• #TwitterDC event trends nationally

    Tuesday, March 27, 2012

    Over the last six years, we’ve seen Twitter become a powerful political tool around the globe.  Even in a democratic country like the U.S., Twitter offers citizens and candidates alike a unique platform to make their voices heard in new, transformative ways.  Today’s politicians, advocates and media professionals are using the platform as a direct line to voters and a real-time way to take their pulse on key issues.  With every one of the 2012 presidential candidates and nearly 90% of Congress members using Twitter to communicate with their constituents, this year’s elections will be unlike any before in American history.




    Last week, our public sector advertising team held an educational event in Washington D.C. for the country’s leading campaign and issue advocacy professionals. We shared insights with over 100 attendees about how people are using Twitter to shape the political conversation. The event hashtag, #TwitterDC, even trended nationally that day, driving home the power of the platform in political circles. (We also learned the power of a good t-shirt: our limited edition Twitter #Election2012 tees were all the buzz at the event!)




    A panel of marketing and communications professionals from a range of advocacy organizations also took the stage to talk about how they are using Twitter’s full suite of advertising products. They offered their own best practices for using Promoted Trends, Promoted Accounts and Promoted Tweets to reach an influential audience and keep them engaged with a candidate, issue or cause. Speakers included Robert Bobo (@robertbobo), Director of Communications at U.S. Travel Association, Tammy Gordon (@floridagirlindc), Director of Social Communications at AARP, Mike Harinstein (@maharinstein), Director of Marketing at Americans for Prosperity and Nick Schaper (@nickschaper), Executive Director, Digital Strategic Communications at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Their top tip for potential and new Twitter advertisers: embrace experimentation.




    The panelists encouraged organizations testing out different Promoted Products campaigns to learn what techniques work best for their audiences. They gave examples of creative Promoted Trend campaigns they’ve run on Twitter, like one by AARP around actress Betty White’s 90th birthday (#HappyBirthdayBetty) and another by the U.S. Chamber promoting their Free Enterprise advocacy campaign (#TellTheWhiteHouse). U.S. Travel described how their #VoteTravel campaign depends on Promoted Accounts and Promoted Tweets to boost their earned media efforts. For more details, read our case studies on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Travel Association.

    All the speakers discussed the unique value of using Promoted Products to amplify the real-time nature of Twitter in rallying support around their issues at the precise moment that matters.




    Find more tips, insights and requesting information about how to advertise on Twitter, visit https://business.twitter.com

    Posted by @ at 2:16 PM

  • Opening up Twitter advertising for select small businesses

    Monday, March 26, 2012

    Last month, we partnered with American Express to offer its small business Cardmembers and merchants the chance to use Twitter advertising to better engage with the people they want to reach.

    Today, American Express will begin to notify eligible Cardmembers and merchants that they can now start advertising on Twitter. Initially, only a small group of businesses will have access to this new advertising opportunity — we will steadily increase the number of participating small businesses over the coming weeks.

    In the short video below, you’ll see just how simple we’ve made it for small business owners to grow their businesses using our Promoted Tweets and Promoted Accounts products.



    Highlights:
    • Get started in minutes: we provide ongoing management of your advertising.
    • No previous advertising experience is required. If you can tweet, you can advertise on Twitter.
    • Gain new followers: Promoted Accounts helps your small business connect with new people who want to hear from you and can spread the word about your business to others.
    • Amplify your Tweets: Promoted Tweets helps your small business get your messages in front of more of the right people. Twitter will take out the guesswork by automatically identifying and promoting your most engaging Tweets.
    • Pay per follower for Promoted Accounts and per engagement (click, retweet, reply, and favorite) for Promoted Tweets.
    • Target the whole world, specific countries, or limit your reach to specific U.S. metropolitan areas.

    If you are an American Express Cardmember or merchant, it’s not too late to register for this unique opportunity on Twitter.

    For tips and best practices on using Twitter for your small business, download our Twitter for Small Business guide.

    From the start, small businesses of all types have made their homes on Twitter, using the platform to interact with current customers and market to new ones. We are excited to offer small businesses the chance to create even more marketing success as advertisers on Twitter.

    Posted by @ at 9:01 AM

  • Promoted Tweets on mobile: more options, starting today

    Tuesday, March 20, 2012

    For years, brands around the world have used Twitter to reach consumers with timely, relevant deals, discounts, news and information. And every day, millions of Twitter users who follow brands are turning to their mobile devices to hear from the companies they care about most.   

    We recently began testing Promoted Tweets and Promoted Accounts on iOS and Android devices to make it easier for brands to reach consumers anytime, even when they are on the go. As with the launch of Promoted Tweets in user timelines on Twitter.com, we started by showing them in the timeline only for those users already following the advertiser. Since we began testing three weeks ago, reactions have been positive. Starting today, we are expanding this test, enabling brands to target Promoted Tweets to mobile users that share similar interests with their existing followers. 

    We're also adding new targeting options so that brands can target their campaigns specifically to desktop computers and laptops, iOS, Android, and other mobile devices. Or, the default setting simply targets campaigns to users across all devices.

    Mobile device targeting is great for brands who want to increase the prominence and reach of their message to a particular type of mobile user. For example, mobile game and app sellers can now pinpoint the users who are likely to purchase their products. 

    Here are just a few examples of some recent Promoted Tweets that are ideal for targeting on-the-go consumers with relevant, timely messaging.
    Given that 55% of the more than 100 million users who log in to Twitter every month do so at least once via mobile, this expanded roll out of Promoted Tweets in mobile is a great opportunity for brands to connect with more users, more of the time.

    Posted by @ at 10:37 AM

  • Samsung Mobile presents #FEED powered by Twitter @SXSW

    Thursday, March 8, 2012

    Starting this Friday, we’re proud to be a part of #FEED, a new community experience at SXSW. #FEED will bring together the best of SXSW into a ten-day interactive exhibit showcasing Twitter’s advertising and technology partners. Located at the Austin Museum of Art at the Jones Center and produced in partnership with Learned Evolution, the gallery will feature a series of digital installations that send content and data into visual works of live art, powered by Twitter’s API.

    Our goal in bringing #FEED to SXSW is to highlight our partners and the supporting role Twitter plays in connecting people with brands, technology, and art — and to one another. Brand and technology partners participating in #FEED include Samsung Mobile, Mozilla, Rdio, SoundTracking, Hype Machine, MadPad, Soundcloud, Instagram and more.

    #FEED art installations will feature commissioned works by some of the world’s leading interactive artists including RJD2, Eclectic Method, Yes Yes No, Com Truise, Araabmuzik, RAC, and Madeon. Each installation will leverage Twitter’s powerful platform for engagement to deliver a unique experience and a custom live feed of curated multimedia content related to SXSW using hashtags, Tweets, geotags, photos, videos, RSS, SMS, and more.

    As the presenting partner of #FEED, @SamsungMobileUS will provide free trials of the Galaxy Note, a superphone that allows new ways to capture, create and share in a personal and emotional way. The Galaxy Notes will each be installed with Sonic Notify, a real-time, interactive presence-aware application integrating every installation at #FEED. Mozilla will present a demo of Collusion, their experimental add-on for the Firefox browser, and digital music service Rdio will keep the music going strong with a public nighttime music event at the intersection of all three SXSW Festivals on Tuesday, March 13th.

    #FEED is an official SXSW lounge, and is open to badge holders from 10 AM to 6 PM CT each day of the conference. For the full ten-day #FEED program lineup, visit feed.learnedevolution.com or download the program guide. And of course, follow @FEED for real-time updates.

    Posted by @ at 8:58 AM