New research shows that 20% of top European executives are now spending more time on Twitter than traditional business websites. The 2012 Ipsos Media report on media consumption of the Business Elite shows that not only is Twitter usage rising, but time spent on global business websites such as The Economist and The Financial Times is decreasing.
This figure is only set to rise, with tablet ownership at 42% of the general population (up from 24%) and smartphone ownership at 76%. Business executives are looking for the most up to date information, and Twitter is their first port of call. For businesses, this means that more and more of their CEOs and Directors are Tweeting regularly. Whether or not it is their intention, when they tweet they become part of the company’s brand. When done well, this humanises their brands and adds on to customer goodwill. When done poorly, they risk damaging their company’s reputation.
So what should business executives be doing on Twitter to ensure positive outcomes for their company? According to Bruce Phillip, CEO of GWP Brand Engineering, they should steer clear of the marketing side of things. Twitter is there to communicate and share ideas, not to sell products. Occasional posts about their personal lives are encouraged; to their followers, they are still a human, living their own life. Not simply a branch of the company. Spelling and grammar is key – misspelled words in order to keep the character count to 140 causes followers to disengage.
So, company execs – get Tweeting!
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