Monday, May 18, 2009

Thoughts on Jakob Nielsen's feedback of Twitter

After reading the article in BusinessWeek interviewing Jakob Nielsen on his critiques of Twitter, I thought...

While I agree that not all CEOs should be on Twitter, I do think that companies cannot ignore the power and reach of social networks like it. I actually don’t care to follow too many CEOs. I would rather follow the key people that really are running the business (creative types, people in RnD, the new thinkers that are industry-obsessed about the same things I am obsessed with, etc).

Companies should be using this medium to organically empower people that are passionate about ideals, services and products that all support and align their own purpose. For example, if you produce a widget, why not have someone on your team who is passionate about the industry speak and connect with like-minded people. Building these connections are about establishing brand ambassadors. It’s also about building compassion and passion, sharing information and learning. Take this approach and Twitter makes sense. If you have unrealistic expectations that people will want to follow you just because you are a CEO, well you are missing the point.


Use Twitter to empower those that are most passionate. People will follow.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

To Tweet or Not to Tweet.

“Just got to work.” “Sitting in my chair now.” “Anyone know of any good apps for my iPhone?” All mocking Tweets from a viral video being circulated that pretty much says Twitter is useless. It is funny, really funny, I have to admit (also checkout the video about Tweeting celebs). BUT, as a Twitterer and a marketer I would like to make a counterpoint to help those joining the bandwagon of anti-Twitterisms.

Yes, there are people (annoying people, I agree) who Tweet about everything they do, and do it without apparent purpose. From going to the loo (as the Chairman of Virgin put it in an interview with BusinessWeek) to random thoughts of nothingness, even today’s lunch which included an avocado sandwich with sprouts on wheat. Sprinkled among them are users that evidently self-promote and make no effort to hide it.

It is totally understandable that companies and their marketing executives would doubt the power of this social network, especially as the number of naysayers and harsh generalizations, from many self-proclaimed social media experts, grow. To me, some simply don’t understand who really uses a network like Twitter. And they have not experienced the REAL purpose of Twitter, leaving them to mock what they don’t understand. While some are busy going back and forth about Twitter’s viability as a sustainable platform, a major opportunity is passing them by.

There is a very valuable group of people out there Tweeting. Many use Twitter as an efficient means to exchange information and valuable insights. And those of us that use it for this purpose openly criticize people that distribute mind-numbing self-centered rants. Once a Twitvandal is identified, they start loosing followers (really engaged followers, not those that opened an account because of Oprah). These engaged Twitterers are who you need to be paying attention to because they are gaining in force. These groups of people are more connected, more in tune, and more likely to be your trendsetters and influencers across many industry niches.

Even if you don’t want to be an active participant in conversations, marketers have a unique opportunity to listen. I can’t tell you how many times I thought to myself, “I wish I could just get inside the heads of this particular group of people. Understand what they like, what they do, how they speak and what they are passionate about to help me be a better marketer.” With new tracking and search tools arriving daily this kind of information is at our fingertips. You can find people that use Twitter to engage others that share common interests and enthusiasm. You can even have a bird’s eye view of their conversations. Pinpoint and engage people within the most obscure niches, and they will welcome you with open arms because they are there to share (as long as you abide by the appropriate social media etiquette).

I can’t possibly be the only person excited about this.

Through Twitter, I have discovered new experts (I mean the real experts like the industry obsessed that I can get honest opinions from like
@svartling, @mashable, @joelrubinson, @PR_CoutureFashion, @adbroad, @nlupus, @kyleplacy, @shanegibson @chrisbrogan, etc.), great bloggers (The Counter Intuitive CEO, Geeky Grrrl, Graphic Design Blog), talented aspiring artists and fresh thinking writers (@meaghano), and even online magazines (Silicon Alley Insider, @TechCrunch). I get a glimpse inside the minds of executives at some of the biggest and most admired brands and companies from around the world (@zappos, @GaryStockman, @yodera). Along with daily doses of some super dandy brain candy, I also get really great laughs (@TheOnion), even from shared experiences – simply put in 140 characters or less.

Today,
@bogusky Tweeted “Even a good day in advertising contains at least one swift kick to the nuts.” Ahhh, how refreshing to know that even the industry’s best known shares something with me.

Twitter has heightened my industry awareness to topics I knew I was passionate about and even shed light on reasoning and opportunities that may have not yet made it on my radar.

Not to mention, I feel that I am more efficient, more connected and growing professionally through those that I follow on Twitter.

So Tweet on my good people. Non-Tweeters… gather all the facts before you judge.

@mpriestarnold