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Microblogging
august 2008 * the new media insider * fletcher prince
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Greetings!
Want to learn more about the new form of communication swarming our digital networks known as microblogging? Wondering if this new way to connect with your customers or constituents is worth your time, or just another fad?
This month's issue of The New Media Insider takes a closer look at microblogging and how Twitter defines this form of social media.
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What is Microblogging? Microblogging is the process in which people send short posts (140 characters or less) about their thoughts or ideas to a personal blog on a microblogging platform. Twitter is the most popular application at the moment but people also microblog on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social networks, providing quick updates about "what they are thinking or doing." Frappr allows people to microblog and indicate their location on a map. The image below shows an example of the Twitter "update" window. Click on this image to visit Fletcher Prince's Twitter page.
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Why People Microblog
 People microblog about their daily activities or describe their current status. These blogs can either be made public or can be made available to a private group of subscribers. The messages can be submitted in a variety of ways from text messaging to e-mail.
The reasons for microblogging are as individual as people themselves, but in general, social media applications like microblogging are used by people to connect with their friends and colleagues online in a quick, fun, and easy way, like text messaging. The practice has particular acceptance among tech-savvy men and women (such as computer analysts and communications professionals) as well as young people in their teens and 20s who use it to connect socially. If the trend holds true as with other other social media applications such as blogging and social networking, Twitter and microblogging will probably become especially popular with women in their 30s and 40s.
But Twitter isn't only used for socializing. Aid organizations have also used microblogging to communicate during disasters, such as the California wild fires and the earthquake in China. Twitter is used as a publicity vehicle for the Presidential campaigns, as well. Obama, Clinton, and McCain post their daily engagements on Twitter. Even CNN has adopted this new form of communication so that their viewers can receive timely updates. And companies are finding that Twitter may be yet another effective way to communicate key messages about their brands.
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Business Applications of Microblogging
 Most people use Twitter as a quick diversion for their own entertainment and to build relationships with online friends. It remains to be seen if Twitter and other microblogging platforms will evolve and attract enough users to have practical business usefulness, however.
Like most online social networking applications, Twitter is a free application but the time and effort it takes to operate it effectively is not free. One Twitter adherent estimates that to maintain a presence on Twitter, you would have to visit Twitter for a minimum of 15 minutes a day and update posts at least twice a day. That could equate to about $35-$75/day, if you consider the average rate of a public relations professional's billable time.
There are many legitimate business uses for Twitter, however:
- Public Relations. Major news organizations such as CNN, Fox News, CBS and the BBC have a presence on Twitter, and it is possible to tweet some journalists. Twitter can be used to direct people to links to press releases and blogs. Businesses from Oracle to rock bands are trying this approach.
- Lobbying. Yes, you can tweet the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
- Respond to Consumer Queries. H&R Block uses Twitter to respond to questions.
- Consumer promotions. Companies can use Twitter to announce new products, sales, or send coupons. The important consideration is to remain completely transparent -- to represent the company as itself on Twitter and not as an alias persona. The market segment would be limited, at this point, to early adopters who use Twitter. Twitter fans tend to be Millennial generation users who are comfortable with high-tech applications and social networking (e.g., web developers).
- Market Research. Companies can use Twitter as a "mini-polling" mechanism to get instant feedback on new products, websites, promotions, etc. The effectiveness and reach for this type of feedback is limited since responses would be restricted to short quips from Twitter members who follow the company.
- Conference Feedback. Twitter has been used by conference attendees to network with each other and to provide instant feedback and questions to presenters.
- Informal business communications for internal use, such as staff announcements, upcoming events, and good news.
Business-Use Reason #1: To Forestall Brand-Jacking
One additional and very compelling reason for creating a business profile on Twitter is that it may forestall (or at least mitigate the consequences of) "brand-jacking." This is the instance when someone claims to represent your company, posts a profile and logo, and tweets as if they were an official representative of your company. This phenomenon made national news last week when someone named "Janet" falsely represented herself as a spokesperson for Exxon, and started tweeting about company business. Exxon was caught unawares by the online conversation because they were not monitoring their brand mentions online (something which we all should be doing, using Twitter's word tracking feature, Google Alerts, and other monitoring mechanisms), and it was brought to their attention by an outside analyst who had suspicions about "Janet's" authenticity.
Lesson: Not everyone online is who they purport to be! Creating a robust online presence for your company can create confidence in your brand and can help avoid viral crises. Your online presence is an opportunity to communicate accurate news about your company, as well as desirable key messages. |
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The Down Side of Microblogging
 Microblogging does have limitations. Communications are limited to 140 characters. Twitter is also permission-based commuication, so you can't broadcast widely to groups without getting their permission first. You can't share videos, photos, or other rich media. You can send and receive updates on your mobible phone but the fees to send and receive text messages can add up quickly.
Microblogging is still a young media form that may be best used as a way to maintain relationships with established customer groups in specific segments -- in conjunction with other social networking applications and strategies.
Think Before You Tweet
Before you begin microblogging for your business, it may be worthwhile to consult with social media or public relations experts about your goals and strategy.
Microblogging may be almost TOO quick and easy for some companies to manage without taking this important first step. When microblogging can be accomplished almost without thinking, the result can be a public relations fiasco. In one instance, for example, Edelman Public Relations executive Steve Rubel twittered that he didn't read his free copies of PC magazine and that he threw them away. PC Magazine's editor Jim Louderback responded with full-throttle force -- threatening that email and pitches from the public relations agency would be blacklisted. Edelman represented products such as Palm, Adobe Creative Suites, and Microsoft, and could not afford to alienate the influential magazine! Mr. Rubel was obliged to post a public apology on his blog.
Think Before You Link
Caution should be used when clicking on links in Twitter and other social sites (such as Face Book). Analysts are finding that people put more faith in content that is posted on Twitter and social networks, but it's important to practice reasonable security to protect your computer (and business!) from hackers. Cyber criminals have used Twitter to infect Microsoft Windows computers with a malicious virus that can steal personal information, including email addresses. BBC News reported this week that a fake Twitter profile led to a link (ostensibly a pornographic YouTube video) that was actually a worm-style virus. The computers of users who clicked on that link were infected with a virus which allowed the criminals to send spam and steal personal data.
Lesson: When using social networks like Twitter, Face Book, and My Space, only link to online content from websites and users
you know and trust. And then, do so selectively!
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How To Get Started with Microblogging
 Microblogging can be fun and easy. If you are on LinkedIn or Face Book, simply answer the question "What are you doing?" or "What are you working on?"
To join Twitter, visit http://twitter.com to create a free account. Fletcher Prince uses the favicon version of it logo as its profile picture. You can then start "tweeting" or microblogging through the Twitter console or through your cell phone. If you use your cell phone, standard text messaging rates will apply. If you have a page on Face Book, you can have your tweets automatically published to you Face Book profile, if desired.
Then, your level of privacy is up to you. You can "follow" and "be followed" only by people you designate, if you desire.
To follow Fletcher Prince, please enter "FOLLOW fletcherprince" in the update panel.
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Your friends at Fletcher Prince can help you devise an actionable social media strategy that's right for your company or nonprofit organization. Thanks for fowarding this email newsletter to people who will enjoy it.
Sincerely,
Mary Fletcher Jones
Fletcher Prince
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Fletcher Prince to Sponsor PR Woman of the Year
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Visibility is important to Fletcher Prince as it is for all of you. So we just had to share this! We encourage all our New Media Insider readers to take advantage of this fantastic visibility opportunity for your company or organization. Become a Patron Level ($600) or Benefactor Level ($1200) of the 2008 PR Woman of the Year Award. Recognition benefits include name or logo display opportunities, tickets to the Awards Luncheon at the Mayflower Hotel November 5, 2008 (featuring former WJLA-7's Kathleen Matthews), recognition online and in print materials, and more.
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