Twitter quite simply is a democracy for ideas. Got something inspiring, insightful, interesting, or just plain funny to share? You will win. Your ideas will go the distance. Got something self-serving and spammy? Um…(let’s just say there’s a reason you need to auto-DM your ‘unbelievable special offer’ to your new followers).
How do you gauge goodness in social media?
You don’t. The twittersphere does with votes. Good ideas get comments, @ replies, retweets, clicks. Good ideas attract followers who in turn become fans who later become customers or joint venture partners. Good ideas get you personal notes sent to you telling you how much they love what you are doing. Good ideas get noticed. No need to spam people to get attention.
The best 140 character market research EVER
Want to know if your idea has what it takes? Send it out into the twittersphere and see what comes back. Think of it as market research in 140 characters!
Nothing – Back to the drawing board. Maybe your idea needs reframing or repositioning slightly so people ‘get it’ or maybe it just plain sucks.
Comment – Read between the words. “OMG – I *love* that idea!” with squiggles and a smiley is a much more enthusiastic endorsement than “Neat.”
Retweet – The best kind of endorsement (even better if it’s a retweet with a comment). It means your followers considered it valuable enough to share with their readers.
How to use the democracy of twitter to test ideas
#1: Tune in – What are your followers tweeting about? Common complaints, exciting news, controversial discussions, and the daily buzz all provide insights into what motivates them. Spend time reading tweets, engaging in discussions and reaching out to your followers.
#2: Ask questions – If you want to know something, ask. What is your opinion of this? What do you struggle with in your business? Would you recommend buying this product? Crowdsourcing decisions is very common and your followers will be more than happy to weigh in on a topic.
#3: Tweet it out – Considering writing a new post or launching a new product? Tweet it out and see what comes back to you. Try a few different variations to accurately gauge the response.
#4: Start a tweet chat – Think of it as an interactive crowdsourcing discussion forum where your followers can tell you exactly what they think about a topic. Use tweet chats to gauge a response to a topic and identify key selling points.
#5: Set up a survey – Want more detail on a particular question? Set up a survey and ask your followers to participate.
Want to learn more about how to use social media to build your business? Visit our e-learning campus for more details on Social Media for Moms: Twitter 101 and learn how to get results from tweeting!
1 Comment
Pingback: Tweets that mention The good stuff goes the distance: The democracy of twitter : MOMeo Magazine – A Resource for Entrepreneurial Mothers -- Topsy.com