Twitter users, usually male and aged in their late 20s to earlier 30s, mainly use the micros-blogging site to address questions to brands and companies – hoping for an answer back.
A new study, the Ultimate Twitter Study from InSites Consulting, also reveals that the common Twitterer is tech-savvy and usually works in the media and marketing industry.
And surprise surprise, the brands they are talking about the most include Google, Apple and Amazon followed by a mix of tech companies and other strong global brands like Starbucks, Disney and HP.
Users define Twitter as a social network of friends and/or business contacts enabling them to share and discover interesting, exciting, inspiring or funny news or hyperlinks in a very fast way.
For this reason, in order for brands to be able to reach consumers they need to be “more human”, according to the study.
Brands on Twitter should observe tweets very carefully and talk back to brand followers in a very personal way instead of merely spamming followers with advertisements.
Twitter users really address questions to brands, hoping they are listening and will answer.
Tom De Ruyck, Senior Research Consultant at InSites Consulting: “Twitter is a conversation hive, and it is very valuable for brands to tap into it and learn from what consumers are saying about them. People often send tweets in the heat of the moment: when they experience something positive or negative with a product. This immediacy is never seen before. Although this might sound like a threat for marketers because negative comments about their brands are in the open.
“It is, at the same time, an opportunity for client services teams to take immediate actions and make customers happy again. This company responsiveness will certainly spread the word on Twitter too.”