Social media services like Twitter have become the new real-time Internet communications channel. Twitter has been used for crisis communications, breaking news, discussions on issues and the promotion of products and services. Companies that adopt Twitter as a communications tool reveal a lot about their commitment to communications and their desire to connect with and relate to their audience. Like traditional media, what they don’t say is as telling as what you do say — it’s just that the Internet amplifies those signals.
Publishing giant, Random House joined Twitter on April 11, 2008. Their bio claims that they are the “World’s Largest English Trade Publisher”. They haven’t issued a single Twitter update (that’s right, ZERO updates) to their awaiting audience of 577 followers (amazingly large given they’ve done nothing), and they aren’t following anyone. That, despite a healthy number of references to Random House in Twitter. Sadly, Random House would look a lot better if they hadn’t opened the account at all.
Little Brown Books may not be as big as Random House, but they have a vibrant community and conversation on the go. Their follower:following ratio is almost even (2640:2655) and they’ve issued 865 updates since they joined Twitter on July 28, 2008. Unfortunately, and perhaps due to their Twitter success, they’ve been unable to keep up with the conversation and following a recent call for input on their upcoming newsletter, failed to acknowledge a number of responses.
Social networking is an amazingly inexpensive communications tool and a fantastic way to reach out to your audience. However, it is a commitment which carries with it a public declaration. As marketing and communications becomes more rooted in the digital world, companies will be judged by their actions and inactions using, among other things, tools like Twitter.
And the solution to frequent updates and responses is an easy fix. Get a free intern.
Comment by Verite Parlant — February 15, 2009 @ 12:53 pm