We Twitter marketing specialists have watched a certain polarizing and frequently annoying trend cycle from hot to not over the years. The trend we’re talking about? That would be the self-help inspirational pep talker who’s always popping up in your news feed. You know the guy — he’s the one who quotes Gandhi, tells you his favorite tips for staying “present” and tweets motivational quotes that are better suited on posters in your doctor’s office. Yet this guy is everywhere. Each know-it-all with a better way to live your life has taken to Twitter to tell you how to do just that. So we wondered: Do people actually like this “You can do it!” gobbledygook, and is it a wise Twitter marketing strategy?
In a world of depressing headlines and snarky realism, motivational tweets have certainly found their audiences. Study after study has shown that inspirational tweets, inspiring quotes and tweets with tips are among the most popular kinds of messages on Twitter. Right behind those are tweets rooted in humor and popular culture (meaning the majority of people come to Twitter to be entertained and to feel good).
Forbes recently profiled how some of Twitter’s most popular users with more than 100k followers often use inspirational and motivational tweets to talk to their audience.
“Yes, marketing online is all about social but it’s also about inspiration and motivation,” writes Forbes blogger Haydn Shaughnessy. “And, as Twitter is the best platform for this new marketing genre, Twitter has also become the channel for the new motivational micro-speech. It’s like motivational speaking but in shorthand.”
So popular is this brand of tweeting that several blogs have also recently taken to profiling the best inspirational tweeps online. Yet this shouldn’t imply that every brand needs to turn into a dime store version of Deepak Chopra. If your company is in the self-help business, by all means use Twitter to show followers what you know. But hand out the goods sparingly. After all, you still want to sell your products and services, too. Also, mix in some humor or headlines and personality with that newsfeed filled with inspirational advice. And remember that a one note Twitterfeed is also a boring one and one followers won’t engage with. There’s no doubt that inspiration-based tweets are popular and a powerful marketing tool, so using them wisely will insure your followers won’t become unfollowers.
Now it’s your turn, readers: love or hate inspirational tweets? Tell us about it below!
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