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Do you Tweet?Posted by Andy on 14th October 2009

Twitter, just like the popular sites before it (MySpace and Facebook) has exploded in recent months. So much so, that even your website's Google ranking could be affected if you're not on it!

So what does Twitter do, how does it work and why would it help your business? Let's take a look over the coming paragraphs, or skip straight ahead and watch our video recording on how to use Twitter!

What is Twitter & how does it work?

Twitter (www.twitter.com) is a free social networking and micro-blogging website, allowing you to post short (up to 140 characters) messages for others to see.

In the personal realm, it's generally used for groups of friends to tell others what they're up to, seek encouragement and basically just be in contact all of the time without physically seeing or hearing the person. On the business side of the coin, it's often used by companies to promote upcoming events & specials.

However - regardless of what you use it for, it's important to remember that you should never toot your own horn too much. Remember that it's all about social networking. If you meet up with a group of friends, it's often seen as rude or snobbish to continually talk yourself up. The same applies on Twitter; you don't want to become "that annoying person (or company) that just bombards me with useless information".

Signing up for an account is free (watch our video to see how it works) - just pick a username, set a password and you're virtually ready to start tweeting.

How has Twitter helped others?

  • The South East Queensland public transport authority uses it to advise followers of rail & bus delays, upcoming track work and changes to pricing (you can follow Translink on Twitter here).
  • Australian band Powderfinger recently performed a series of surprise unplugged shows. They only advertised the gigs on Twitter and didn't release the exact location until 30 minutes before the set was due to begin, with thousands turning up to watch the live gigs! Watch video | Read related article | Follow Powderfinger on Twitter
  • Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both used Twitter for their 2008 presidential election campaigns. Read more here.

How could Twitter help my business?

As a Self Storage business, you could use Twitter to...

  • Advise your followers of merchandise specials, or "Twitter-only" specials (the latter will really make them feel special - and it's a great way to get others to follow you online).
  • Let followers know about updates to your website - such as new blog posts or news articles.
  • Post a weekly tip for keeping goods in storage (eg: safety & security issues like changing their gate PIN, or buying a specially-marked box that they can keep their important, core goods in - like rental documentation, bills, frequently used items, etc while they're in storage).
  • Gauge feedback on new ideas or proposed changes by asking your followers questions like "If we had 24-hour access at our facility, would you use it? Would you be happy to pay a little more, to cover costs?" and so on.

Where can I tweet from?

You can post messages on Twitter (called "Tweets") from the Twitter.com website, from your mobile phone as an SMS (SMS charges would apply - these depend on your phone company) or from a desktop application / iPhone.

Is StorMan on Twitter?

We sure are! Our link is www.twitter.com/stormansoftware. Not sure how to "follow" us? Check out the video at the bottom of this page to find out how...

Show me the video!

Want to know more? Check out our 15 minute video to learn how to use Twitter for Self Storage, how to sign-up and how to follow someone. Happy tweeting!

 

Regards,
Andy (Marketing & Branding Manager, StorMan Australia)