Tweet smell of success

06 April 2010, B2B Marketing

As Twitter's popularity continues its meteoric rise, how can B2B brands make sure they are getting in on the action?

Eighteen months ago, few could have predicted that Twitter would become the social media phenomena that it is now. By its own estimation, Twitter is now worth around $1 billion. It recently announced that it had passed the 10 billion tweet mark. Sceptics argue that they can't understand the worth of this (so far) free to use, ad-free platform, yet none can deny that Twitter is now one of the most talked about Internet trends. Its popularity has divided marketers into two camps – those hailing it as the best bandwagon they ever jumped on, and others scratching their heads in confusion as to how it all works.

In the B2B space, there is a general sense that Twitter is coming of age. Plenty of B2B brands are already using it to good effect – and it's not just the playground of the tech-savvy companies either. “A wide variety of companies have adopted Twitter from many backgrounds”, says George Ioannou, head of creative and strategy at Maginus. “Sectors include automotive, financial services, healthcare, media and entertainment, travel and hospitality and retail.”

Users say that Twitter is about creating brand awareness, listening, extending networks and generally interacting to add something of value – over and above generating leads.

This might sound great, but with millions of individuals and companies posting billions of tweets, getting started feels a bit like entering a bees' nest and being drowned out by the hum. Third-party websites such as Listorious can provide one relatively quick and easy way to find relevant followers. Listorious allows you to search for top 'Twitter lists'. This feature was launched late last year, and allows users to bunch together other users into relevant groups. Type, for example, “B2B” into Listorious and you're presented with lists such as 'B2B trade groups' and 'B2B biz owners'.

Positioning your brand as expert

For Andy Pearce, CEO of conference calling company Powwownow, the key is to use a topical hook, with the objective of positioning your brand as a thought leader. Powwownow's tweets do not centre solely around conference calling-related issues. The company has set up three accounts, each focusing on a specific area of interest: green issues, business efficiency issues, and an account directly related to its service and offerings. “Just tweeting about your business and what you're doing is quite narrow-minded,” explains Pearce.

The trick, he adds, is to follow people that you, in turn, would like to follow you. Pearce makes a point of following journalists, for example, who write about B2B and entrepreneurialism “It's a good PR tool. We follow correspondents on all kinds of publications and offer comment on things they are working on,” he says.

Retweeting, according to many experts, is the lifeblood of running a successful Twitter account. Users who like your content are more likely to 'retweet' it to their own followers – thus instantly broadening the reach of your message.

B2B specialist Base One has been helping Powwownow to add followers and assisting with posted content. Explains John Bottom, head of content marketing, “With Powwownow we're trying to differentiate it from other conference calling companies by showing it is active in caring about green issues – it gives them a personality.”