I’ve been spending a lot of time these days working with clients interested in establishing a presence in social media. If you’re not considering doing that for your business, you might heed the words of Wayne Kurtzman from Media Bullseye.
Companies who miss the importance of the social media ship may actually risk the same fate as companies who thought the Internet was a fad. That sounds extreme, but over half the nation is already on a social network. They upload photos and videos or share shopping reviews. Customers are changing how they want companies to interact with them. The more that happens, the more companies will be left in the dust.
Since many if not most companies only have a hazy idea of how social media works and why in the world they should jump into the fray, some are slow to take the plunge. This is perhaps less true of new and old media companies. You can find Ecopreneurist and Green Options on Twitter, along with the New York Times, CNN and The BBC.
Besides Twitter, there are of course a whole host of ways to reach out to your customers and engage them on a one-to-one basis. There is Facebook and Myspace as well as a fast growing selection of newer sites. There are blogs and blogger networks, as well as, shopping social networking sites. There are community forums for a variety of topics and there are media sharing sites like Flickr and Youtube.
All of these should be considered for a social media campaign, but not all should be used. Why? This depends a lot on the company and product.
For example, as a social media marketing consultant, I focus on green products and on women’s products. I know the Mommy and female blogger and The Mommy and female social media market. I know the green market. What tools they use and where one can find green consumers. I recommend tools that make sense for my clients. Not all of the tools that Liz Strauss or Jeff Pulver suggest do that, though I follow and admire them both, but they often serve different markets.
One thing on which we all agree, though is Twitter. Though less than 2 years old, Twitter is rapidly becoming the go to place for both questions and answers. Have a question on organic food? Direct message @WholeFoods, an early and excellent user of social media. Follow Seventh Generation and find updates answers on a variety of green topics.
Outside the green realm, companies are finding that Twitter, enhances their customer service operations, increases their visibility and most certainly makes them aware when a crisis is brewing. Those of you who followed the #Motrin Moms story know that McNeil Consumer Healthcare wasn’t paying quite enough attention when a writer on our sister blog, Eco Child’s Play, stated her outrage about their ad on twitter and created a groundswell.
At minimum, being on Twitter and following Tweople, (Twitter users) interested in green products, keeps you up to date on your customers interests, like an on-going focus group of sorts. It keeps you aware of when trouble is brewing and it gives you a way to communicate sales, promos and new products to your consumers.
Developing and maintaining the right Twitter presence for your company isn’t always easy, but it is easy to get started. The green Twittersphere is large and growing. Green media, green consumers and green companies are rapidly becoming a force on this social media site. Take some time to do it right though. Sign up with Twitter. Follow some green Tweople…and don’t forget me, @mcmilker . Tweet you later!
Some lists of green Tweople and Twitter Feeds
Must Follow Green Twitter Feeds
Update: check out Our Post on Green Moms and Dads on Twitter at EcoChild’sPlay
Great post, I’m working on building traffic to the new site as well, and you make some great points. I’d love to add a link to your site if you wouldn’t mind doing the same.
Justin
Great post MC! Just sign-up on Twitter…tweet with you soon
Good article. I think you make a point when you insist how important it is for green companies to use social media, especially as their target are usually more informed, demanding and eager to interact than the rest of the population.
Love it – I’m going to do a ReTreet here – for a Green Twitter group
RT @DerekMarkham I just joined this Twitter Group and you can too. Please Retweet. http://is.gd/auu4
check it out and join the green gang on Twitter
Here’s a site that’s dedicated to this very subject:
http://www.thenewgreeneconomy.org
It just luanched this week, but if you have a green business, or are interested in how the new green economy is taking shape, check it out…
Twitter has truly become an amazing tool, though it takes work to get the most out of it. While it is tempting to begin following lots of random people in hopes they will follow you back, you may fill your feed with lots of noise.
A better approach is to pay attention to what someone tweets about and build a network of like minded individuals. You will find that they are, in turn, conversing with other like minded folks. In that way you can build a network which provides a constant stream of information and links that relate to your interests.
Also use the search function – search.twitter.com – to find others in the same stream of consciousness. Try searching on “sustainability” for example. This is a good way to find those in the know on a particular topic.
How does one ”build”’a network of like minded Wind Power Investors???? Thanks
You may want to check out http://yonkly.com
It’s the first niche-microblogging platform with twitter integration.
Best part. They’re a bootstrapped, small team! Go underdogs!
Great points about using Twitter. It’s important also to make great tweets so others will follow you. I recommend using Easy tweets to share articles and posts other green minded folks would enjoy.
Great tips! I’ll be sure to integrate them into how I publicize my site.
So far so good. See out twitter page at http://twitter.com/ProformaGreen. Focus is to give updates on eco-friendly promotion items deals plus announce our postings to ecopreneurist.com to all our readers and customers.
wind4me,
Use http://search.twitter.com to find those with similar interests.
Type in “wind power” and see who is talking about it and then connect.
Hi!
I Tweet for @PeopleForEarth, a green social network and a wiki ECO guide.
There’s also a group for Green Twitterers on on our community http://www.people4earth.net/groups/groupDetail/groupId/36.html
For those of you that are interested in participating in the new green economy, come check out our site – News and information as well as important articles on defining green. We’re building the community as well as providing a platform for green businesses to promote themselves. http://www.thenewgreeneconomy.com. We hope to see you there!
I’m a green PR 2.0 consultant on twitter.
Please follow me: carbonoutreach
Best wishes,
Erica Grigg
Great post!
I think how you mentioned this is interesting:
“At minimum, being on Twitter and following Tweople, (Twitter users) interested in green products, keeps you up to date on your customers interests, like an on-going focus group of sorts.”
As a first step for any company (Tworganization?) wanting to be a responsible Twitizen, it certainly makes sense to listen in. That said, proactively trying to create a community on Twitter as an organization is another thing entirely.
Good to see so many green faces out here! Tweet me at @emused; I’m also at @supereco and @supereconews. Let’s turn Twitter green!