Is Your Brand Paying Attention?

A recent Brandwatch report states that 25% of the top brands on Twitter only utilized the platform as a means of broadcasting a message, rather than engaging with customers and other brands. Not only is this statistic shocking, due to the fact that having an engaging social media presence is crucial for branding purposes, but because it’s never been so easy to connect with your customers on a personal level. For example, imagine you own a well-known, cleaning product company. There’s nothing sexy about your brand, but engaging with your followers on Twitter could be the difference between your customers choosing you over a competitor at the supermarket. It’s as simple as responding to a birthday shout-out request or responding promptly to a disgruntled customer. People definitely remember those small gestures when making a decision on a purchase. That’s why it’s no secret that the brands consistently having a conversation with the Twitter community, are the ones winning all the awards and being recognized in the media for their clever Tweets. If your brand is guilty of strictly broadcasting, it’s not too late to change your ways! Here are a few steps you can take to maximize your Twitter brand engagement.

1. Don’t Just Talk, Listen.

Merely sending out tweets is the equivalent of shouting in a room full of people; no one is paying attention. However, once you take the time to listen to what your followers are saying, you can respond to them personally, or at the very least take note of what’s being said, and address it if more people echo the same sentiments.

2. Get in on Conversations. (With Brands Too!)

It’s also incredibly important to respond to your mentions if you are a small company. Nothing screams small business more than taking the time to weigh in on the conversations important to your followers. If your business is a little larger, selecting the right people to manage your engagement should be a calculated decision based on your brand strategy. More often that not, conversations between brands on Twitter get noticed. So, have some fun. Talk to other brands and show your followers your brand has a playful side. Just take this conversation between Charmin, Crest and Crowdly:

3. Have A Contest or Crowdsource an Idea

Contests are a great way to get your followers engaged on Twitter. People love, and always will love, free stuff. If you’re a local bakery, give away free coffee to the first 10 people that respond to your tweet. Or better yet, create a unique hashtag to represent your contest, and see if you can get enough followers involved to make that hashtag trend locally. It’s great exposure and you’re sure to gain some new followers in the process. When running low on engagement ideas, crowdsourcing is your best solution. Let your followers know that you’re looking for a new and exciting flavor for your famous hot chocolate, or let them choose next week’s special if you own a restaurant. Watch as the responses come in from your loyal customers, because after all, your followers want to be part of the brand experience.  Lays, executed this masterfully, when they let their followers choose their next chip flavor.

So, the next time you find yourself resorting to broadcasting, just give this post a read and remember how easy and effective it is to use Twitter as a means of engaging with your customers. The Twitter community (and your followers) will thank you later.