Internet Marketing Learning 106 – Social Media – (Micro-blogging with Twitter)

Introduction

There are 5 critical steps to optimizing your position relative to other businesses on the Internet. The five critical steps in learning internet marketing strategies are: blog, social media, online video, social bookmarking, and content sharing sites.

The fundamental element in learning Internet marketing strategies is the blog, but it also relies on the other four elements to be completely effective.

In this article we will discuss one of the other top social media tactics on Twitter. While it is in the social networking category, it is more aptly defined as a microblogging site.

Since its inception just a few years ago, Twitter has grown at an exceptional rate with some estimates saying it is increasing by thousands of percent. This is absolutely amazing considering the fact that the number of characters in each message is limited to just 140.

Definition

Wikipedia defines Twitter as a free social networking and microblogging service that allows its users (followers) to send short messages (tweets). These tweets are text-based messages of no more than 140 characters. Twitter has had a huge impact on various media outlets and is without a doubt the fastest growing media outlet in recent history. Some estimates put Twitter’s growth at 1,382%, while Zimbo had 240% growth, followed by Facebook at 228%.

Some statistics indicate that while the two leading social networks are Facebook and MySpace, Twitter has a conservative 4-5 million users. (1)

Twitter as a tactic

Twitter is a fast, easy and convenient way to maintain constant communication between your followers. It allows family, friends and business associates to maintain connections with each other. The short form of the messages has proven to be one of its big draws, as the challenge seems to be able to keep it short, particularly for its new followers.

The ability to communicate in a short, crisp, and succinct style has in no way impeded the ability to post links for videos and other hyperlinks. The use of apps like “tiny url” has greatly added to the ability to communicate succinctly. Some of the previously used SMS abbreviations have resurfaced in tweets.

Some of the most notable uses of Twitter stem from recent events, including the 2008 US presidential election (Twitter usage reportedly increased by 43% on Election Day), a global press conference by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, as well as victims, bystanders and the public to gather news during the siege of Mumbai in 2008. Twitter has also reportedly been used by a faculty at the University of Vienna for course evaluation.

Technology paves the way for new social groups

With the introduction of much of the new technology and marketing strategies on the Internet, a new set of social groups seems to be emerging.

I have recently conducted research on the habits and characteristics of Twitter followers. From my fairly limited observations, I have determined that three distinct groups are emerging.

1. Accomplished sellers – those people who can’t tweet without needing to sell something. Many of these people have an overwhelming desire to send followers to their websites and other links in the hope that with this sales approach someone will buy something; anything.

2. Social commentators: those people who have the need to constantly inform everyone about their daily habits. When they get up, they go to work, eat certain things, and go through certain daily routines.

3. Social researchers: those people who have the desire to ask questions and to find out things and people. I found it interesting that depending on the type of question asked, an answer or in many cases a non-answer was obtained.

I know you’re probably thinking that you don’t fit into any of those categories and you’re absolutely right. There are other people who don’t fall into any of those three categories, but follow a certain pattern of behavior that mimics the general flow of tweets that may be happening at any given time.

One of the great internet marketing gurus that I have been following on Twitter has offered an interesting take on how we should strike up a conversation on Twitter. We should start a conversation on Twitter as if we were at a party.

We would not approach a person we have never met before and jump right into a sales pitch about selling our services without meeting the person first. But many people on Twitter do just that. I totally agree with your comments here.

Equally important, we wouldn’t walk up to a total stranger and start a conversation about our clothes for eating, sleeping, living, or working without setting up some kind of groundwork or getting to know the other person in some way. Once again, tweets on Twitter hit other followers in the same subtle and forceful way.

The third group of social inquisitors is probably on the right track by starting a conversation with a question; seeking someone’s opinion on a particular topic. If we were at a party and we don’t know someone, we often start a conversation by asking about something; Even if it’s about the weather. It beats hitting the first person you come across with the sales pitch of the century; especially if they are not even remotely interested in our product.

In conclusion

This article has discussed what Twitter is, how we can use it as a tactic to develop our important internet marketing strategies, and more importantly, how we should start a conversation and build a relationship with other Twitter followers.

I leave you with one final tip on Twitter; always offer to retweet someone else’s message before asking someone to retweet your message. It’s a great way to pay before we pay.

In future articles I will discuss the last two Critical Steps to optimizing your position in relation to other businesses on the Internet; social sites for bookmarking and content sharing.

Sources: (1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter accessed April 15, 2009

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