- March 28, 2024
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If you own a business, you must know by now: you've just got to be on Twitter! It's free advertising, right?
Well, maybe not.
As Milton Friedman would say, free lunches do not exist. And anyone who's tried tweeting knows that it can take up an entire lunch break — and then some. Twitter takes time, and therefore costs money.
However, that doesn't mean it can't be used to add value to a company.
Panelists covered the issue at a recent discussion sponsored by General Motors, titled “Tampa Bay Non-Profits, Social Media and the Economy.” GM sponsored the event as part of a local push to promote its image.
Tampa-area non-profit leaders offered ideas on how to make the most of social media networking, and talked about what they thought to be a successful use of the “free” service.
Many of the comments that referred to tangible returns on investment in social media came from Tom Wagner, public relations manager for the Florida Aquarium in Tampa.
Wagner cited a special event hosted by the Aquarium, where he said roughly 400 of the 1,000 attendees used a special code provided by the Aquarium's Twitter account to receive a discounted coupon.
Other panelists cited benefits that may be more difficult to quantify, but still offer value to the user: direct contact with customers/clients/members, as well as increased visibility to media outlets.
While some panelists did refer to social media as a “free” option, each acknowledged the time commitment needed to effectively operate social media accounts — and, at the same time, assured conference-goers that the investment was worth it.