Twitter describes itself as, ‘what’s happening in the world and what people are talking about right now’. The social media platform boasts around 330 million monthly active users and of these, more than 40 percent use the service on a daily basis (Twitter, 2019).
It’s accessibility and source of live commentary makes it a great public relations (PR) tool. It allows users, including politicians, business leaders, media pundits and others, to reach large audiences. Indeed Donald Trump has attracted worldwide attention with his prolific (and controversial) use of Twitter!
If anything big is breaking, Twitter is the go-to tool for keeping abreast of the situation. No social media tool is quite as ‘real-time’ as Twitter and it is ideal for monitoring news media and networking with journalists and other influencers.
So here are our top ten tips on how to use Twitter to promote your news and brand messages.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are extremely important on Twitter – they allow users to search effectively for topics and align themselves with them. Journalists often search hashtags when seeking story ideas. So think about adding one or two hashtags on your ‘Tweet’ which might help you reach your chosen journalists.
Short and sweet Tweets
Tweets can now contain up to 280 characters, but being concise is still part of Twitter’s hallmark. Perfecting a short Tweet is much like nailing your ‘elevator pitch’. Doing this will allow you to find your news hook and key messaging for your PR campaign.
Name dropping
Sometimes name dropping is a good thing! Tagging an industry thought leader in one of your Tweets might just earn you a public response, greatly increasing the Tweet’s reach. If prominent people are talking about your Tweet, journalists are more likely to take note.
Pitch perfect
Just as in media pitches over the phone or email, explain why your news matters to the journalist and their audience. Remember, journalists care about writing a story that interests their readers, not about publishing your company’s news announcement.
Twitter tools
Leveraging the power of Twitter might mean you need some third-party help. There are a lot of management tools and apps out there but finding a good one is hard. Instead consider a great PR consultant who can help you get started.
Measure results
Your Tweet activity dashboard shows metrics for every single Tweet you make. You'll know at a glance how many times Twitter users have seen, Retweeted, liked, and replied to each Tweet. However it might be worth considering a subscription media monitoring and measurement service that offers a broader view by combining data from all media sources into a single dashboard.
Keep it fresh
Too many brands continuously promote their own products, eventually annoying followers. Instead, focus on content that informs your audience. Also retweet and share content of others that might be of interest. You can also retweet with a comment to add your own positioning.
Trending topics
Scan trending topics, which typically have an accompanying hashtag. Then join relevant conversations when you have something worthwhile to share. For instance, plenty of brands and organisations Tweet to support causes and movements relevant to them, for example #BlackLivesMatter.
Twitter Lists
Get your head around Twitter Lists! They are a curated selection of Twitter accounts. Social media users can either create their own Lists to help organise their marketing strategies or subscribe to those created by other people. The idea behind Twitter Lists is to manage and guide conversations in the Twitter environment and help people or businesses to follow tweets from particular people. Lists can help find essential news, monitor for potential crises, and develop relationships with journalists, bloggers and other influencers. Simply adding influencers to a list can get their attention since Twitter automatically notifies them when they’re added to lists.
What’s your Twitter tone?
Twitter can be used with an abundance of creativity and wit. Indeed those companies that use witty responses and irreverent comments can make headlines. However, such comments can be risky. You need to figure out what your brand’s tone is before engaging.
Leverage the power of ads
Twitter is free, but you can double down on your efforts and impact with Twitter Ads. Amplify your following, drive traffic to your website, increase app downloads, and more. Consider combining organic and paid strategies to supercharge results. Although many companies find success on the platform without advertising, brands with the most organic success create a mix of organic and paid content, according to Twitter.
If you would like support with using Twitter as a PR tool for growth, we are here to help, so don’t hesitate to contact the Profiler PR team at hello@profilerpr.com.au