Do Twitter Experts Really Exist?
Are you tired of the hysteria of articles claiming that Twitter is such a must-have tool for your survival on Earth? I didn't say that. James Carlini said it in his blog post at Midwest Business.com. Here is a further excerpt:
"Did I offend those social media experts who are claiming to be world-renown Twitter experts? With the tool (let alone the concept) only being around for a couple years at best, I’m surprised at so many people claiming guru status when Twitter has yet to find its full potential. Are some universities thinking of offering a doctorate in social media tools?"
Fired up yet? I am as his comments are a bit short sighted. It is a marketers job to understand how consumers/customers are getting information. How do they want to communicate or whether they want to communicate.
First, is Twitter a fad? Twitter.com may go away since I still wonder about a true revenue model. However, the technology is here to stay. Take Facebook's purchase of FriendFeed as an example. If people are communicating, marketers need to be there to understand the utility. Facebook even snuck up on businesses who have, ever since, been trying to hire those who understand the community and how to use it.
Second, do Twitter experts exist? Well, yes. In as much as we know about the value of Twitter today, marketers can help companies understand the value and determine whether the tactic fits in their 'toolbox'. Twitter will evolve in form and utility over time. I would want to align with the marketers who have been in the trenches in order to capitalize on the technology when it becomes relevant for my business.
As a marketing consultant and professor, I would not be doing my clients or students justice if I did not keep up on the latest of everything. More importantly is my ability to use that information to determine whether it fits the client's objectives and reaches their target market.
Twitter is NOT for right for every business. I also don't think I would refer Carlini to help with marketing strategies to anyone soon.
You don't have to agree with me, but wondering what do you think?
Categories: social marketing,marketing tips,Twitter
Tags: social marketing marketing strategy twitter tips
Personally I don't tweet, but I am researching twitter for a client as we get ready to launch a new product at Trader Joe's. Thanks to the application tweetspinner, twitter for business is here to stay, thus not a fad.
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OK. Where to start.
1.Yes, there are those who pursue Twitter and similar social networking tools because everybody else is.
2.But the interest in using Twitter for business is its unique personal communication possibilities
3.Which came first, chicken or…
a.Businesses are paying attention because it’s become a hot gathering place for THEIR customers.
b.Using Twitter for your business isn’t obvious or even required, its merely another potential channel that is currently FREE, as well as unique
c.Twitter is only good for your business IF your current or potential customers are on it
d.SN in general is potentially a new tool in your marketing toolkit.
4.Pet rocks and Beanie Babies have nothing to do with marketing and communication. They are things, not channels. They are a destination, not an alternative route on a journey
5.Shouldn’t students be challenged to understand the various tools used today, and make their own decisions on which ones can (or should) be applied?
6.Would he have ignored the INTERNETS in the 90’s because not everyone had access? When did he develop his first website? In 2008?
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I totally agree, Jackie. Twitter as a platform will not go away, and I am confident that Twitter as an entity will survive longer term. I have heard of several different revenue models they are considering, primarily focusing on Freemuim offerings. That will be the best method of monitizing the site. After all, you dont have to charge much to monitize something with 50 million users! We should all have their problems!
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As I said in this article as well as an earlier one - there are toys and tools, first distinguish which are which.
Until you have solid numbers and direct correlation between specific efforts
with the tools and directly-related revenues - you have hype.
As to some of your other comments here, experimentation is good and should be done. Those that try to sell any of these tools as a "universal solution" to everyone's problems haven't had much experience in real world marketing.
As for Pet Rocks and Beanie babies, they were used as an analogy for passing fads.
Will there be successes? In certain areas - yes but again, read my article I said it should NOT be looked at as a cure-all.
Until the numbers are in and the REAL examples of tying revenue with any of these tools, to say that they "are here to stay" is a little shortsighted.
HERE IS REALITY ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Only two CEOs have Twitter accounts.
13 CEOs have LinkedIn profiles, and of those only three have more than 10 connections.
Not one Fortune 100 CEO has a blog.
81% of CEOs don’t have a personal Facebook page.
(Those are FACTS -- not hype)
So all the hype about getting on board seems to have been missed by the REAL decision-makers. It's wait and see on these tools (and toys). I stand by my column which has gotten a LOT of positive responses.
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Fired up yet? I am as his comments are a bit short sighted. It is a marketers job to understand how consumers/customers are getting information. How do they want to communicate or whether they want to communicate.
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I don't think that it makes it hype, for the reasons you mentioned. It's a transition period, it's more of a front line tool. Something easy and cost effective to communicate with and show your customers your on top of things.
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