Twitter and Local Search Marketing

This post I will show you how to add the popular Twitter program to your local search marketing program. Twitter is the social media program with over 10 million participants that acts like a micro blog. Using 160 characters, you establish a profile on Twitter. Then you can send and receive Tweets from other participants who follow you or whom you follow. A Tweet must be less than 140 characters.

The Tweets are in real time and have a shelf life of about 1-2 hours when they are replaced by fresher Tweets. Twitter is a constant stream of people’s conversations and comments. People use Tweets to talk about themselves and what they are doing. They use Tweets or Retweet other people’s Tweets to share things they like with others.

Some use Twitter like a search engine by asking questions. “Does anyone know of a good tax lawyer in St. Paul? Instead of answers from a search engine, they get answers from others who are on Twitter to share their experiences or information about a given topic or question.

Think of Twitter as a social media program that introduces you to potential customers in your local geographic area. Here are ten Twitter tools to use with your local search marketing.

Your Twitter Profile and Local Search Marketing

You have 160 characters to create your Twitter profile. With this profile you want to include your local geographic area as well as the keywords people used to find your business. Your profile is prime restate for adding Twitter to your local search marketing.

Tweet Location and Local Search Marketing

Another wonderful tool for adding your geographic location to your Twitter program is the “Add a Location to your Tweets” feature of Twitter. By default, this program is turned off. Go to your Twitter setting to Edit your Profile. Check the box that allows for location to be added to your Tweets. You can always turn off this feature. Click on the Learn more to read how you can effective use location and Twitter. This will allow you to incorporate Twitter into your local search marketing automatically.

“Anyone Know”… and Local Search Marketing

There is a common expression people use on Twitter to get help with products, brands and locations. Someone might type in “’Anyone know’ a heating and plumbing business in St. Paul, Mn?” If you have been active on Twitter and have been using your geographic business indicator, others may send a Tweet to the person asking the question about your business.

Twitter Advance Search and Local Search Marketing

Twitter allows you to find Tweets and Tweeters based on keywords, Twitter participants and local places. Here’s a sample of a search you can do that involves local participants. Go to www.search.twitter.com to use the Advance search features and plug in your geographic locator to see what you get.

One great feature of search.twitter.com, you don’t need to be a Twitter member to use this free website!

Twellow

Would you like a yellow page book of people who use Twitter and the Tweets they use based on geographic location? Twellow.com creates a directory of people who are on Twitter and their Tweets. They put this information into categories to form a yellow page directory. If you are looking for a particular group of people in a particular location, this directory can be helpful to your search. Once you identify these people, you can begin to follow them on Twitter. It also makes sense to put your Twitter profile and Tweets on this directory so others can find you when they search locally.

Localtweeps.com

You can find and keep in touch with local tweeters using this program. Be sure to list yourself and your business in this free program.

Nearbytweets.com

This is a relatively new tool that provides a geographic layer on top of Twitter people and Tweets you can identify the Twitter people and Tweets that are being done in real time in the location you specify.

Twitter Lists and Local Search Marketing

After a point, you will discover that most Tweets are just “noise” with little relevancy to your local search marketing. Creating or participating in Twitter lists are ways to manage the noise and make it more useful to your local business. Here are several options you can use for creating Twitter lists to assist your local search marketing.

Listorious offers a directory of Twitter lists where you can participate with your Twitter account. You can also create a list with your business key words and your geographic location. In this way, instead of a steady stream Tweets, most of which are not important to you, you can be more selective about which Tweets you want to focus on in your geographic area. Go to www.listorious.com to learn more about Twitter lists.

Google Searches and Twitter Lists

You can create a Google search to use with Twitter (or for any other social media program) to identify lists that may be helpful to your business. Here’s the formula to use: site:twitter.com/*/your keywords or use your geographic identifier.

Tweet Deck

The benefit of TweetDeck.com is its ability to manage the vast world of Tweets by placing your preferences into columns on a single page. Looking for people from a special location? Create a column on your local area, and see a stream of Twitters that match your area.

Since I am interested in St. Paul Minneapolis area, I have created a search column call St. Paul Minneapolis.  In this column I get any Tweets that have these terms in them. It presents me with a constant set of Tweets about my local search marketing.  I find the search column function to be the most beneficial aspect of Tweetdeck. Hootsuite is another program that will help you manage your Twitter program. http://hootsuite.com/dashboard

Twitter Listening and Local Search Marketing

In a previous post, I suggested that without active participation, Twitter will not promote your local search marketing. There is another hidden value to Twitter that can make your local search marketing more effective. I call this “Twitter listening”. By reading many of the Tweets from your local area, you will learn more about your local population. You will learn what they like and what they dislike; their problems and their questions.

Many successful internet marketers use Twitter for this purpose—gaining a better understanding of their target population. Because of its shortness and real time Tweets, Twitter is one of the best social media programs for learning more about your target population. The more you learn about your local population, the better you can target your business. Do not overlook Twitter as a listening tool for your local search marketing.

Conclusion

Including Twitter as part of your local search marketing process is more work than claiming your business on local search directories. However, because it is important channel where people can find you and you can find others looking for your local business, you lose out if you are not there. If you are already on Twitter, go back and recast your profile to make it geographic sensitive.  Begin using the tools I have listed to keep a local presence on Twitter. Be active about listening on Twitter and contributing to the ongoing conversations. This will enhance your local search marketing.

How are you using Twitter to foster your local search marketing? Please share your comments in the Reply Section below. Thank you.