Many don't realize it, but microblogging has been around since 2005, and microblogs were initially called tumblelogs. The transition to the term microblog occurred and become more popular with the use of Twitter and Tumblr in 2006 and 2007, and the popularity of microblogging has continued to increase ever since.
Brief Stream Of Consciousness
By definition, a microblog is a brief stream of consciousness that's shared with others. Microblogs are typically less than 300 characters in length, and should be clear and to-the-point. Microblogs are a great way for local businesses to share information and generate new leads. They allow for the opportunity to stay in front of your target audience and appeal to the short-term gratification focused customer base we have now gravitated towards as consumers. In addition, with our busy schedules, microblogs make it easier for us to receive information and select what we want to read without having to read a full blog post unless we so choose.
High ROI
Microblogs are also beneficial for a local business because they can provide a high return on investment. In addition, they're relatively low cost, and most microblogging platforms are relatively easy-to-use, such as Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. Sites such as Hootsuite.com and LinksAlpha.com also provide an opportunity to post microblogs to more than one social media platform at once.
What To Share
Microblogs are great tools for a local business, because they give a local business the opportunity to share:
- Updates and promotions for their local business.
- Links to important industry news and updates.
- Upcoming events you'll be holding that others can attend.
- Upcoming events that you will be attending.
- Snippets of tips and how-to information for your target market.
- Links and excerpts for your current blog posts and articles.
- Awards and certifications received by employees or the business.
- Links to promote your local business website and social media networks.
If you're struggling to come up with microblogs for your local business, you can refer to the list above. It can also be helpful to:
- Ask your employees for ideas.
- Ask your target audience what types of information they'd like to read or know about and share it in your microblogs.
- Share and retweet other industry experts microblogs and posts.
- Do some research on what your competitors are microblogging about and the type of feedback they're receiving.
- Take note of microblogs that catch your attention and get clear on why they do so you can take that into consideration when you're microblogging for your business.
If you're not currently microblogging for your local business, it would be worth your while to start doing so as of yesterday as part of your local business online marketing strategy. Use these tips and resources to generate new ideas for microblogs to catch the attention of your target audience and other industry experts. By doing so, you'll be generating more leads as the power of numbers works in your favor. Good luck!
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Microblogs are great in terms of generating traffic and getting inbound traffic. Twitter’s a classic example. It’s free and has the power to disseminate information to a wide group of people within seconds. The problem with Twitter (and microblogging in general) is that at times, it is hard to find information. You have thousands of tweets coming out every second, chances are your Tweet will not end up being read by the people who you might be targeting.