You think Twitter’s a big draw now? Wait until you see what a recent study uncovered about the site’s growth potential for business.
The study, conducted by eMarketer, was based on current Twitter engagement levels and the site’s ability to draw more users in the months and years ahead.
Based on that data, eMarketer projects Twitter will add an additional 10 million adult users over the next two years, jumping from 26 million to 36 million before reaching its plateau.
The fact that the eMarketer study is based on adult users is particularly beneficial to businesses, considering a large pool of those users represent potential prospects and existing customers.
The key takeaway: Twitter isn’t going away any time soon. In fact, it’s about to get even bigger. If your company isn’t currently looking into social media strategies involving sites like Twitter and Facebook, that can boost sales and engage buyers, there’s never been a better time to start.
Consider also: Four out of the top five companies in the Fortune 500 consistently post to their Twitter accounts, and that’s not nearly all, according to a new study.
The study, which was conducted by the Society for New Communications Research, also revealed more than 35% of Fortune 500 companies had Twitter accounts as of last year.
One of the study’s more interesting findings was that 22% of Fortune 500 companies maintain company blogs that focus on customers’ needs.
In addition:
- eight out of 10 of those companies had direct links between the posts on their corporate blogs and their companies’ Twitter feeds, and
- nearly 75% of all companies plan on launching new social media initiatives in 2010, according to a Marketing Executives Networking Group survey.
If your company already has a Twitter account, or plans to register for one in the months ahead, here are some tips to remember:
Don’t use your Twitter feed as a billboard. Engage buyers by asking for feedback about products or services, and provide useful info.
Use Twitter’s search tools to join as many industry groups as possible based on keywords.
Occasionally use Twitter to hold contests or offer small incentives. It’s an effective way to boost your following, and it gives customers a reason to monitor your feed on a regular basis.
Source: “Twitter Soars in Social Mainstream,” AdWeek, 4/28/10.
