In the marketing industry, social media is one of the shiniest tools in our toolbelts.
And to the average citizen, it’s more than just talking with friends and following your favorite brands or celebrities; many people use it to learn about what’s happening in the world. Currently, there’s some ambiguity regarding the necessity of having a Twitter presence amidst the Elon Musk acquisition, AKA the “Twitter Takeover.” As a result, companies must pay close attention to what happens next — because Twitter remains a strategic and beneficial platform (for the moment, anyway.)
A large portion of the general public uses Twitter to stay on top of current events.
55% of Twitter users get their news from Twitter, which is a higher ratio than users of other social media platforms. This is mostly due to the fact that it’s simply an excellent platform for news and trending topics. Hashtags allow people to locate relevant information and quickly decipher through the muck. In addition, mainstream news channels continuously cite breaking news in the form of tweets from societal leaders. However, if reports that Elon Musk plans to put the entire social network behind a paywall come to pass, this could put a damper on Twitter in particular when it comes to being a source of real-time information… just another reason to keep an eye on the landscape as a whole.
NBC Universal
Journalists and other media sources use Twitter when reporting the news.
Who hasn’t found themselves reading a “Twitter reactions roundup” article, or spotted some tweets embedded in articles from even the highest echelons of journalism? While some critics might call it “lazy,” others claim that it offers a general mix of the public opinion. Similar to sourcing in-person quotes back in the day, journalists can now scan Twitter for responses, viewpoints, and outlooks on anything from a celebrity breakup to the state of politics.
The travel industry, among others, is flourishing on Twitter.
As the days of watching television broadcasts continue fading and the accessibility of your information falls into the web of social media, businesses who worked hard developing their social media presence will win out. With a tendency to attract many business professionals, the travel industry has become hugely successful on Twitter. Airbnb has utilized the platform to amass popularity with ad campaigns and beautiful highlights of innovative rentals. As a company designed for quick exchanges and open conversations, Twitter is widely known as one of the best channels for customer service. As a result, many consumer-focused industries (fast food, in particular) embraced community engagement which has sparked large-scale transparency and revolutionized the customer service culture.
Even law enforcement uses Twitter for public relations.
Communication on the platform has proven to aid with investigations and improve PR. Twitter has been very transparent with its accessibility of user data without breaking privacy agreements. Law enforcement guidelines have been established, which have helped to streamline investigations. Twitter bridges the gap between police departments and communities as a public relations tool. A growing concern for law enforcement agencies who use Twitter is Elon Musk’s interest in establishing end-to-end encryption built into the direct messaging of Twitter which would be a win for privacy on the platform but may inhibit criminal investigations.
But… what about the $8 checkmark?
@failwhale
Yes, Elon Musk has announced that the much-coveted Twitter verification will now cost an $8 monthly fee. The new pricetag on blue checkmark accounts will no doubt drive some users away, but Musk has claimed the revenue will be used to reward those who continue to create content and open doors previously considered closed to “common” users.
All in all, Twitter remains a valuable resource for marketers, but it’s definitely undergoing some interesting changes. Are you willing to do the research and find out if it’s still a viable social media platform for your business… or would you rather we handle that for you?
