Carp Data Blog

How does Twitter help my business? That’s the most common question you see these days in the small business blogs, forums, and LinkedIn.com groups.

The most repeated answer, and generally the most vague, is that Twitter should be part of your overall marketing plan to connect with clients.  Uhhh, what the heck does that mean?  Then, the further you dig, you find everyone has a different answer on how to go about that.

At Carp Data, we wanted to take a slightly different approach.  We are using Twitter as the ubiquitous messaging system that it is.  With the use of the Twitter API, we display our current Tweets on the front page of our website.  And we allow for our clients, whether they have a Twitter account or not, to send us Tweets.  See it here: www.CarpData.com

The Twitter API is a set of tools that talk directly to the back end of Twitter.  Think of a web page as a stage, with all the glitz of lights, props, actors, costumes, etc.  Then think of the API as a backstage pass where you are allowed to meander around and read a copy of the script, sheet music, and so on.  For Twitter’s website, the API is a set of code instructions to access various functions within their site: get tweets, send tweets, follow users, and more.  It’s the basis on how other Twitter tools work, such as TweetDeck and TwitScoop.

The benefits for our approach are twofold.  One, we have a quick and easy way for anyone to see our messages and contact us with short questions.  Second, it demystifies Twitter for many of our clients who have never used the service.  Ok, there’s a third reason, as consultants we use this as a little advertising for our expertise in taking advantage of current trends, social media, and making the most out of online services.

Twitter is evolving everyday.  There will be many more small business uses for its messaging like this one.  And hopefully, many more uses beyond the repeated spam-tweets of “buy my product.”