Use Twitter Search to Increase Sales

[Fergal]

I just watched this excellent video blog post (http://www.niallh.com/increase-sales-twitter/) on a very simple yet powerful method to increase sales using Twitter Search (http://search.twitter.com/).

Hopefully you can use it to help increase sales.

[Nazreen]

That's really a good idea in using Twitter search. It's so simple and at the same time very powerful. Just type in your product and a couple of keywords and you would already see a lot of people who are searching for a product just like yours.

I think that this is really a good way in promoting and marketing your product. You might also be able to use Twitter search when you're still planning on a particular niche. If there's no demand on your particular niche, it would be better to find a similar one that has.

[scifi]

Twitter search... another nice tool for marketing ..!!looks like marketing is going through a period of innovations these days or more appropriate to say through transformation...
I have never used this feature...well i think now I must create an account on twitter!!!

[Fergal]

Social network marketing is rapidly growing in importance. It is difficult to underestimate the value and potential of social network marketing.

[lara3]

I am new to this forum.This provides me many information

[gita]

In social media marketing, Twitter is just small part. Don't forget Facebook, LinkedIn, Bebo, Technorati and blogging. I found HubSpot webinars very informative about social media marketing.

http://www.hubspot.com/ - here is link to their site

[Nazreen]

I am new to this forum.This provides me many information

Welcome to the Business Advice Forum Lara3. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts here. :)


In social media marketing, Twitter is just small part. Don't forget Facebook, LinkedIn, Bebo, Technorati and blogging. I found HubSpot webinars very informative about social media marketing.

http://www.hubspot.com/ - here is link to their site

Have you used HubSpots services before Gita? I've just made a quick look at their webinars and I do have to agree that they're quite informative. Thanks for sharing.

They also have a webinar on Twitter for Marketing & PR (http://www.hubspot.com/twitter-for-marketing/). :)

[Fergal]

HubSpot is a very professional looking site, but there a couple of things that surprised me about it. I was surprised that they don't have clear calls to action, eg "Click here for a free trial" or "click here to order". Another thing that surprised me is that they don't have a clear "Contact Us" link on all their pages. It's difficult to understand how the website of a company selling marketing related services would not have these.

[Kay]

I see Twitter's convinced at least one venture fund they're worth $250 million. News out says they're doing the rounds for a cash injection so maybe we'll see it taking some kind of shape now that's more user friendly. Article. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/24/twitter-raising-new-cash-at-250-million-valuation/)

[Fergal]

Off Topic - I see from that article Kay, that Twitter turned down an acquisition offer of half a billion dollars from Facebook. Not a bad offer for a company that doesn't appear to have a revenue stream.

[silent_thunder]

Off Topic - I see from that article Kay, that Twitter turned down an acquisition offer of half a billion dollars from Facebook. Not a bad offer for a company that doesn't appear to have a revenue stream.

because I read somewhere that they indent to keep it free!!

not everyone's looking to monetize.

BTW this is a bad promotion technique, Users may get annoyed and will definitely consider it spam posts...I dont think its a wish way unless they deliberately ask for help

[Nazreen]

because I read somewhere that they indent to keep it free!!

not everyone's looking to monetize.

BTW this is a bad promotion technique, Users may get annoyed and will definitely consider it spam posts...I dont think its a wish way unless they deliberately ask for help

I'm not sure that the real reason that they turned down Facebook's offer was because they're not looking to monetize Silent_thunder.

Btw, sorry but what are you referring to when you said "this is a bad promotion technique, Users may get annoyed and will definitely consider it spam posts". Are you referring to the article as a bad promotion technique?

[Kay]

The word is they're looking to monetize it now for sure.


Twitter intends to start testing ways to make money this spring. And co-founder Evan Williams promises it won't drive away the more than 6 million people who have set up accounts on the unconventional communications network.

"We don't see any reason why this can't be a very large and profitable entity," said Williams, the San Francisco-based company's chief executive. "We have enough traffic on our Web site that we could put ads on there and maybe we could make enough to pay our bills, but that's not the most interesting thing we can do."

Full article (http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090215/ap_on_hi_te/tec_whither_twitter)

[Fergal]

Twitter will most probably start to charge for company accounts. More here on Tech Crunch (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/10/twitter-to-start-charging-companies-for-having-an-account/).

[Foamcutter]

Is their any evidence or proof that social media marketing creates sales or is it a means to communicate with the customer/potential customer and hoping for a positive response?
I have seen a number of Irish blog based questionnaires recently both trying to measure peoples attitudes to this form of marketing.
Interacting with clients/ future clients can be positive but other forms of marketing might be more effective?
OK, I can see how using twitter search could be used but much of the information on the web seems anecdotal rather based on any metric.

[Fergal]

I believe social media marketing works for certain products and services. Social media is an excellent means of creating awareness. For example, suppliers of web services such as website hosting can use social media to make many webmasters, who are their target customers, aware of their hosting plans. Awareness is the first step to making a sale.

Promotion through social media is probably most effective for companies who are selling products or services to webmasters or too the younger market. It is also probably less effective for businesses that are tied to a specific geographic location and are not in a position to sell their products or services to a global market.

You can view some examples of social media marketing here on Mashable (http://mashable.com/2008/11/07/social-media-marketing-plan/) and even more here by the same author - Peter Kim (http://www.beingpeterkim.com/2008/09/ive-been-thinki.html).

[Fergal]

Nice article on how a coffee shop used Twitter (http://blog.mrtweet.net/twitter-to-go-how-one-local-coffee-shop-used-twitter-to-double-his-clientele) to double its clients.

[Kay]

Nice article on how a coffee shop used Twitter (http://blog.mrtweet.net/twitter-to-go-how-one-local-coffee-shop-used-twitter-to-double-his-clientele) to double its clients.

Interesting! Nice to see some solid information on it actually working to increase business. Facebook obviously thinks the Twitter formula has legs. They introduced a similar function (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090307/ts_alt_afp/usitinternetcompanyfacebooktwitter_20090307140835) in their revamp.

[Kay]

It was interesting to see a genuinely useful way for Twitter's reach to be benefited from. The police used it here (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/13/police.social.networking/).


(CNN) -- When a report of a possible explosive device on the roof of a city parking garage came in to the Lakeland, Florida, Police Department, public safety officials there sprang into action. They sent out a squad to investigate and they posted a notice on Twitter.

Unfortunately, Twitter has also caused a problem in legal circles. A week or so ago a judge gave a reporter permission to send Tweets (http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7014341563)direct from the courtroom about an ongoing trial he was covering and all seemed fine.

However this week a juror in a separate case (http://nwanews.com/nwat/News/74813/) is at the root of what could well result in a mistrial because he used Twitter to discuss what was happening. He probably thought because of previous story, it was okay to do so.


A Fayetteville man who served as a juror is surprised over the hoopla that has resulted because he used Twitter during breaks and after a trial last month.

Defendants who lost a $12.6 million lawsuit filed a motion for a new trial Thursday claiming that "juror Johnathan" was not a fair and impartial juror because he communicated online about the trial using Twitter and conducted research about being a juror.

That's a no-brainer. Jurors shouldn't have access to Twitter in the same way that they're expected to steer clear of the newspaper and TV during a trial. I can see big problems looming if the lines aren't drawn of exactly who can and can't use it in courtroom settings very soon.

[ted bailey]

Hopefully you can use it to help increase sales.[/QUOTE]

Great video. I haven't really been using twitter that much. I forget to login and so my updates are very spotty. I think the video has helped me get excited again.