If you’re a business owner, it’s important to understand the changes coming to Twitter, as well as how they can potentially impact your business.
In February, a deal was reached between Google and Twitter to allow Google direct access to the Twitter firehose (the term used to refer to the constant stream of data generated every second by Twitter users). This means that your tweets will be visible in search results.
According to Twitter’s CEO, they are also working with Apple to include Twitter content to Spotlight search on OS X and iOS.
Here’s how the Twitter and Google alignment can impact your business.
Your Business Will Be Exposed To a New Customer Base
There are plenty of people who simply don’t use Twitter. If you have been using Twitter as one of your primary means of expanding your brand, you have likely missed out on thousands of customers. Now, people who don’t use Twitter will be exposed to your tweets, meaning you will be reaching more people than you ever thought possible.
Protect Your Online Reputation by Monitoring Twitter Tags
If a person performs a search for “closest steakhouse”, a recent tweet written by a customer about their experience could easily show up. If this is a positive review, it will likely sway the searcher to try your restaurant. If their comments are negative, they may decide to go somewhere else.
If a customer leaves a negative tweet, it is important that you respond directly to the customer online as soon as you become aware of it. In many cases when a complaint is appropriately and quickly taken care of, customers will either delete or revise their negative comment. Investing in social media software tools to catch these interactions and mentions is certain to be a good investment. This includes Hootsuite and Spredfast.
Dedicate More Time to Ensure a Strong Twitter Presence
Every one of your Tweets will not go directly to the top of Google’s search engine results. Google will devise an algorithm to determine which Tweet lands where. Obviously, a tweet with more favorites and retweets will rank higher than one with minimal attention.
Increase Your Engagement on Twitter
You always want to ensure you are increasing your engagement on Twitter. This helps gain more SEO attention. Keep in mind that you will need to consider website SEO strategies when composing your tweets. For example, think about keywords that potential customers are likely to use in a search and be sure to include them in your tweet. Don’t forget to incorporate hashtags. Tweets with hashtags see two times more engagement than Tweets without hashtags.
A call to action is important in any social media strategy. So be sure to include a call to action in your tweets as well. Alternatively, you can have a link to your site for further information. Simple messages do not compel users to take action.
Tweeting frequently is also encouraged. The more active you are, the more followers you are likely to gain and the more connections you will make. Additionally, if something is happening in the world that relates to your services or products, it is important to jump in and tweet a relevant statement or question to become part of the conversation.
You also may not realize the power of images. Data from Twitter shows that you can get a 35% boost in retweets by including images. So use high impact images when possible.
Time your tweets appropriately. Consider the following factors to determine the best time to tweet. Tweets published between 8am and 7pm in your time zone have a 30% increase in engagement than tweets posted at other times of the day. Tweets on Saturday and Sunday see a 17% increase in engagement than weekday tweets.
In Summary
The agreement between Google and Twitter creates a great deal of possibilities for businesses that use this alignment the right way. If you are not comfortable with social media and search engine optimization, you will find it beneficial to hire an experienced social media strategist to assist you, especially in the beginning.
Contact us using the form below to learn more…
