We’re loving Twitter ads right now
We’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about Twitter’s troubles. If their ad platform is any indication of the future, Twitter is figuring things out.
How do we know? Over the last 60 days, we’ve implemented Twitter ad campaigns for the majority of our clients. When compared to LinkedIn Sponsored Content, Facebook Ads and Google AdWords, Twitter is outperforming on CTR and CPM. Also, early indicators show a cost-per-conversion lower than the competitors, although more data is needed. So what’s going on with Twitter? Why are the ads driving impact? Here are a few reasons:
Sound, Interest-Based Targeting
Unlike Facebook, Twitter’s platform is driven by who follows who. Likes are not a strong indicator of intent or interests. If you follow Wired Magazine on Twitter it will say a lot about you; you’re probably tech-savvy, smart and informed. Likes are a bit weaker and are not at the core of Facebook functionality. You don’t need to Like a page to use Facebook, but you do need to follow a few accounts on Twitter to use it effectively (unless you are The Almighty).
Strong Regional Targeting
Unlike LinkedIn, which has weak regional targeting options, Twitter hones in on smaller markets and cities. This provides some opportunity to version ads based on distinct markets. It also opens the door to geographical targeting for B2B. LinkedIn’s regions/cities in Canada are limited.
Sharing Information
Twitter users tend to be more likely to share information, not pictures. They are in info-seeking mode, looking for the latest and greatest within their specific interest categories. Post a useful article on Facebook, it’s not going viral. Sponsor some interesting content of value to an interest group on Twitter and it’s more likely to have an impact. On top of that, Twitter users seem more informed; they’re much more of an influencer crowd. This is who we want to target in our campaigns because they’ll help boost your reach.
The Ads Look Great!
Twitter ad cards allow us to use some creativity. The imagery and call-to-action actually look good on all platforms. LinkedIn hasn’t figured out how to effectively display on mobile. Google AdWords is very un-creative. Twitter’s got it figured out.
They’ve also developed a great lead gen card. You can pop your information right into the Twitter environment without leaving. Love it!
Actual Human Customer Service
I dare you to try getting a Facebook customer service rep on the phone. Unless you’re spending truckloads of cash and have an Account Executive, you’re out of luck. With Twitter, we’ve had two instances where we needed to speak to an actual human, and got a response within 4 hours. We actually know their names!
On that note, I’m buying some Twitter stock. Seeya!
