Corporate Twitters
On the surface, Twitter seems to be a pretty fruitless (albeit entertaining) way to pass a few hours. In actuality, this micro-blogging web application has a lot to offer marketers as a supplement or alternative to a corporate or product blog.
The trick is striking a balance between business and pleasure. Countless companies have launched "Corporate Twitters" that focus on company news, such as JetBlue with its airfare sales and weather advisories, and GM, which is currently using Twitter to promote its employee discount promotion and routinely delivers advice on which of its vehicles is right for its Twitter followers.
While this approach serves its purpose, it doesn't appear to be as successful as a less formal one, like that implemented by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh. On his Twitter page, Hsieh shares his movie plans, pictures of his dinners out and experience at the Olympics in Beijing. He even occasionally references his business. This might not be your typical Corporate Twitter, but Hsieh himself represents the Zappos brand, and the Zappos brand is well represented through his youthful and lighthearted posts. As a result, the Zappos Twitter has far more followers than most companies' attempts -- nearly 11,000 and counting.
Combining efforts
To fully take advantage of all that Web 2.0 has to offer from a branding perspective, it's best to integrate these channels as much as possible. Not only does this create cross-traffic between sites, but it encourages more interaction from consumers as well.
One company that has done a good job of this is Paramount Pictures. Its Facebook Page blends exclusive film content with corporate features like job opportunities and sister-company news. A corporate overview includes the company's boilerplate, the Recent Updates page section highlights new products in their official capacity, the Our Films section links to individual movie sites and a branded button links to the company's Twitter page.
The Paramount Facebook Page has relatively few fans (just over 9,300 by my last count). But collecting subscribers clearly isn't the brand's objective, as evidenced by its efforts to drive consumers to its unique film product pages and sites. In establishing and maintaining a presence on Facebook and Twitter, the brand is able to offer consumers a place to go for official and authentic brand information. This can go a long way in countering any negative brand imagery that may have emerged on social sites, and asserts the company's dedication to connecting with its customers through open conversation.
As more sites and services emerge, retaining your brand identity in the Web 2.0 space is bound to get more complex. Doing so is well worth the effort, though. And with so many new tools at our disposal, there's almost no limit to how far our brands can go.
<< Previous page
John Gray is VP of interactive media at Enlighten.
