Easy ways to generate tweets for your business

Everyone knows by now that social media is all the rage. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and now Google+ are demanding our attention. And there are more social media networks in the pipeline. It can be overwhelming. “Do I really have to learn how to use another platform?”

Of course, there will be a shakedown among social networks at some point, and a few dominant networks will remain. What seems clear is that since its launch in 2006, Twitter has reached critical mass and a state of nondisplacement. It is the world’s source of instant information.

Furthermore, following its Panda update in early 2011, Google acknowledged it is now incorporating social media indicators into its search algorithm. It’s no longer deniable. If you’re competing for search, you need to have a presence on social media platforms – Twitter in particular.Twitter is a bit of a mystery at first. “I don’t have anything to say” or perhaps “What an inane medium of communication” are thoughts that come to mind. And these notions would be justified in most cases. However, Twitter is a microblogging platform, and it serves a micropurpose: instant delivery of information.

Twitter has often been cited as a critical tool during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. It has been an undeniable organizing force in the Middle East and in the London protests.

“Okay great. But how can I take advantage of Twitter for my business?” you ask. It may not be obvious at first, but there are two very good and easy ways to populate your Twitter feed with relevant information:

• Tweeting while attending conferences
• Tweeting about new or improved products and services

It’s pretty straightforward. Whenever you or employees attend an industry conference, write tweets. You have 140 characters to express your delight, dismay, amazement, or boredom for every session you attend. For example:

“Just saw a preview of the new CRM app from SAP. Looks like a game-changer. #event”

“Expected more from the new iPhone. When will we see V.5? #event”

“Fascinating management ideas from #SethGodin. #event”

Sharing your impressions and personal experiences of an event also make great tweets:

“Chatted with Warren Buffet for 10 minutes. He expressed palpable optimism for the global economy. #event”

And of course, anytime you roll out a new or improved product or service, you should tweet about it:

“Our new mapping tool makes it easy to generate field reports. Free sample. #fieldmaps”

“Now providing 24-hour emergency clogged drain service to the Austin area. #austinplumber”

(Remember to include the hashtag [#] to identify the context in which you are tweeting.)

It may seem like a fruitless exercise sharing these info tidbits, but you can be certain – there are journalists and those unable to attend events, who are scouring Twitter for just such morsels. Revealing the real-time, insider perspective on important industry events can gain attention for your company.

Announcing your new products and services increases their visibility for Google.

If you want to be relevant on the search engine market, it’s time to start tweeting.