Whitespace: Is Twitter a complete waste of time?

Issue 51: July 2009

When talk show host David Letterman recently told the world he thought Twitter was a complete waste of time, no doubt millions of viewers around the world stood up and applauded.

Letterman's criticism of Twitter echoes what many people are saying about the microblogging tool: that they don't get it, that it doesn't make sense, that the content is piffle.

In some ways these criticisms are valid, yet at the same the microblogging phenomenon that is Twitter deserves the attention of every manager across the globe.

Microblogging might not be the game-changing technology the news media often makes it out to be, but for some brands and some processes it's worth knowing all about Twitter.

Getting to know Twitter

Twitter isn't a complex communication tool. Users are given a maximum of 140 characters to describe what's on their mind; this information is then displayed on the Twitter home pages of people who have chosen to follow a particular user.

In essence Twitter connects its users to thousands of random thoughts and ideas – an offering that seems to annoy critics the most: "Who would want to be constantly inundated with other people's arbitrary opinions," they ask.

It's a fair point, but Twitter is growing rapidly for a reason. Scratch below the surface and you'll find it can be used to subtly foster brand loyalty and work as a valuable research tool.

Forget the sales pitch

Many brands that choose to join the Twitter-verse fall into the trap of seeing microblogging only as a channel for sales pitches. While using Twitter as a broadcast medium works for some brands (think lifestyle, leisure and fashion), most experience a lacklustre response to their efforts.

Consumers are rejecting advertising delivered through traditional channels in droves and they are equally unimpressed when it's presented via social media.

But that's not to say Twitter is a complete marcoms dud. A growing number of brands are successfully using Twitter to offer content that informs or entertains their audiences.

EMI serves up content for music junkies. Qantas Insider offers travel tips and advice to its followers. (You'll find a good critique of Australian brands on Twitter here.)

So how do you offer meaningful content in 140 characters? By giving followers 'headlines' and links to more information at your website.

Twitter for research

Along with other forms of blogging, Twitter offers a valuable opportunity for brands to find out more about their consumers.
Regular monitoring of user comments might tell you what your audience is saying about your brand, your competitors and the space your business operates in.

In a challenging development for magazine publishers, Twitter was recently a mainstay of Australian Fashion Week with a plethora of fashionistas tweeting their impressions of shows.

Twitter worked in this situation because it responded to the in-the-moment nature of the event; it's an ideal (and inexpensive) tool for measuring responses to events, launches or conferences.

Aside from perpetuating and measuring the buzz surrounding a product or service, Twitter can help you hear complains that otherwise might go unnoticed and offer a means of responding to them.

Is Twitter representative?

When dealing with Twitter it's important to remember that microblogging just one way of measuring brand perception, not the only way. Environmental scanning of online media needs to involve a variety of blogs and forums.

It's also worth noting that your target demographic might not like or use Twitter. (Of course, you'll only know this if you look first.)

We often think new media technologies are the domain of the young. But this isn't so. It's the 35-49 age group that's embracing Twitter while many younger consumers think microblogging is a bore.

Connecting to thought leaders

Another key benefit of Twitter is connecting to thought leaders. Following people that matter within an industry can connect professionals to a wealth of links to articles and resources.

Where to now?

In terms of being a powerful marketing tool, the jury is still out on Twitter. TechCrunch claims the site has 32 million users, a far cry from other social networking sites like MySpace, which has 250 million users.

Another concern is that many people are signing up to Twitter, taking a look around the never coming back.

So at this stage it's hard to tell whether microblogging is here for the long haul or just a fad. (You'll soon be hearing more about FriendFeed – the latest social media next big thing).

But on-going intense interest in anything to do with social media does suggest one thing: customers want to talk back in some way, shape and form, and brands need to listen.

Whitespace is published monthly by the Australian Institute of Management - Qld & NT. Sign up to have a copy sent direct to your mailbox.