Social media platforms are constantly changing. Wait, let me rephrase that, good social media platforms are constantly changing.
This is because, while a particular platform may have found an impressive and efficient way to allow users to communicate with each other, those users are going to continually look for more ways to do just that: communicate.
Social media’s early darling, Twitter, is still one of the biggest players on the scene, however, competition and questions regarding leadership have forced the company to make some moves that may alter how your business should be using the platform.
Great piece on Bethlehem in the Reading Eagle. Great job by the Chamber of Commerce!!!! @GLVCC #lehighvalley https://t.co/bfHYML1lsm
— LehighValleywithLove (@LVwithLove) February 22, 2016
So, what’s the Twitter’s new timeline? In short, when a user logs into Twitter, they will now be able to see some Tweets that they missed prior to signing on (about 12 or so “best tweets” at the publication of this post.)
In the past, Twitter was strictly linear, so, if you missed a tweet, you’d have to go back and find it and/or wait for someone to retweet it. Now, if a brand or person or hashtag that you typically engage in is gaining some traction, Twitter is going to let you know when you first log in. The rest of your timeline will remain the same.
Okay, so what does this mean to my company’s Twitter? In short, companies that do well on Twitter are those that engage in quality live tweeting, interact with influencers, and stay savvy when it comes to trends.
Here’s what Twitter has to say about it:
Brands that create quality content have always performed well on Twitter. With this update, whether it comes from an SMB, large brand, consumer, or athlete you follow, the best content shines through. We’ve noticed in our early experiments that people who have this experience turned on Tweet and Retweet more on Twitter — and we believe this means that brands can reach a more engaged potential audience. Throughout our tests, we also saw an increase in engagement for brands’ organic Tweets and an increase in engagement for Tweets about live events. SOURCE: Twitter
@ColonyMeadery favorite today? “Out of Your Gourd” and “Fred and Ginger” but what I always have to get? Straight No Chaser is my go to.
— The Beer Nutz (@Thebeernutz) February 22, 2016
Alright, I got it, but what do I do? If you want to keep your tweets up in your fan’s timelines, you’ll want to do these few things:
- Create good content: If you’re putting out quality content that users are engaging with, those tweets are going to show up to other people who follow you. This is still the best rule for all social media engagement, but one you’re going to have to continue to think about with Twitter. Tweet out good tweets. Tweet out quality articles. Tweet out good pictures. Tweet using the #LehighValley hashtag or #allentown or #bethlehem if you want to reach local.
- Engage with your audience: One thing that many company Twitter accounts fail to do is engage properly with their audience. Either they are afraid to interact with “regular people” or they are just automating all of their tweets. If you’re not having a conversation, don’t bother even tweeting in the first place.
- Follow trends and live events: While we all love the Oscars, that may not be the best category to be tweeting about if you want to reach local social media users. Focus on local current events and talk about them. If you want to have a national account, that’s one thing, but if you’re focused on finding Lehigh Valley residents and users, start tweeting like it.
For more information or to see how Lehigh Valley with Love Media can help your business, please get in touch with us.