Twitter and Marketing

I just wanted to take a minute to discuss how important Twitter has become, not only for marketing, but in every aspect of life as well. It is well known that social media has altered the business landscape greatly, but I argue that Twitter has had the greatest impact. Whenever networks want to gauge public opinion on a certain issue, they tweet out a question and watch how their followers respond. Whether it is CNN asking about the markets or some political issue, or ESPN asking about sports, Twitter has become very important for businesses. As I sit here and watch Bloomberg, hey have gone to Twitter twice for a public opinion poll; one poll asking about Obama, the other asking about the recession in Japan. No matter what the question, businesses feel comfortable turning to Twitter.
 
If you have ever been on Twitter you might be surprised with the trust some companies have with this network, because there are a lot of idiots on Twitter. And I mean A LOT. Anybody who has ever had an account can tell you that Twitter is often used as a platform for people to voice some of their most biased and ignorant opinions. Every now and then, there is a controversy regarding a Twitter outcry that sheds a negative and racist light on people. When the Bruins lost to the Capitals on an overtime goal scored by Joel Ward, who happens to be African American, in the playoffs a couple years ago, ESPN highlighted racist tweets sent by Boston fans. These tweets not only embarrassed the city of Boston, but showed the dark underbelly of the twitter sphere. When it comes to Twitter you take the good with the bad, I guess. What is used as a medium of free-thinking and group discussion can often breed hate and ignorance.

Twitter has also become very important for businesses attempting to target certain markets. If you choose to follow a company or product on Twitter your timeline will be filled with ads that are similar to the products you have followed. For instance, I followed a financing company and now I frequently get ads on my timeline of other companies similar to the one that I have followed. Now it is a little off-putting that they are able to track whatever I do, but I cannot argue that it is good marketing. Every commercial you see ends with a voice saying, "follow us on Twitter", which is surprising because I did not realize many non-millenials used the app. Business men and women rely on Twitter now for quick news. By quick news I mean a quick headline or recap of the story without actually having to read a 500 word article. They have the option to read the article if they wish, but often they are checking Twitter on the go and do not have time for a long read.

On a personal note, my father has recently joined Twitter because of the easy access to news. In a business environment, being able to gain access to the most update info is key to stay ahead of the markets as much as possible. My dad follows only financial companies and his kids, but I would be willing to bet he pays more attention to the financials.