To Tweet or Not To Tweet

Despite Twitter's slowing growth, it is still one of the most talked about sites when it comes to Social Media marketing. However, many marketers are confused about how to use Twitter, if it is needed at all.

We at Kinetics Marketing & Communications evaluate the following areas to see if Twitter could be a good fit for a client:
1. Do you have a strong online presence? Is your website generating a consistent level of traffic? Do you reach out to online media sources for media relations efforts? A Twitter account doesn't mean much if you don't have any content to provide to your Followers. Twitter provides an ongoing conversation--in 140 characters or less--to people who opt-in to follow your company.

2. Do you have a constant stream of communication available to the public? In many cases, companies and individuals are "Retweeting" the content that another entity has posted on Twitter or another site. However, an original stream of up-to-date content is also desirable. In other words, what can your Followers gain by following you on Twitter--insight on your company or industry, timely announcements and earnings reports, or even weekly specials or discounts?

3. What are your goals and how can they be measured? Are you looking to generate website traffic, leads, or even online sales? New tools are popping up daily to help measure the impact of Social Media as a part of larger marketing efforts. In addition to traditional website analytics, "Buzz Volume" and similar metrics can be used to measure the overall Return on Investment.

4. Do you have the ability to react quickly to incoming requests and issues? An integral component of Social Media is that it is based on two-way communication. Sites like Twitter have grown into a blend of public relations, advertising and customer relationship management. Incoming messages from Followers (including customers, investors, prospects and the media) are as important as outgoing ones and must be responded to in a timely manner. By developing an ongoing conversation with the public, companies are finding new ways to answer questions, solve issues and extend their reach.

We have found that Twitter isn't for everyone, but it can be a cost-effective, dynamic element of a larger online marketing plan.

For more information, feel free to follow us at www.twitter.com/MarketingandCom.