Newsfeed Account-This type of account just gathers and shares different pieces of news specific to the industry that it’s serving. To manage this type of Twitter account, you want to add a third party app such as Pluggio to allow you to search for and find content to share. Once set up, this kind of account is largely hands off, and you can include your own posts in the stream of shared content. However, people tend to dismiss a great deal of content from these accounts, because in most cases, the shared content isn’t vetted.
Customer Service Account-If you’ve noticed that people are complaining about your product on Twitter, you may consider starting a customer service account that specifically targets issues that need to be handled. This gives folks an opportunity to get their issues heard, and gives your company the chance to be seen publicly addressing those issues (even if all you say is “We’re sorry you’re having this issue. Email us at CustomerService@YourSite.com and we’ll be happy to help”). Generally, only larger companies do this; if you’re only getting a complaint once in awhile, it’s best to just handle it from your regular business account. You also don’t want this to be the only Twitter account you have. Your internet marketing should spread some positivity, rather than just addressing negativity!
Bot Account-Just don’t. Really. We could tell you all about how to do it, but you shouldn’t. It’s a waste of time. No one loves a bot account, unless it’s the Yoda bot account. But even that one is questionable. Social media is about engaging with your followers, and there’s no engagement on a bot account.
Real Person-With this type of account, you (or someone you hire to manage your social media accounts) is on your account on a regular basis (we suggest at least daily, Monday through Friday, and more often if you’re open longer hours or on the weekends), sharing info about your company, participating in relevant Twitter chats, handling customer service issues, and engaging with people. We’re all for this kind of account. We think it’s the best way to manage your Twitter presence. This is how internet marketing works in the relationship era. The downside here is that it’s time consuming. You’re either going to spend some time there each day, when you could be working on other projects, or you’re going to be paying someone to spend some time there each day. But, this type of social media usage is really valuable to your marketing efforts. If you’re going to spend money on social media (and your time is, after all, money), then having a Twitter account that is genuine, and engages with followers, and has conversations, should be part of that spend.
Truthfully, the internet marketing landscape can be difficult to navigate. However, authenticity will always win out. Your best bet is to make sure that your social media accounts are an accurate reflection of your company, your values, and your goals. When you let the real you shine through, people will be more likely to buy from you.
Mobloggy can help you create your Twitter presence. Let’s Chat!