Two months ago, I launched my Twitter account (@hubbtweet) and jumped into the social media mosh pit to find out what I might learn about this much-hyped medium, and myself. Hoping that my Midwest stick-to-it-ivness would overcome my Midwest skepticism, I opened my mind and went at it with a workman-like dedication that would make my father proud.
286 tweets, 133 followers and a lot of blocked spam later, I was surprised to learn that I'm officially hooked (for the record, I've just made this admission...my wife told me this seven weeks ago). Here are 10 things I've learned during my time among the twitterrati:
1. Social media is not a strategy, it's a vehicle. Content is still king, and those people and brands with a compelling story to tell will prevail. Now that online has finally caught up to live in its ability to create meaningful community through emotional and authentic interactions, the trick is going to be integrating the two vehicles to drive sustained momentum.
2. Social media is driving a return to local brands. Twitter is tailor made for Main Street retailers who can let "brand me" shine 140 characters at a time, and then pay it off through authentic in-store interactions. These retailers are supported by aggressive DDA's and other local advocates that love to promote their favorite mom and pops. Some of my favorite examples are @houseofchants, @slowsbbq, @iluvferndale, @positivecities, @buymichigannow and @filmmichigan.
3. Large brands are struggling to figure out what to do with it. This natural strategy for the little guy is a challenge for large brands searching for their true voice on Twitter and other social media. Those that do it better than others are using live communications to drive content. But overall, I've been disappointed that some of my favorite niche brands haven't made it work yet. Some of the better examples I've seen are @fordfiesta and @michelob.
4. The same rules apply to online relationships as offline relationships. Sorry guys, it's true. Social media relationships must be mutually beneficial and the more you give, the more you get. The best rule of thumb I've seen: 70% of tweets should be sharing useful content of interest to your community, 20% should be talking about what you are doing, and 10% should be promotion if you're tied to a company. Some of my favorite relationship-building tweeters in the event world are @ready2spark, @psalinger and @msstallings.
5. Quality over quantity is better. In my opinion, mass-tweeters like Guy Kawasaki, Pete Cashmore and Scott Stratten do such a good job that there isn't any more room for that approach. But there is plenty of room for thought leaders who share their wit and observations in more measured and often unexpected ways. Some that always seem to inspire me are @mgobe, @jeremygutsche, @bluefireinc, @richard_florida and @love_branding.
6. Twitter is an amazing aggregator of news. For those of us on the verge of information overload, nothing beats getting snippets of the most relevant news as it hits the wire. From the mainstream to the obscure, it's all here on Twitter. And for those in PR, so are the reporters. Some of my favorite media and media personalities are @fastcompany, @shanghaidaily, @eventmarketer, @patcaputo98, @smithmag.
7. Twitter works to promote music and television content. From previews of that new album release to learning and tweeting about new episodes of your favorite show, Twitter works to build community around traditional media content. I'm even following a crazy dude fighting for survival alone in the Canadian Yukon (he's kind of depressing, actually)! I've had fun following @noreservations, @wilcohq, @natgeoadventure and @aloneinthewild.
8. Events need to do a better job sharing buzz-worthy content in real time. I'm not sure if event producers haven't embraced social media, or if they're afraid that people might not pay to show up if they can feel the pulse online, but events are dropping the ball in using Twitter to promote what's happening. There is huge demand here and event managers that figure out how to tap into this will have a major success on their hands. Sorry, no examples worth sharing.
9. Fundraising can work online. I know, I know...the big benefactors that all charities covet are still working to embrace the touch tone phone, let alone social media. But tomorrow's charitable community is online and ripe for the picking! Every non-profit should be using Twitter as a tool to promote its events and connect with their community. A few good examples of those doing it right are @gleaners and @endstigma.
10. Twitter is a great tool to drive traffic to your blog. OK, I'll resist the cheesy "if you're wondering if billboards work, it just did" example...but...you are reading my blog, so...Bloggers UNITE and embrace the mountaintop that is Twitter!
That's all for now. I'd love it if you would share your feedback and connect with me online via Twitter or LinkedIn. I'll report back from the front in a few more months. Out.