Twitterpated
If you are wondering about the title, it is from Bambi. I think when Thumper the rabbit falls in love…
Anyway, in reviewing different ways companies are employing new media, I think it is interesting to examine the ways that Twitter is being used for marketing purposes. Updates are sent to those who subscribe through short posts, known as “tweets.” These tweets are meant to answer the question, “What are you doing right now?” in 140 characters or less. If you are unfamiliar with Twitter, check out this video:
I myself was pretty skeptical about it. I have an account, but I am not really sure that anyone cares enough to have updates about my daily navigation through life. But the neat thing about Twitter is that it allows/forces you to disseminate information that is concise. The other bonus is that you are delivering information to people who have chosen to “follow” you. For businesses, this means that they can provide information directly to consumers in a fast, succinct message that they have chosen to receive. For marketers, this can be a great way to announce new products, special offers, and other information at no cost to an interested audience.
The Washington Post recently published an article about the companies who are using Twitter. So who is using Twitter right now for these purposes? Well, Amazon uses it to send special deals to subscribers, Even the Barrack Obama campaign is using Twitter! Zappos.com has been very successful at using Twitter for marketing purposes, and boasts more than 16,000 followers.
So is Twitter an appropriate and effective method of marketing?
I think twitter could be an excellent way for compEanies to know what potential consumers do throughout their day. Even if twitter isn’t used for marketing it is could definitely be used for tracking behaviors.
It’s a certain personality that finds itself addicted to things such as Twitter. I think it has a lot to do with the “information age” (forgive the token words) that we live in. We love information and the faster it gets to us the better. Trust me, I enjoy Twitter, and sometimes yes you have to get through the general noise of peoples’ lives but it’s worth it for the connection you create. (furthermore, you’ll always find at least one post that brightens your day