Twitter and Facebook are two very powerful but very different social media platforms. To get the most out of them, you need to be sure you’re using each site in the most appropriate way.
Twitter is all about immediacy. With each message restricted to 140 characters, you are limited to what you can say – so make it important.
Many businesses find Twitter ideal to give updates on sales and deals, as the immediacy of Twitter means these messages are often spread across the user base extremely quickly. Others use Twitter to form relationships with
customers, fix any complaints and share interesting or useful links.
On the other hand, Facebook is a much more personal type of site. Users are picky about who they allow into their “friends” list, and as a result you need to offer something of value. When posting Facebook updates, make sure you’re giving something worthwhile – an interesting link, information about a sale, even a discount or offer a topic for discussion.
The common link between these two sites is honesty and conversation. Users don’t want to be preached at, they want to talk with you about your product. They won’t respond to one-way messages. Instead, invite them into a conversation and you’ll find customers will be much more responsive.
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
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