Follow me on Twitter at @jennymccutcheon.

What do YOU think companies can do to effectively use Twitter? I would love to hear your observations/opinions.