A dog snuggling with his bird best friend is trending. So is “the 10 strangest things to ever happen
in a Walmart.” And so is Justin Bieber. But we’re not going there.
Who cares? And what makes something trend? Technically speaking, trending social media news is determined by the platform’s algorithms. You don’t need to take advanced math all over again, so we’re going to cut to the simple explanation.
Essentially, when a topic gains above average mentions in a short period of time, it becomes a trend. Trending is unpredictable. Even the most random things can start to trend. Hence the large amount of cat topics and celebrity baby names trending daily. But is there any point in paying attention to this? Can you use it to profit your company? Yes and yes.
Today we’ll show how you as a business owner or your company’s social media manager can use Twitter’s trending topics to your advantage.
Ever notice that little lightning bolt on your new Twitter home page? That new feature is Twitter Moments, and it could be the answer to increasing followers and engagement. Let’s take a tour through how it works.
Twitter Moments is the social media platform’s attempt at making the sometimes overwhelming Twittersphere a little more manageable, especially for newbies. Moments lets you see the top tweets for what’s trending that day, whether it’s Star Wars or Hoverboards or Republican debates or Queen Elizabeth. Think of it like a magazine. A magazine that allows you to pick what you want to read and skip everything else. The information featured in Twitter Moments are actual tweets, not full-length articles, so you’re guaranteed to get your news in the quick format Twitter is known for. Twitter Moments can be, and should be, used as your go-to source for quality info that you control.
Let’s say you own an automotive shop. You look on Twitter Moments one day and see that
people are talking about an upcoming ice storm. Since you sell snow tires, chains and de-icer, you can jump on that trend with a blog about how to prepare for a snow and ice storm, Facebook and Twitter posts showcasing your winter storm products, and maybe even offer a special deal or a coupon. Get in on the conversation and show your customers that you’re on top of current trends. You’ll look like a pro, and feel like one too.
New to Twitter? Moments lets you get a feel for what Twitter is all about without having to follow even one person. Figuring out who and what to follow is the most daunting part of using the social media channel, but Moments gives you a look at what you might like and then you can choose to follow who you wish. But this isn’t the best part of Twitter Moments. The coolest thing is that the new feature allows you to reach an entirely new audience.
These days, social media marketing is much more than just connecting with people, it’s a two-way, give and take relationship. It’s about engaging with an audience and letting them know what you and your business can do for them. The more you connect and engage, the more awareness you can provide them with. Social media prospecting is the best way to quickly get to potential customers, showcase your services, and work to get them to engage directly with your brand or product. Twitter Moments is taking social media prospecting to a new level.
Twitter Moments is instant gratification for the instant gratification age, and your business should jump on this newest feature, both for staying current on popular buzz and new lead generation.
Photo by Pat (Cletch) Williams
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