Notes from the Hive

One of the latest tools on the social networking scene, Twitter is also one of the most controversial. It’s a micro-blog, which means it’s a very specific type of blog network. You can only post entries 140 characters in length, essentially the same maximum size of a text message sent through you cell phone, which comes very much into play in the perks (or detriments) of Twitter. These short entries are affectionately referred to as “Tweets”. You set up your Twitter profile, much like any other social networking site. From there rather than friends or contacts you follow other Twitters and in return you have fellow Twitters following you, something like a subscription to a blog.

Sounds simple enough, so why the controversy? Well at first glance it looks like nothing more than a tool to constantly annoy your friends, family and colleagues with multiple times a day. I fell in line with the detractors for quite some time as well, until I did some more research and gave Twitter a real chance. It’s customizable enough so that you can pick how you receive your Tweets, not just overall, but specifically from user to user. You can log onto the Twitter site to read your Tweets or you can have them sent to your cell phone, in return you can send out your tweets via cell phone. A great perk for many bloggers reviewing films, going to concerts, panel discussions, etc. Your audience gets instant play by play reviews, remarks sent either to their Twitter or to their cell phone, it’s their choice. I like to keep track of the news at all times, so I have CNN’s Tweets sent directly to my phone, meanwhile I also follow some pretty tedious Twitters that feel the need to express every thought in their head. I have those Tweets sent to my Twitter page to read at my leisure so I’m not stuck on my cell phone reading these text messages all day.

Now the real question, is it useful and marketable in the workplace? When I was a skeptic I was very much saying no, no way, no how. It’s nothing but a narcissistic tool for people with too much time and ego.
I was wrong, dead wrong. While not for everybody, depending on your business and your audience Twitter is an extremely useful tool, more useful than any other social networking tool out there when used correctly. Twitter was considered a massive asset to the Obama campaign this past election. Just take a look at some Twitter pages, a massive amount of users are STILL following the Obama campaign almost a month after the election. Perhaps you run a bar, club or any other business involved in the nightlife, right there at your disposal is a tool to get your drink specials, list of performers, cost of entry at the door, etc. right into your audiences hands everyday, right into their cell phones. Perhaps you run a car service or delivery service, your employees can update your client base on traffic and weather that may affect the time of travel right there on the road with their cell phones. These types of situations make Twitter extremely useful to you and your audience without being overly time consuming like running a full FaceBook page or Technorati blog, just a minute here and there.

Beyond those circumstances even the big corporate guys are finding great ways to use Twitter. It’s a great utility for reputation, quality control and even when necessary, damage control. Zappos, the online shoe giant has a Twitter, even then it’s not just any Twitter. It’s updated personally by the CEO multiple times a day! Questions, comments and complaints can be directly sent to him through Twitter and he also uses it as a personal micro-blog. This combination is a great way to build a sense of informal community, it builds brand loyalty and it builds trust. All things that many find to be unattainable in today’s corporate climate. Another example of corporate success through Twitter is ComCast, a cable company with fairly negative image in the press. The ComCast Cares Twitter is run by the Director of Digital Care personally. The ultimate form of customer care, he directly replies to all Tweets involved in troubleshooting and other assorted tech problems for ComCast customers. You have a problem with one of your ComCast services? Just hop on Twitter and you’re talking to the Director of Digital Care immediately. If he can’t help you he sends you in the right direction, no talking to machines on the phone, no irritating wait times, no horrible elevator music while you’re stuck waiting. Nothing but instant results that once again build community, loyalty and trust for the consumer.

Twitter is still the new guy on the scene though, so keep that in mind. Much of your audience may not have found it yet. Mention it in your blog, in an email, get the word out and mention the perks of receiving your information in a quick, easy informal way. Get in on the ground floor and build your audience within Twitter. So is it time to Tweet? Take a look and see if it’s the right solution for your business!