Advertiser’s and Consumer’s Contradicting Perception in Twitter

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Marketing in Twitter is  the most searched keywords in Google. Does that mean that Marketers or Advertisers are looking into the Twitter as a new channel to reach consumers? Yes they are. But what does the market say about the combination of Advertisers and Consumer’s perception about Twitter. Here is the survey done in LinkedIn for Twitter. The survey has provided very interesting and contradicting results.

This is what an advertiser think of the Twitter. 45% of them think that twitter is in its infancy and there are more hurdles remaining. 38% are very pessimistic about Twitter and are saying that its just the hype and will end. Whereas 17% are unaware of the technology and does not have any opinion. But what about the consumers, the one for whom all the advertisement are being targeted.

Its alarming but 68% !! are unaware of Twitter. 20% think its over and only 12% thinks its in infancy state and will grow. Isn’t this statistics and alarming fact that most of the consumer don’t know of the existing vast social network like Twitter.

Personally, I have found that people are continuously comparing Twitter with Facebook. They are presented Twitter as just another social networking site and this is where most people get wrong. The fundamentals of Twitter and Facebook are quite different. Let me put three points and you can see for your self.

1. Making intimate Friends and Buddies.

Many people might go against me but Twitter is not the place where you make buddies. If you ever find any people interesting in Twitter then its better you take your relationship to Facebook or other site. Facebook caters to this particular need more than Twitter. If I start getting intimate in Twitter its not going to work for others. Whereas if I start aggressive marketing in Facebook, that is also not going to work.

2. Learning new Skill sets or Subject.

Personally, Twitter is like an open university for me where I get to connect to people from different sector and exhange my thoughts. On the other hand Facebook doesn’t cater to this needs because most of my friends in facebook are also my offline friends whom I know dearly. For example, who do you think you will benefit from all the quizzes in facebook?

3. Time pass.

Yes I know, people may scold you for wasting your time in Twitter and Facebook. But if you are in both network you will notice that Facebook wastes your more time than Twitter. Twitter is majority continuously stream of useful information which you can tap into your knowledge bucket.  I may waste my time in facebook but not in Twitter. Twitter’s network is more valuable.

Why are consumer not aware of it?

I have been to few conferences and meeting out of social networking area and found that people don’t know how to use Twitter. Like Guy Kawasaki had beautifully written on his blog that using Twitter as a tool is more fruitful. On the contrary, people are unaware of it as I heard so often, “I am already in Facebook why do I need to be in Twitter.”

Twitter is like a new RSS feed. Its a way you can do things. Its a way you can connect your blogs and sites to many people. Its a new frame of  channel which allows you to seamlessly connect your product and services to consumer.

The Root of Problem

The above charts clearly shows that advertisers are aware of the potential of Twitter but Consumers are failing to get it right. You have enough material on how you can be a great marketers in Twitter. But the Twitter society lacks a proper guidelines of how a consumer can gain from Twitter. Till now the only think that people get excited in Twitter is celebrity’s chit chat. I think we need to move above this and present people will clear view of how they can use twitter to gain in their every day life and how twitter can be the right tool for that.

When you are in front of a Television you can tune to any channel. You can waste your whole day watching TV but gain nothing. But if you are clever and know the guidelines then you can tune to the right channel and gain better insights. Twitter is like TV and what you need is a guideline.

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