Twitter is a powerful medium that allows businesses to disappoint customers, alienate influencers and convince others to never become followers. It presents an ideal platform to create puzzling social media contests or #hashtagsthatbreakworldrecordsforlengthandconfusion. This presentation by Marketing Land founding editor Danny Sullivan covers ways that businesses can tap into Twitter and enjoy an excess of fail. #EndSarcasm. In seriousness, the presentation covers both failures and ways to avoid them and achieve success on Twitter.

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HOW TO FAIL AT TWITTER
Observations From A
Twitter Enthusiast &
Semi-“Twitter Famous” Person
Danny Sullivan
Founding Editor, Marketing Land

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Twitter Famous?

3. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/daily-news/2014/11/twitter-anil-dash

4. https://medium.com/message/nobody-famous-37790cb4d014

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Many followers
without being an
offline celebrity or…

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Anyone someone
might view as an
“influencer”

8.  TWITTER FAMOUS: People & brands
reach out because my of followers
 INFLUENCER: People & brands reach
out because of my job
My Many Lives On Twitter

9.  REGULAR USER: People & brands
reach out to me as regular Twitter user…
 And I reach out because I just enjoy
Twitter as a regular person
My Many Lives On Twitter

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[FAIL TIP #1]
When a busy
traveler complains….

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Respond with an
essay!

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OMG

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Replying & listening
aren’t the same
thing

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[WIN TIP #1]
Read, listen &
respond appropriately

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[FAIL TIP #2]
Offer to help but then
make it worse!

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Promise vs reality

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[WIN TIP #2]
Don’t break the customer service
promises you make on Twitter

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Credit was issued.
Also, I don’t always
complain….

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And more on
customer service…

34. http://marketingland.com/twitter-publishes-122-page-customer-service-playbook-for-brands-137786
https://twitter.app.box.com/customer-service-on-twitter

35. http://marketingland.com/twitter-customer-service-tips-137991

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[FAIL TIP #3]
Reach out!

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[WIN TIP #3]
Reach out appropriately

43. From “Customer Service On Twitter Playbook: 2015 Edition”

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[FAIL TIP #4]
Have a contest with
complicated rules!

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Win a
t-shirt by…

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Tweeting
about us!

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With this
specific
hashtag….

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Right
now!

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And log-in to
tweet on
your iPad!

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Uh, No

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[WIN TIP #4]
Make it easy for people to share

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[FAIL TIP #5]
Ask questions just to
get engagement

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I – we – are not your
Google for things
easily found

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“Real” accounts
don’t constantly ask
question

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[WIN TIP #5]
Share things really likely of interest

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[FAIL TIP #6]
Ask to be followed!

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Just don’t

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[WIN TIP #6]
Be real, be interesting.
If people like your tweets, they may follow you for
more.

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Some responses on
why people say they
follow others…

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[FAIL TIP #7]
Jump on a bandwagon!

72. http://marketingland.com/brands-newsjack-lebron-charmin-cottonelle-shoot-worst-tweets-ever-

73. http://marketingland.com/spaghettios-remembers-pearl-harbor-day-on-twitter-67494

74. From “Customer Service On Twitter Playbook: 2015 Edition”
AND see: http://marketingland.com/digiorno-99289

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[WIN TIP #7]
Jump on bandwagon with thought &
relevancy

78. http://marketingland.com/waffle-house-fires-shot-belgian-waffles-scores-worldcup-engagement-win-89609

81. http://marketingland.com/guy-behind-arbys-tweet-pharrell-williams-rocked-grammys-

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[BONUS FAIL TIPS]
Crowdsourcing FTW

83. https://medium.com/message/nobody-famous-37790cb4d014

84. Celebrities are the same as other users
of twitter. They don't like the 'teaspoon dipped
into the Mississippi River' aspect of twitter: that
they're always missing so much of their feed.
And it's the same for them when it comes to
retweeting: if you want something retweeted, than
post something retweetable! And of course what
they like is the reach, immediacy and brevity of
the platform.”
-- Rob Gregory, CRO of WhoSay

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 Listen to your followers, don’t blindly respond
 Deliver on what you promise on Twitter
 Appropriately reach-out & with value
#140Takeaways

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#140Takeaways
 Pick the right moments in the right way
 Don’t lose sight of building your brand &
follower among the “trees” of requirements

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#More
 7 Ways To Fail At Twitter
http://marketingland.com/7-ways-to-fail-at-twitter-141809
 Marketing Land’s SocialPro Event
Nov. 18-19, Las Vegas: use code “inbound” for 10% off
 Marketing Land:
Social Media Marketing Channel & Weekly Newsletter

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THANK YOU!