Web Strategy: What the Web Strategist should know about Twitter
You: A Web Strategist
If you’re responsible for the direction of your online strategies for your company or organization, you’ve probably been hearing buzz about Twitter, a next-generation instant messaging tool. Even if you’re new to Twitter, this will serve as a guide to educate you, help you make a decision, link to resources, and provide a starting point for your strategy.
[Twitter, a scalable instant messaging service, is being used by early adopters in the tech industry, what is it? and how can it improve my communications?]
Web Strategy Theory to know before you go forward
If you’ve not already figured it out, the corporate website is becoming less relevant, and web marketing (and support) has spread off your domain and google results. You also know that prospects trust the opinions of existing customers (who are ‘like them’) far more than marketers, and Facebook let’s these communities of practice assemble, your brand is decentralized –embrace! If you don’t understand these concepts, it’s hard to move forward, please re-read those posts above.
Opportunities: Why Twitter?
A tool embraced by the early adopter, Twitter can benefit from: thought leadership, connection to the influencers, additional message reach, access to mobile communicators, real-time communication, but more importantly, the opportunity to build relationships through conversations. Who it’s good for? Media companies, social media savvy brands, those who may already have a blogging strategy, those with frequent updates. High communication individuals may prefer this tool.
Limitations and Challenges: It’s not for everyone
Twitter is not for everyone, here’s a few considerations: due to a high degree of micro information the user will need to self-parse information. Although there is no formal data, I suspect that the audience use is early adopter social media folks, influencers, and an average age of 30-45. Although Obvious (parent company) has recently received funding the product infrastructure is still doing through growth pains, and error messages are common. Twitter, while still in it’s early stages, the full value has not been realized.
There are other competitors in the space, such as Pownce, released by the Kevin Rose of Digg.com, and Zooomr’s Zipline. Expect Twitter like features to emerge in many social networks as a feature.
What you should know:
History
Twitter began as an experiment inside of Odeo, Inc. by Noah Glass and Jack Dorsey, and debuted in March 2006, see Wikipedia’s historical entry.
Twitter gained traction at the 2007 SXSW interactive festival. At the conference flat panel displays were located several places at the convention, showing twitter activity of the attendees, this was a defining moment of Twitter.
What is Twitter
A form of text based MicroMedia (term coined by Jeremiah Owyang) Twitter is really much like blogging, just on a miniature scale. The character limits 140 characters (plus room for a URL) that requires users to simplify their message.
Twitter has social network features, so users can add or remove friends, where seeing thought leaders like Chris Messina and others seek ways to segment groups, more features will come.
Twitter is a next-generation instant messaging tool, where users can blast messages to their network, send private messages, or search. When users publish messages they are often called “tweets”.
As a communication platform, Twitter experts data (such as RSS) that can be reused in other interesting ways, such as twitter maps, and other mashups: 10 top Twitter apps, or see this comprehensive list, The Twitter team has since acquired a design team, and has launched “Twitter blocks” which show network activity of a particular user. There are many other mashups to experiment or build.
Remember that Twitter, like blogging, is public, what you say can be used against you as well as for you, see case study of Steve Rubel criticizing his own client and having to retract.
Users
Without access to demographic information, Twitter is for the highly engaged, early-adopter, pro-technology user. This is the ‘influence’ community, meaning they will shape the direction of others in each of their respective lives. It’s highly likely that these users participate in other forms of online publishing and communication like blogging, Facebook, or use mobile activity. In short, it’s the ‘coolkids’ of the webspace, and yes, that includes John Edwards.
Content
With a limit of 140 characters, users are publishing the following types of content
1) Presence information: Users will shout out information related to them, from “eating with Joe” or “heading to the office”, or even questions “has anyone seen the Transformers movie?
2) Responses to others: Members within a connected network (they must be friends) can respond to each other using the reply symbol “@”. Responses could be “@Transformers was a great movie” or other variations.
3) URLs: In either of these content types, they may include URLs which are automatically shortened by the Twitter application. (Tip: Consider 130 characters if publishing a link. The system will have enough space to convert your URL to a TinyURL, and will use some of your characters)
Notable Brands
There are several brands that are deployed in Twitter, from Carnival Cruise lines, Intel Software, Adaptive Path, PodTech Network, and even John Edwards. Some publishers use it as a announcement feed, as Robert Scoble publishers his shared link feed called Scoble’s Link Blog from his Google reader –all automated. Most recently, the famed Marketing Profs media company has launched their Twitter account.
Advanced Tactics
Event Integration
Savvy brands and individuals are using Twitter to keep event attendees up to date on virtual and real life events. Use for events that use live streaming, live blogging, or attention to speeches are helpful. For example, during the Web 2.0 expo, I was live event streaming using Ustream the event, I would use Twitter to tell my network who and where I was, keeping them up to date. There are many other use cases that have not been documented such as using Twitter for project management, global travel, and even financial alerts.Pebble Strategy
Recently, I announced my job change on Twitter, I dropped a series of ‘pebbles’ (tweets) explaining my move, why I’m leaving. Dozens of users responded back to me, “congrats @jowyang” which promoted their network to see what I was talking about (they could visit my profile page to see what I said), building more interest. Finally, I linked to the blog post URL of my announcement in Twitter, and I received 91 comments on the first day. For more information, read want waves? drop a pebble.Best Practices
The savvy Twitter user realizes that the effective communications aren’t just ‘pushing’ content to readers, but they will also dialogue and converse with others by replying to them. I use this tool as a global chat room, responding to others, building relationships, and listening in. Like blogging, the rule of anti-marketing marketing is required for success, engage your community. Unlike traditional forms of advertising and marketing, Twitter is “opt-in” meaning that users will ‘follow’ a twitter account, abuse will result in a user unsubscribing. For rules of engagement read Brian Oberkirch’s Advanced Twitter: Don’t Tweet Like A n00b.
[While not for everyone, Twitter is a next-generation communication tool that provides the web strategist several opportunities to connect with online communities]
Getting Started
1: Understand Twitter. There’s plenty of educational material, consider watching video interview of co-founder with Jennifer Jones, Rafe Needleman’s (CNET) Newbie Guide to Twitter, Twitter Getting Started. Agence France-Presse, a global news agency: “Online tweets tell you what everyone is up to” (I was a contributor to this article)
2: Evaluate if right for your audience: use the anecdotal demographic information I provided above, or use the search tool for notable individuals within your community and marketplace.
3: Explore the tool: The best way to learn? Experiment, try creating a persona account before deploying a brand account.
4: Publish: Well, what are you waiting for? Try some tweets!
5: Integrate: Use in conjunction with other tools, providing an ‘integrated mesh’ of cross linking. Use to post announcements, changes.
6: Advanced: Communicate back to others. This is not just a broadcast tool, it’s also a conversation tool, reply back to followers using the “@” symbol, and engage in dialogue.
7: Advanced: Mashups. There are many uses (known and yet to be discovered) of the tool, as third party developers are creating mashups for Twitter. Build your own, or examine others to get creative.
8: Measure: From the start, consider measuring the impacts of this tool, from amount of followers, amount of replies, incoming links, look for referrer logs to your website from Twitter, and use search tools to gain intelligence. Read Social Media Measurement strategy for more information.
About the Author
Jeremiah is active on Twitter and can be followed at jowyang, if you follow him, he’ll follow you back.
If this article was helpful, see all posts tagged Web Strategy.
85 Comments so far
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Very good article, some good summary and insights too!!
Thanks for sharing.
Great post jowyang. Aptly, I first found the link via twitter (marketingprofs).
Thanks all, this post is in the spirit of my Web Strategy series. I’ve done others such as business blogging, online forums, measurement, too.
If you liked this article, you’ll like this similar one for Facebook Marketing
http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/08/11/web-strategy-what-the-web-strategist-should-know-about-facebook/
Great article! As someone who just started Twittering a few months ago, I’m thinking that this would have been extremely helpful starting out, but it still provides lots of tools for those with some Twitter experience! Thanks, J!
Andrew, no problem!
I play with many of these tools, break them, and then write about them. Of course the best experience is doing it yourself, or trying to connect with someone that can guide you along.
What the Web Strategist should know about Twitter…
If you’re responsible for the direction of your online strategies for your company or organization, you’ve probably been hearing buzz about Twitter, a next-generation instant messaging tool….
[…] Speaking of Twitter. Social media guru Jeremiah Owyang has published a business guide to Twitter. […]
Great overview Jeremiah, something I’m forwarding along to all of the companies I work with to help them understand Twitter!
/kff (www.twitter.com/kflaherty)
Great article. I feel like I just picked up a college textbook on social media. What should one do with a social media article you read on a blog via a link from Twitter? Add it to Digg of course!
My new friend Bryan emailed me and suggested that not everyone would even know what Twitter is. I’ve updated the post so it’s a little bit more clear.
Great round-up. I think non-profits have really mastered Twitter’s use. LiveEarth, Pink Ribbon campaigns come to mind first.
Great overview - as I mentioned on my direct Tweet I sent this to my CEO (he’s also just starting out on Twitter). Geoff is right about the non-profits, I also think that software applications and independent developers have also benefited. It’s an easy and cheap way of updating releases, getting beta-testers, etc.
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Jeremiah,
Great article, but I still don’t get it.
What’s the real benefit to Intel to post that info there as opposed to keeping it in a blog or news stories somewhere on their corporate website or community.
Besides tapping into the base of Twitter users that surf for something new, I don’t “get” it.
And if that’s the only true benefit, then you could say that Intel should be apart of every Social Network out there with > x users and carbon copy the same stories everywhere.
If they do that, won’t the community end up rejecting Intel’s efforts for spamming the universe?
I get Twitter, for letting my inner most circle of family know what I’m doing at the moment. (although I don’t really feel it’s worth the effort, since if my family needs me, they’ll call)
Or if I was a college student and I wanted my closest 50 friends to know “I’m at starbucks, come by and we’ll chat”.
But a Fortune 100 company talking about processor initiatives?
Just as everyone is complaining about having to friend everyone and their brother each time they go to a new social network, my attention span is only so broad to pay attention to Intel’s announcments on one or two channels. Typically those channels are their corporate web site, blog or partner site.
J-O - great rundown on Twitter, but I fear you missed the biggest point that serves as an object lesson: it is the first social media app that is truly cross-platform.
Built into the system is the means to interface, through RSS, SMS, IM, or mobile browser. I’ve never seen an app that comes out-of-the-box so flexible in terms of end-user consumption.
The lesson for all businesses is the power of freeing up your data to be shared. Pownce and others may have better features “in browserspace”, but you can make up a lot of ground by liberating the system and being inclusive to so many technologies.
There is a huge lesson here that can be applied many ways.
Hey, great piece. Having had to explain Twitter to clients, colleagues, friends, and family… I’ve found all the explanation in the world is no substitute for “try it.” In other words, Twitter needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated.
Michael
It’s not that different than any argument for blogging. No one suggests you tell me about your coffee shop escapades, don’t confuse ‘character limit’ be confused with the message and conversation.
Next time you’re in a conversation with a friend over coffee (an active one at that) remind yourself this is like Twitter.
Ike
Blogging is cross platform, it has RSS, and mobile features too. The features aren’t that much different than blogging as we know it.
Hi Jeremiah…great rundown on Twitter! Out here in the vast technological wasteland, I have a hard enough time explaining blogging (believe it or not) let alone Twitter (which might make some people’s heads completely explode.) But you’ve summed it up nicely and with that some great ways to guide company on making decisions to use it.
J-O… I respectfully disagree.
Blogging (and a host of other things) are cross-platform *if* you have the knowledge and tools. The vast majority of users want something that works without their bludgeoning of technology.
In an emergency, I can talk someone through a Twitter signup using just SMS on their cellphone. They can interact without ever coming to the website. I don’t know of another Web 2.0 service that has the same high level of functionality and cross-platform performance built into the architecture.
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Great post Jeremiah!
My suggestion is to have patience with Twitter. I had a harder time figuring it out than Facebook. Their help info. needs a lot of improvement.
I start my morning there & can get links to the most important breaking news/blogs. It’s my morning paper I just realized! Following jowyang & chrisbrogan is well worth your time.
Here’s a couple of suggestions:
1. Try making your stream public. I’ve had some people follow me ‘out of the blue’ & it’s a fun way to meet new people! One knew Chris, but not Jeremiah, so I intro’d him to you, Jeremiah & your blog.
2. If people follow you, follow them back. This is my opinion, but I think it’s rude to not mutually do so. Twitter has more value when it’s interactive. As with any social media, it’s a conversation.
Ike, it depends, it really does.
Connie, good tips!
Lots of people have told me to sign up for Twitter but I think your post just convinced me to do it.
Thank you Jeremiah.
Good stuff Rick, let us know how it goes.
[…] Web Strategy: What the Web Strategist should know about Twitter […]
Hi
I used my twitter profil with the plugin TwittyTunes (Firefox add on) and it’s magical !
In fact I use it when I saw a cool URL. I click and it does the work for me (the action, the title of the page, the link). I only have to press the button.
In fact, for me, the reason of the growing of twitter is based on their API. It’s the key of the success because every user can find the best mashup for his profile/needs.
I think that the integration of the microformat is also a great thing for the future…
Follow me ;o)
http://twitter.com/raphaelhunold
[…] Web Strategy: What the Web Strategist should know about Twitter If you were looking for a great “getting started” strategy guide to Twitter, this would be in. Jeremiah Owyang sets it straight. (tags: twitter social-media social-networking blogging marketing web-strategy) […]
I wake to new followers from Twitter! (Jeremiah you really are great for connecting people).
Another suggestion that’s a great way to meet new people: is to browse someone’s friend’s list - like Jeremiah’s. Click their icon & see if their tweets interest you. It’s the adopt-a-friend theory.
And you’re welcome to add me ‘Connie_Bensen’.
Twitter has value in making your brand more personal.
Adding Connie as a network friend will bring you a
friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable contact.
[…] lower-key, more analytical approach to blogging. He writes in detail, for example, on how marketers can use Twitter to spread their message, or what Walmart needs to do to fix its damaged public […]
Great, thx for the meaningful insight!
Well… it’s nice to finally see somebody explain what Twitter is. I’ve been so frustrated with Twitter, because I’ve seen alot of talk about it, but Twitter’s own site is so uninformative (could be a case study on not using a website to effectively communicate one’s value). So, for the post, I give Jeremiah an “A”.
HOWEVER, though the post was informative in terms of “how to”, there is still no answer to “why”. I’m sure that if a team of people sat me down and talked for an hour that somebody might be able to help me see the value in Twitter, but that is the problem in and of itself. If the value is not self-evident, or cannot be explained with a brief elevator pitch, then it probably doesn’t have value.
I guess time will tell, but for the time being, I have to conclude that it’s a solution looking for a problem.
Brent
Thanks! the “opportunity” section is the answer to “Why”.
It’s yet another communication tool, that reaches a specific community.
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Groups for Twitter; or a Proposal for Twitter Tag Channels and on the Importance of Listening to Your End-Users…
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Thanks for writing this piece…very helpful for the latest craze!
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Jeremiah,
Thanks for the comment before. I really do like the article here and it is among the most descriptive I have seen on Twitter. That said I just don’t get the appeal of Twitter, which is what I was alluding to on my own blog. I get myspace, I get facebook, I see the usefulness of other web 2.0 sites, but just not Twitter. It just seems so tedious. Again, great article on Twitter regardless of my thoughts on its usefulness.
Thanks for your feedback, it’s appreciated Andrew!
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late to the party, but here’s mine: http://twitter.com/christackett
i’ve only been on for a few weeks now, but have already had HUGE benefits come from twitter, both personally and professionally. it’s an amazing little wonder.
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