When Twitter beats the press

It has become increasingly obvious recently that Twitter can prove an invaluable tool for PR agencies and those wishing to get press releases out there, fast.  There have been some very high profile cases of news breaking on Twitter long before the mainstream media report the story eg news from Iran, The Carter-Ruck Trafigura case etc.  So much so, that now there are many journalists haunting Twitter to get exclusives. (See this great list of UK journos on Twitter.)

If you are involved in internet marketing and PR, and are looking to reach a wide audience, particularly for viral and news items, Twitter is without a doubt the place to be right now. It is also extremely useful for accessing information about your competitors, industry news, consumer commentary, trends, as well as learning how not to use Twitter as a marketing tool!

The Twittersphere, just like the blogosphere, is quick to leap on anyone seen to be ‘breaking the rules’ or netiquette. Lurk before you leap and you will discover that, even as a listening device, Twitter is a fabulous tool in your internet marketing toolbox.