Twitter for Brands

a few thoughts from

@Bissell

@AdBroad

twitter for brands

who the hell are we?

brandfictionfactory.com

first came computers the size of cruise ships


when the web went civilian, it was bulletin boards


in 2006 a messaging system for geeks


that exploded into an uberforce of 21 million, including tweeters from outer space


no wonder so many brands want to be there


but don’t twitter just because everyone else does


in the twitterverse, not all brands are created equal

Some are “Prom King Brands meaning everyone wants to hang with them.”--Alan Wolkauthor, creative strategist


like sports brands…


entertainment brands…


brands whose logos you’ll happily carry


but what can other brands do to engage followers?


offer real-time customer service


or valuable discounts (always welcome)


or inside information


or even simple amusement


don’t talk first. listen


your brand is being defined by what others are saying about it

advice from Don Draper: If you don’t like what people are talking about, change the conversation.


broadcast to multiple channels you can’t control


hear what people are already saying about you and your competitors search.twitter.com for #yourbrandname


you can’t be part of a conversation you’re not listening to


words associated with “Tupperware” on Noah Brier’s brandtags.com


business reputations that take years and millions to build can now be impacted by a single tweet


listening can turn lemons


into lemonade


in customized flavors


establish a game plan

define goals and strategy for twitter just like you do for other marketing efforts

do you want to drive traffic to a website? deepen relationship with current consumers? promote specific offers? enhance customer service?


decide who will tweet. remember that tweeting takes time and marketing smarts. look for a bit of a ham.


Don’t assign it to someone just because they know twitter.

That’s like trusting your

customer service department to

someone because they

know how to use a phone.

don’t trust a zombie. your bot will show.


Streamline guidelines and oversight policy to allow for speed and agility in response. Twitter is about real time. Tweeters can’t be left in the air until lawyers get back from lunch.


choose a name

better to be clear than clever

short—posts have 140 characters including your name

reserve your name in variations to prevent poaching @yourname, @your_name, @_yourname, @yourname_

have the alternate names post link to feed of preferred name

apply for twitter verification


create an avatar that’s friendly and one you can with live for a long time

because changing your look on twitter is confusing,

just like it would be in real life

think of it as your social media logo


write a bio be friendly in 160 characters suggest why people might follow you include a link to your site personalized corporate handles tend to be most successful


how to build followers

start within your organization, follow coworkers

follow colleagues elsewhere and competitors next

don’t follow strangers until you’ve at least a dozen posts

stream twitter feed to your website or blog

incorporate twitter handle into other outreach materials

follow those who follow those you like to read


engage followers instead of broadcasting to them

posts aren’t ad headlines. They must have a social component.

you’re not connecting people to information. You’re connecting people to people.

don’t think of your followers as audience; they’re more like people you meet at a party

go where target consumers already are and connect with them there; don’t wait for them to seek you out. They won’t.


technology has changed but psychology hasn’t the art of persuasion is alive and well. it’s just wearing new clothes.


the best advertising on twitter doesn’t look like advertising

campaign created by Deep Focus for AMC


twittertainment from Broadway

twitter campaign by Situation Interactive for Broadway show “Next to Normal”


twittertainment from the pulpit

On Good Friday,

2009 Wall Street’s

Trinity Church

tweeted the Passion

Play for three

hours.brandfictionfactory.com

a new form of marketing: brand fiction


Brand Fiction is unbranded entertainment in the service of a brand, delivered in various forms created and produced for the environment where the target audience already is.


it allows others to participate in telling the brand story


and doesn’t stand alone, it’s part of a tactical mix


success depends on quality of content created


the first tweet’s the hardest


but it’s okay if your first post isn’t exactly right


Have patience. Twitter takes time. Like relationships do.


to continue the conversation…

Helen Klein Ross@AdBroad

helen@ brandfictionfactory.com


Michael Bissell@Bissell

bissell@ conquent.com

Business

Twitter for Brands