There are a handful of big players in the social networking world. Twitter appears to be one of the sites that continue to grow in popularity. In fact, according to research compiled by Brickfish, as of October 2013 there are 231.7 million active users on Twitter worldwide and 100 million of them log into Twitter daily. So what is Twitter and why is it still growing when many of the other social sites are facing challenges?
What Is Twitter?
Put simply, Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that lets you send and read “tweets.” Tweets are text messages limited to 140 characters. However, within the context of any tweet you can embed links which makes it a powerful marketing tool for anyone with a blog or a website. Being able to link to other URLs means you can share value and information. You can share links from your own site as well as promote your fellow business owners to build relationships with customers, prospects, and associates.
You can also make your tweets sharable by using the hashtag. The hashtag is the symbol # and it identifies the keywords for your tweet or post. Here are a few examples:
* What are your favorite St.Patrick’s Day traditions? LINK #stpatricksday #StPattys
* 10 tips to help you with your tax return LINK #taxreturn #taxtime #taxes
People can search for your keywords and be led to your Twitter profile where they may follow you and/or share your links with others.
The Power of the Masses
Twitter continues to grow in popularity for a number of reasons. The first is that it is incredibly easy to use. Messages take seconds to write, share, and read. We’re a rushed society with little time to peruse long content. If something can be said and shared in just a few characters, we’re thrilled.
So in addition to Twitter being easy to use, it’s also simple to share messages. One click of a “retweet” button and you’ve spread the wealth. That means, as a business owner, if you’re able to provide a tweet with value and benefit, it stands a good chance of being shared. Each time it is shared by someone, you’re reaching a larger audience. One tweet can quickly be viewed by thousands of people. The website traffic possibilities are astounding.
Finally, the folks over at Twitter are continually striving to add value to the site to make it more user friendly and to provide more features. Their partnership with Vine means that people can now easily make and share six-second videos on Twitter. It’s just one more way Twitter is providing value and allowing people around the world to communicate.
Business owners looking into marketing with social media may want to take a look at the benefits of embracing Twitter. It’s one site that is used by people of all ages and demographics. It continues to grow and provide value.
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Funny you should post this. Wendi and I just completed a Twitter background project for a client and that made us look at our own—which since the rebranding—needed a whole new look too!
All our Twitter sites are very happy now.
When Twitter first hit the interwebs I did use it a lot. But after a while I found it was too much noise to sort through. I gravitated toward Facebook where it was easier to follow conversations and engage.
These days I have our FB business pages linked to post to Twitter each time we post on FB. Keeps the Twitter feeds fresh with less hassle on my end.
I sometimes seem to forget the power of Twitter. This is a great reminder for us to take a look at our own business. I can see that you are right about not doubting the powder of Twitter.
As a newish solopreneur, I find myself wondering sometimes what’s the hot thing I should be doing and what can I let go of. Thanks for this reality check about Twitter. If they are STILL growing, I’ll try a little harder over there. Plus, well, Ellen’s selfie from the Oscars has had it in the front of my mind. xx Angela
Angela thanks for your post. Just keep in mind not all social media platforms work for all businesses. I usually try to steer my clients to the platforms that work best for their particular industry and audience. The other factor is a client’s comfort level with a platform. For instance, I wouldn't recommend Twitter for someone who doesn't feel comfortable using a limited amount of characters to convey a message or perhaps likes to post lots of pictures to show their products. Other platforms like Pinterest, Google Plus or Facebook would be a better fit especially if you want to get a chain dialogue going. I know Twitter has a way to post pictures better now but a lot of people are not on board with it yet.
Thanks for this Wanda! I love how you have broken down a single, highly-used social media platform and explained it from the basics. There is so much noise out there on social media it can be difficult for a beginner to get bites like this small enough to swallow. Really appreciate it and please post more like this!
I LOVE TWITTER! It is by far my most favorite platform. I have built amazing relationships and friendships, met clients, gained speaking invitations, and more through Tweets and engagement with my community!
I’m not an advocate of using Twitter as a glorified Facebook feed, as the premise is entirely different for us, but when used right and with leveraged lists, it is an amazing social tool for connection.
Thanks for keeping us up to date and in the know!
After reading your post and the other responses and giving this some thought, I realize that I am really underutilizing a great tool.
I really think you are spot on, that Twitter’s charm is in the simplicity and speed – no prose, short and simple is the devise.
Thanks for a great post!
I used to do so much on Twitter in the beginning, but now it feels crowded and like a lot of noise. I use it more as I would a newspaper to scan headlines, read and leave.