Could Twitter help solve a business problem?

Twitter personalities (above) suggested by Paul Armstrong of Kindred

Another packed room recently at the CIPR HQ - all gathered to hear if Tweeting is good for business. Read Paul's presentation here.

Before using Twitter for marketing or PR purposes ask: "Why use it? What's the business problem?" It could be used, for example to help drive more people to your website or provide a 'face' to your business. An upcoming feature of Twitter is the ability to create lists of key influencers for your business.

Setting up a Twitter account is easy - it's what you use it for that needs some thought. To engage with an audience consider being a resource too, be relevant, honest and clear.

Social media takes time, so you need to define the goals for using it and allocate time wisely. Have a presence on all relevant platforms but choose carefully which ones to spend time on. 37 million Tweeters across the globe is impressive, but there's around 316 million people on Facebook.

With a digital PR strategy in place, and perhaps some training in how to use social media platforms businesses can test out the benefits of Twitter and its counterparts. Happy Tweeting!