Business executives have come to learn that Twitter can be a powerful and highly effective marketing tool, when used appropriately
Over the past several years, business executives have taken to Twitter to stay connected with employees and customers - and the best of them have been able to leverage the platform to great effect.
Here are some of the top Twitter habits of successful leaders today.
1. Create Personal Communication
Business leaders who use Twitter effectively tend to share several important traits, with one of them being the ability to quickly convey personal messages in a down-to-earth format. After all, its hard to be too formal in a tweet.
Top Twitter users communicate more congenially with followers, as opposed to alienating them with too much high-level information.
And by positioning the CEO or leader of a business as a trusted individual, as opposed to a faceless corporate entity, clients will be more likely to connect emotionally, as well as rationally, with the brand.
You can't fit an income statement or balance sheet in a Tweet, but you can say "T-minus 3 days until Black Friday: Ready?" (this was from Brian J Dunn, CEO of Best Buy).
2. Build Relationships
CEOs and other business leaders can use Twitter to effectively foster relationships with their brand communities. The people who follow these leaders will want to stay tuned for the latest insightful or humorous Tweet, rather than await the next earnings release or financial statement distribution.
Twitter isn't a platform for selling a brand, necessarily, but it's great for creating a network of interested individuals who can support the brand through loyalty. ANd that loyalty is fostered through listening, response and regular engagement.
3. Share Images
Twitter's the ideal platform for sharing photos that can boost appeal amongst your existing client base or even attract new customers.
The president of a company can post candid shots to show a more personal side to the business, for example, or they can challenge employees to submit photos that encapsulate what it means to work at the business. Either way, a picture is worth a thousand words - or at least a handful of characters.
4. Keep Clients Updates
Customers who follow a particular Twitter user can stay informed and up to date as to the latest product releases, new or upcoming service offerings, or even company-sponsored events or promotions. Consistently posting updates that inform and engage will keep customers in anticipation of the next insightful Tweet.
Business leaders today can see great benefits from utilizing the power of Twitter to unlock the potential within their respective markets. Think about this - in 2007 Twitter registered 400,000 Tweets per quarter, or about 4500 per day. In 2011, more than 140 million Tweets were posted per day. And in 2016, more than 500 million Tweets are sent every 24 hours. Worth considering in your marketing and outreach efforts.