101- For MarketersJune 18, 2009

AMA Connect Toronto

About Me

Phil BarrettVP Digital & MobileBSTREET Communications Toronto & London, UK

SmartIdeasBSTREET is a marketing communications agencydedicated to creating

for your brand.

1. Was the social media story of 2008

2. Over 1500% growth last year (20+ MM)

3. Free to setup and use although…

4. Not as intuitive & initially as useful as facebook (no social graph)

5. Open API = unlimited customization possibilities with user generated content

# (Hash) Tags

1. Used as a way to filter / find content for group conversation

2. I.E. #obama – to follow what people are saying about obama right now

3. All you do is include “#” + “letters” in your tweet and it becomes instantly searchable

4. People use # tags for events – I.e. #mesh2008, #followfriday

Other common terms

1.RT2.@3.DM4.#followfriday

Twitter trumps traditional media

Getting started

1. Register for free account at twitter.com2. Do twitter search for friend, topics, or

events to find followers3. Look for “follow me on twitter” badges on

websites4. Watch as people follow you back5. Add twitter URL to facebook, LinkedIn,

personal blog and other sites where you have a profile

9 Twitter Etiquette Tips

1. Upload an Avatar

2. Complete your bio & location

3. URL in profile should be meaningful

4. Don’t be a spam follower – I.e. you are following 10,000, but only 20 are following you back

5. No tweets / updates = FAIL

5. You are updating every 3 seconds about inane things • i just had a coffee… now picking nose…

now eating what came out of my nose…

6. Don’t always make it about you or your product / service

7. Sales pitches in your auto-DM are bad form

8. Don’t be argumentative9. Engage others

In Summary

1. Present a cohesive personal brand, or, if presenting a brand is too much for you, simply present a cohesive sense of yourself

2. Always be consistent in your use of Twitter, i.e., become known for the unique ways in which you use Twitter, and stick with what works for you

3. Engage with your network. Genuine engagement with your network of followers is the best way to get new followers

Twitter API (Custom Apps)

Using twitter content to make something unique, different, or

complimentry

Download Tweet deck for your desktop

• Better manage the mayhem!

Don’t forget to download a mobile twitter application for the iphone or blackberry

Twitdom is your portal to all custom twitter apps

How are brands using Twitter?

Automotive

Retail

Other brands on twitter

Media Companies on Twitter• Vancouver Sun• CBC• Globe and Mail• Giest Magazine• Open Book Toronto• Canoe• Georgia Straight• Besthealthmag• RedWire• Dose

Agencies / Brands on Twitter• nonlinear_creations• Delvinia• Random House• Harper Collins Canada• Radian6• Rain City Studios• The Blog Studio• Mindblossom• HarlequinBooks• I Love Rewards• Deloitte Canada• indusblue

…and more

Transportation – WestJet

Non-Profit/ Charity – The Canadian Hearing

Society– Sick Kids– LOWwaterkeeper– War Child Canada

Arts/ Culture– Soundstreams

Hospitality– Opus Hotel– Coast Hotels & Resorts

Technology– FlipVideoCanada– Brightkit– OpenText – DNA13– Nortel– Research In Motion– Overlay.TV– Cybernomics

Finance – RBC Innovator Campaign

Retailers on Twitter– Tiger Direct– Lululemon

Commercial Services– 1-800-Got-Junk

8 Tips for brands

1. Use twitter to create brand voice – or identity. Voice should be extension of brand values

2. Don’t imitate voice of community 3. Let it all hang out – you can’t hide

on twitter4. Don’t use twitter as broadcast

channel only

5. Figure out what you want to talk about. • brand awareness and engagement channel? • Is it a news and information channel? • Is it a customer support and response

channel?6. Don’t just talk about products & services7. Casting call for your twitter voice – PR,

marketing, intern? Needs to be somebody already familiar with twitter

8. Listen first(source mashable.com)

Twummary1. If facebook is for people you already

know, twitter is for people you’d like to get to know better

2. Twitter # tags are being used for all life events – business and personal

3. Free tools allow you to manage / track brand messaging and reputation

4. Free tools allow you to engage with your target market before, during, and after an event (or press release)

5. Can be used as a broadcast channel when quick or urgent messages need to get out to the public

6. BIG opportunity to integrate user generated content from twitter into brand activation activities / experiences

twitter.com/phryl

My Mobile & Interactive Marketing Blog

burningthebacon.com(copy of presentation has been posted)

phil@b-street.com

Phil Barrett (.mobi)VP Digital & MobileBSTREET Communications Toronto & London, UK

Let’s continue the conversation…

Polarice.ca

New Polar Ice Vodka Brand website has integrated

twitter in an innovative way