To Tweet or Not to Tweet...

One of my to-do's this week is compiling a newsletter on the latest developments from the digital news desk. Aside from the cold cup of coffee, Nutri-Grain bar (for elevensies) and various notes to self, there's lots of exciting stuff to talk about from my corner of the room.

I've just been sketching out the headlines for my newsletter, as I often do. One particular point relating to Social Media - and why we should all be embracing it's popularity - got me thinking... what if my readership don't have the foggiest what I'm on about? What if they need a bit more persuasion on the merits of the social media whirlwind? I know it took me a while to appreciate the value of these websites, setting aside my pre-conceptions of it being a pointless fad for teenagers. And if you think that FaceTube is another social media channel I think you'll benefit from some detail on the subject.

So, allow me to enlighten you a little more.

Twitter is just one example of an effective social media channel.There are others out there that produce results of a similar nature, but Twitter is the most popular, most talked about social media site of the moment - in the period Feb 2008 to Feb 2009, the number of visitors to the site grew by over 1000%. Not to mention the fact that every high-profile man and his dog are using it - Barack Obama, Jonathan Ross, and Richard Branson to name a few.

Here at LT we began using Twitter a few months ago. So far, it's been nothing but a hugely positive experience. Not only are we able to keep up to speed with our competitors, our industry partners, suppliers and visitors but we can quickly and easily post updates on what we're doing too. We've talked about everything from award-winning donkeys to the Lincolnshire sausage petition - and it's a great way to flag up articles posted on our blogs.

Part of the purpose of using Twitter as a business is related to crucial online brand-building. Your brand is essential, it's what sets you apart from the crowd, right? Your company logo, your ethos, your way of doing things - all of these attributes make up your identity as a business, and without a brand...well to coin a phrase from an esteemed colleague, it's a bit like forgetting to put the bacon in the breakfast.

Ok, so we've established that Twitter a) helps you nosy at what other people are doing - which we all love and enjoy, lets face it b) allows you to update others on what you're doing c) is a solid online platform for brand-building.

So why Twitter? Surely it's just a faddy gimmick that will fade into nothing come 2012? Perhaps. But right now it's hot property. It's free to use, and setting up your business on Twitter takes all of about five minutes. You can even place a background on your page with your logo/pictures on - keep pushing that brand wherever you can.

Using Twitter takes a bit of practice, but won't steal hours of your day away from you like a needy relative. In fact, about ten minutes of your day is all you need to spare to keep your profile of updates and news fresh, plus catch up on what everyone else has to say, if you like. And of course you can take it a bit further if you have more time - post links to pictures, things that you like, things from your local area, things you've seen other people post...it goes on and on.

From a tourism business point of view a really important benefit of having a Twitter profile is that you'll gradually accumulate a population of 'followers'. These might be other tourism businesses, people who've visited you and people like us.

Now there's no reason to give it a whirl either (even if you just trial it, there's nothing to lose, right?) - Visit England's new Social Media Wizard tool will get you up and running in no time, perfect for anyone who might be a bit overwhelmed by any jargon or technology struggles. CL

Useful links

Visit England's Social Media Wizard tool:
www.eewizard.co.uk

Loads of advice if you're new to Twitter:
www.twitip.com/13-twitter-tips-and-tutorials-for-beginners

Visit Lincolnshire's Twitter Page:
www.twitter.com/visitlincolnshr