There are many uses for Twitter, but a significant use is to share content. So, if you are a marketer and trying to get reach and conversion by feeding your blogs, white papers, and event invites through Twitter, what is the click-through rate? How does it compare to email and direct mail? Just how effective is it?
Pear Analytics just released a post looking at just that. Their conclusion is that Twitter only provided a click-through rate equivalent to direct mail.
… [A] “useful” tweet has the following characteristics:
-a shelf life of about 1 hr 15 min, and then it “dies”
-1 to 2% click-through rate on linksWhich means that this is not a whole lot different than direct mail for example, without out the cost of course.
Ouch! Alright, so it didn’t cost anything except manpower, but it is supposed to be better than direct mail and even email due to the ‘viral’ aspect of being within a social network. That’s the hype. That’s what the creative gurus are telling us.
The issue with Twitter as a direct marketing tool has more to do with the fact that you cannot manage your list. You may be able to manage your own follower and following list, but ultimately you are relying on the good will of others in the network to get out the message. The way you manage your Twitter list is different than others manage theirs.
A big factor of success in direct marketing is the ability to slice, dice, and segment for a targeted approach. It is surgical and scientific. Even when you purchase lists you account for quality and alignment to your purpose, message, and content. This simply is not manageable in Twitter if your follower’s networks are built for size rather than quality. You can at least have negotiate money back if lists your purchase from vendors have quality issues. But, Twitter lists are free.
Social networks like Twitter are great to keep high quality leads and customers close and then leverage to build your databases through early stage outreach. When new leads do come into your social network, check for quality as this will tell you if your viral channel is high quality as well. Then, If social network connections meet a threshold for quality, migrate to your central marketing database for lead nurturing.
Filed under: customer relationship, data quality, marketing operations, marketing technology, metrics, networking, social media , Direct marketing, lead conversion, lead generation, lead quality, marketing database, marketing metrics, social media, social media marketing, social networks, Twitter
The Internet is a fantastic marketing tool that offers
convenience, ease and speed in relaying messages. While Twitter is one of the hottest trends in marketing and social media, Direct Mail is still one of the most reliable media channels for effectively reaching your target audience.
While both channels may serve similar purposes, each has very unique characteristics. Direct Mail can be a highly personal form of marketing and Direct Mail campaigns can be designed to reach a very specific target audience. An advantage as you discuss that Twitter doesn’t have the capability of list management.
Overall, Mail still has some distinct characteristics that allow marketers to connect with customers, retain their business and build brand loyalty.
Rod DeVar
Manager, Direct Mail
United States Postal Service
You bring up a very good point. There was a discussion on LinkedIn recently of what print pieces people receive and keep. Everything from garden catalogues, to magazines with interesting covers, to invitations for special events were named. The list went on.
Where many have moved away from direct mail, in some way this is what can make it more effective now, less noise. Another thing I find is that with executives, a personal letter and invitation has always worked over email. We’ll see about Twitter, but based on what Pear Analytics found it may take some time.
Direct mail can still have power.
Hi Rod,
After owning/operating an ad agency for several years, I think I’ve been numbed to the effect that direct mail can have. Our typical response rate was in the single digits in most cases. We were able to get higher responses from more clever, dimensional mailers, but unless the margin on the product or service was there, the additional cost usually could not be justified.
I’ve been doing some analytics/social media and web strategy for a mayoral candidate here in San Antonio, and they tend to use a lot of direct mail.
I use our analytics software to measure the increase in web traffic from the various neighborhoods the pieces were dropped down to the street level, and I found that direct mail was effective in increasing visitor traffic about 200-400%, but had a useful life of about 3 days, and so traffic was back to normal with very little retention by the 3rd day – in fact, the lift was so small I don’t even think I could attribute it to DM.
Ryan