DIGITAL MARKETING


links) to cram in more characters. The shortened links were measurable too! Speed gains enabled by the simplicity of


the interface coupled with the low storage and transfer rates of tiny digital files didn’t just lead to quick sharing of what you had for breakfast either. Twitter enabled major political (r)evolution, allowing global users to connect to the outside world (via SMS) when the very government meant to protect them locked down the internet. If you still think Web 2.0 is something lazy- minded marketing guy jargon used chat used to fill space of justify marketing budgets, think again. Twitter is here to stay.


SPEED IS KING


Much like the American 1950s dream of automated lifestyles where nice shiny machines took away the stresses and strains of life, we also live in an age where constant ‘connection’ to the internet via multiple devices is considered to be a serious ‘advantage’ in life – at least if you believe the commercials. But who among you has not felt your blood pressure rise as you hear the dreaded low battery beep of your phone while scrutinising a Google Map on your way to your next huge valuation? Let you throw the first stone. Many of the machines ended up making


us slaves to our households and routines. 2012: ditto. Every time I pack my briefcase, I feel shackled to the internet. Don’t you? This is now a bottom line concern for


social networks – we’ve reached a level of user fatigue. So a social media platform that allows us to be witty, smart, direct and to-the-point becomes a clear winner.


“In a world where we are beset on all sides by media choices, the blind


man is king.” I just plucked this out of my head,


clearly. But let me explain. Even a self- confessed social media addict like me is exhausted by the effort of it all. When Twitter emerged, it offered a quick way to dash off my thoughts and garner respect in a community of influence with minimum effort and maximum impact. What’s more, it substantially increased my reputation online in ways that began to filter into bottom line business gains. I could also do it ‘on-the-go with ease! Most importantly, the real estate of keywords I began to associate myself with in Twitter began to ‘stick’ in search engine results pages (SERPs) when clients searched for my name (and we all know how much I love search engine results!) Here’s the important point for property:


speed is the single most important factor in Twitter’s adoption by journalists, politicians, business executives and high level influencers worldwide (not just to spread the word – these people have homes and mortgages too!). Twitter becomes the channel to alert a like-minded community to your initiatives and drive traffic directly to your site. Twitter becomes the standard bearer for ALL of your social media efforts and the main channel on


which you share everything you do, as a business. The cool bit? It’s all 100 per cent measurable. More on that later! So instead of me, me, me – let’s talk


about you. PROFILE OPTIMISATION


Once you have your twitter account set up, it’s important to ensure you use the keywords searchers would use to find your profile and content. For instance: East London Estate Agent | Buy To Let UK Property. For your main brand account, feel free


to use your company logo and colour branding, however, for personal accounts being used on Twitter for business should show your photograph. Estate agents of all people know that folks trust faces! You’ll gain more followers (thus audience numbers) and begin to gain a personal reputation in the property space. Furthermore, it enables people to network with you face-to-face when they see you about – opening up a whole new world of business opportunities.


SEMANTICS OF A TWEET


Word your tweet wisely. More delicate than Haiku poetry, the grammar of a tweet is a very important component in your content being read, spread and acted upon. Picture, drawing on it to illustrate what


I’m saying – coming! Wherever possible use hashtags to begin


to build up reputation against select keywords (#property for instance). If you still don’t understand what they are – don’t worry. Just log onto Twitter and click on one – et voilà! Use less than three hashtags – more and


Google will consider the tweet spam and may not index or rank it highly in general search results. (Remember: it’s vital that your social media efforts also contribute to your products and services being found online. Social media platforms often rank more highly than standard websites for searchers, so it’s possible for you to be found via your tweets alone) Shorten long web addresses through a


registered www.bit.ly account set up specifically for your social media accounts (this means you can measure who reads your content, where and when – all in pretty pie charts!)


Word your tweet wisely,


the grammar of a tweet is very important.


INFLUENCER LISTS


Use TwitterGrader to find influencers in your topic area. You can search by keyword and find the most recent and most influential people talking about this subject.


PROPERTYdrum MAY 2012 37


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