Thanks to Twitter’s February 2018 update, where tweeting repeat or even similar content was disallowed. The days of regurgitating content or the same old posts on Twitter are over. While the announcement may have come as a big shock at first, it could now be viewed as the wake-up call many businesses needed.
No one has time to click links of even the most interesting posts anymore, so scheduling repeat content for the sake of consistency is no longer an effective method (if it ever was!). Those who have reviewed their Twitter strategies have likely seen an improved ROI.
So – now that automating repeat posts is no longer an option – what other methods of using Twitter should be explored?
1. Level up your customer service
Twitter’s own research suggests that customers who’ve had a response from a brand on Twitter have 3x higher brand preference than those who don’t. Those customers say they’d also be more likely to recommend a brand who’s responded to them on Twitter.
It’s clear that using Twitter for customer service can be beneficial, but how do you do it effectively?
Act quickly
24% of Twitter’s survey respondents ranked speed as the most important factor for customer service on Twitter, with 71% saying they’d expect a reply from a brand within an hour.
Monitor mentions and keywords
Recognise the need to monitor mentions of your brand or keywords that surround it with a tool like Twilert. Conversations may be going on where your brand hasn’t been tagged directly, and it’s crucial you’re able to take advantage of opportunities like this. Two-thirds of users say their opinion of a brand would be improved if that brand responded to a tweet.
Make use of Twitter’s features
Twitter recognises that more and more businesses are using the platform as a key customer service tool, and it’s responded with helpful features. Ways to use Twitter for improved customer service include:
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- Provide your support hours so customers know when you’re available
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- Permit direct messages so you can have private conversations with customers
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- Clearly indicate that you offer support, so customers know you’re running a customer-service friendly Twitter account
- Set-up welcome messages as a way of prompting customers that start typing a direct message to your account. Don’t use the exact same message – that’s regurgitating content!
Have a plan and follow it
You’ll need a system for managing the enquiries and requests that come in. What can be dealt with publicly, and what needs a private response? What can be handled in Twitter, and what needs to be taken elsewhere? Consider all the possible requests you might get and plan a response for each of them. As new ones arise, add them to your plan. The more prepared you are, the better your service will be.
Give personal, human responses
Templated responses to common queries can save you time, but it dulls the customer’s experience. If you can inject personality into your customer service tweets you’ll build stronger relationships with your customers.
An example of a helpful, personalised customer service reply from @AdobeCare on Twitter.
2. Report on the latest news in your industry without Regurgitating content
In April 2016, Twitter moved from the crowded “social networking” category of the iTunes App Store (where it was ranked within the top ten) to the “news” category, where it now sits at number one.
On its own, this change might have been seen simply as a move to attract new users. Combined with other changes Twitter has made in recent months, however, it might suggest a wider move to reclassify the way the platform is seen and used.
With the addition of live news broadcasts and curated timelines around breaking news events, Twitter seems to be further cementing its position as a platform for news distribution and commentary.
Consider this in relation to your brand. Reporting on the latest news in your industry can be one of the most effective ways to use Twitter for business. When you consistently share interesting and informative news stories from credible sources, you will:
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- Gain authority in your industry
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- Improve your credibility
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- Find opportunities to connect with influencers
- Encourage discussion and engagement from your followers
Could reporting on, sharing and commenting about the latest news in your industry be an effective Twitter strategy for your business?
3. Provide real-time commentary on popular culture and events
One of the most effective ways to use Twitter to build your brand is to comment in real time on what’s current and popular.
Twitter is all about what’s happening in the here and now, and smart brands take advantage of this to build knowledge, like, and trust with their audiences.
When you’re able to react quickly in a fun, witty, or intelligent way to what’s going on in the world, you’ll gain fans and not just followers. Being witty in this case definitely means not regurgitating content.
To do this well, you’ll need to have plenty of time to invest in the platform. It’s crucial you stay on top of trends on Twitter, as well as being present to engage with the community you’re building.
UK juice and smoothie brand @innocent is still one of the best examples of a brand that’s good at adding value through humour and entertainment. Here are some examples:
An example of a Tweet from @innocent about popular TV show ‘The Great British Bake Off’.
Another example of an entertaining Tweet from @innocent, this time about National Poetry Day.
If you’re looking for ways to get more creative with your Tweets, try our list of 10 Unique Twitter Ideas.
4. Run offers and promotions
You can increase brand awareness and loyalty by running offers and promotions on Twitter – especially if you’re a B2C brand.
With over 330 million monthly active users, there’s no shortage of people to market to on Twitter. Regurgitating content on Twitter is something we see so often with promotions. It’s amazing the result you’ll see if you thin through your posts, make them unique, and guarantee your followers that they’ll never see regurgitated content. Where some brands struggle, however, is in reaching their target audience. On average, 350,000 tweets are sent every minute, which equates to 500 million per day. So how do you run an effective promotion that will get noticed and produce results?
To get started:
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- Know your target audience
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- Set a SMART goal
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- Think carefully about the timing
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- Provide lots of value
- Be strategic about the details behind your offer
Once you’ve got each of the points above worked out, it’s time to develop creative, attention-grabbing content that will stop the scroll.
An example of a Twitter promotion run by UK computer game retailer @game_collection.
5. Be generous with tips and advice – make them unique but not regurgitated content
Now that sending out repeat automated shares of the same links is frowned upon, it might be time to consider adding more value within Twitter itself.
Make life easier for your followers, who are likely pressedSearch Old Tweets – Your Extensive Guide with 5 Easy Methods to Try for time, by providing snippets of information, advice, and tips.
A lot of brands and users already follow this strategy when at events, sharing key points from speakers or summing up talks in a tweet or two. Tweets like this are often very popular with their target audience, gaining plenty of engagement and interaction.
By keeping content like this niche and sharing original, insightful ideas, you can quickly gain an engaged following of relevant people. It’s a good tactic for demonstrating expertise, building trust, and leveraging influencers.
An example of a helpful and informative Tweet from SEO company @clickinglocal. Rather than teasing this information and linking to a blog, they’ve provided it directly in Twitter to make life easier for their followers.
In summary, there are plenty of ways to use Twitter that don’t involve regurgitating the same old tired content. Don’t allow your team to continue regurgitating content on Twitter. It won’t help your results. If your strategy is in need of a refresh, consider these five ideas for turning Twitter into more than just a link sharing tool for your business.
To get better at monitoring Twitter for mentions that are relevant to your brand, try Twilert free for 30 days.
