photo courtesy to The Hollywood Reporter WebsiteI've been using Twitter since last spring though less than ten people follow me and only three friends actually interact with me. I still enjoy twitter with myself and use it keep news links when for my writing records. Since I follow Howard Rheingold on Twitter, I've read some discussion on twitter, blog, the social media and the public media. Besides that, since Twitter is getting popular, the business value is getting more attention.
For online marketing, it seems new media companies, or any companies that intend to tap the young generation, the three must have are Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, as The Hollywood Reporter exemplifies.
Streaming media has become an essential part for online marketing, it looks good on your company's website and it also could be a hit on Youtube if it is interesting enough. Media company could put movie trailer, interview clips, music video on YouTube for promotion and branding. Even non-media companies, could put commercials, promotional materials or throw up a contest on Youtube. People used to say the young generation believe something if they can find it on the website, and now they will believe something until they see it in the video with user comment.
Facebook, has been another tool for marketing and branding, especially the becoming a fan function. If a brand gets endorsement from your best friend, the potential for you to like it probably will be higher. Also, I am wondering, this fan thing might allow the company to get access to users information and therefore mine the valuable data of their target consumers.
And finally, Twitter, it is a even more peer-to-peer and personal for online marketing. Take Boxee as an example, their twitter guy is the founder of Boxee, which establishes its technological savvy brand image but also enables a small independent company to talk to its consumers with least cost. Some companies use twitter just for official announcement, which is not as effective as the interpersonal tweets, but at least, it shows the company's changing marketing strategy. And, in a business world that only rating and unique visit matter, I am curious that how companies will evaluate the effect of Twitter. (Do they use google analytics?)
Besides business, celebrities (or their agents) also embrace Twitter now. Celebrities rely on the press to spread the word and now they can do it on their cell phone. I guess Paris Hilton really need to have a twitter account for her exposure anxiety. Currently, Lance Armstrong and O'neal are known as Twitter Pro, and Hugh Jack just launched his account.
Nancy Baym, scholar on fandom and virtual community, also had a recent blog on Twitter, which she compared blog and twitter and summarized several points about the special twitter (http://www.onlinefandom.com/archives/blogs-vs-twitter-its-the-interactivity/). I especially agree that Twitter fills our curiosity to watch someone's life and its a causal talk, banter, easier than IM or Email to follow.
Finally, I am using Firefox adds-on power twitter for updates. It can automatically shorten the link and upload images. Pretty awesome.
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