19
Local Twitter
“WELL, TWITTER IS good for you, Scott. Your market can be anywhere in the world.” And so it begins. Another reason given why a business claims it doesn’t need to engage with its marketplace by using social media.
Whenever I speak to geographically based businesses we always end up talking about whether Twitter and other sites are valuable when your customers are all close by. For example, why would a pizza place in Dallas care about connecting with someone in Toronto?
Fair enough. I do understand that when most of your customers are within the range of local transit that they should be your first focus for marketing. However, connecting on a large scale with people in the same industry outside of your competitive geographical area is a smart thing to do. It allows you to share best practices and solve problems without taking away local market share.
If your business is “local” there are four things you can do to help you focus your Twitter efforts:
1. Use a keyword location-specific search in Twitter for people in your area. Many people suggest using keyword terms to search for potential customers, but it doesn’t work well for a local business. When you put the name of your city or town into the search with your business type, the tweets that come up would have to include both (i.e., I need a massage in Toronto versus I need a massage). Such a specific search may not be fruitful, so the way to solve this issue on Twitter is to do a search using the term “near.” By putting “near: Toronto” beside your keyword, you will see all the tweets from people who listed in their profile location that they are near Toronto. So now the person who tweets “I want a pizza” can now be found geographically. Use either the “search” bar on the right side of Twitter or search.twitter.com.
Now just you wait!
This isn’t an excuse to start replying to everyone on this list to say “Come use us! We rulez teh universse! LOLZ!” Reply to some people, say something like, “Heya, we could help you out! Let us know, hope u feel better soon!”
I’m not done with you!
Please do not set up an auto-reply system that will send replies to anyone who mentions a certain word in a tweet. Seriously, I will hunt you down and give you a stink-eye of epic proportions. These people have potentially raised their hands, the last thing you need to do is hit them up with a prewritten auto-tweet and then when they check out your profile, all they see is that same tweet to hundreds of others. Doesn’t make them feel all warm and fuzzy.
Most importantly, this tool should be used to see people in your area to start engaging. Actually care about them. Get to know them. You’re a person, and amazingly, so are they!
Set up this search in a program like TweetDeck so it automatically refreshes the search.
2. Use Twitter Grader to find the best users in your area.
Twitter Grader ranks users by awesomeness (my word), not just by follower count. Use its location search so you can find the best in your area to get to know.
Same rule applies here. Don’t follow just to send them ads. Engage, get to know people. It’s like a live networking event, except you can’t be cornered by the creepy dude drinking scotch.
3. Twellow Pages. It’s like the Yellow Pages but people actually use it.
Using its search function, you can search by interests and by location. This is a great site for finding people in specific industries.
Make sure that you also list your own Twitter account in the directory under the “Register for Free” link on the homepage.
4. Tell them you’re there!
It sounds silly, but tell people that you’re on Twitter. Put it in the company newsletter, in ads, at the checkout. You’d be amazed how many people are on Twitter, and if they like you they can spread the word to others in the Twitter world.
We now know that Twitter is an amazing tool for local business. Location-based social media is happening today and certain to be a big part of the future online. With smart phones in everyone’s hands, GPS, Google maps, and sites like Twitter and Facebook creating online communities, more and more we let the world know where we are. I like to think of it as reverse stalking. Recently, there are programs dedicated to just this. Sites like FourSquare and Gowalla have the sole purpose of telling the world where you are.
These have some amazing potential and also dangers for businesses. Location-based technology allows restaurants to dynamically let potential customers know their menu and specials. Passersby can find out where the best coffee shop is as recommended by their trusted circle and then let the world know they are there and “love the coffee, great service” and so on. At conferences, we can find our friends, set up meetings, and read reviews of venues all in one place. Then add our two cents to the dialogue.
The danger to local businesses is the same as with any form of social media. You do not control the message. If your product is bad, if your service is lacking, if the store down the road is more active and engaging, then your business is going to suffer. For the individual, again as in social media in general, location-based tagging and check-ins add another dimension that can hurt your personal brand. Remember, if you let the world know that you are someplace they think you shouldn’t be, it will not be without consequences.
My biggest issue with banking on people telling others where they are is for the most part women57 don’t like the idea. I, being a semi-egotistical male,58 don’t mind that people know where I am all the time, but rarely have I explained location-based social media and have a woman reply “awesome! Let’s tell the world where I am!” Also when you are telling the world where you are, you are also telling them where you aren’t (i.e. at home). Social media allows people to come into our lives, but location-based media is a little much for most people.
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