Twitter’s reputation for being washed with memes, teases, and copious meal photos aren’t unfounded. But there’s still a use for Twitter, even if you don’t like arguing with strangers about the internet or wading through endless jokes. It can save you time and headaches when used judiciously. That’s how.
Best Customer Service
Few things, like poor customer service, irritate (or spark outright rage). When contacting a company via chat or phone doesn’t connect you with anyone who can help, try Twitter instead. All types of businesses are easy to reach via Twitter, including banks and some utilities. You should check a company’s tweets and replies to see if it responds to customer inquiries (and how quickly), but these days most do. Some companies even have Twitter accounts dedicated to customer service.
Searching for customer support this way has two benefits: First, you’ll save time. You can send an @-reply or direct message to the company and then go about your life while waiting for a reply. Responses are usually quite fast. The person on the other end will often use plain language that addresses your concern rather than following a script. Also, the support teams on Twitter have more leeway to help with an issue more often than not. Even if you’ve already tried the phone system or online chat, contacting Twitter can solve your problem more completely.
A note on security and privacy: For some companies (such as airlines, mobile phone companies, and banks), you may be asked to confirm your identity by verifying your account details via direct message. As always, treat this information with care – you don’t have to share something that makes you uncomfortable. If this prevents the representative from helping you further, ask for a more direct phone line or, if you have a complicated problem, a method of contacting higher levels of support.
News Updates
Twitter is a great way to stay up to date, and not just on the latest news, but on daily commute information, progress in fields or topics that interest you, and public figures. There is a fine line between speculation and real news, so choose the accounts you follow wisely. Local news outlets are a great place to start, as they update your area and carry the hottest national news. You can follow different outlets to get the type of coverage you seek. Radio stations also have a presence on Twitter – for example, KCBS, one of the SF Bay Area’s best sources for regular traffic and transit updates, sends its invaluable alerts on Twitter.
You can likewise hear the most recent news straightforwardly from the source on Twitter. Continuing the theme of California news and travel, our state’s Highway Patrol publishes information on traffic conditions, with specific accounts for different regions. When choosing accounts to follow, ensure you have an official account by looking for a verified brand next to the name. Spoof and duplicate accounts sometimes exist, so looking for that symbol ensures you have the right agency or person, especially if you start following individuals like journalists and leading figures in science or medicine.
Bargain Hunting
There are many resources for finding the lowest prices on goods and equipment – websites, forums, email newsletters, Reddit, Discord, and more – and you can also include Twitter in this list. All account types are dedicated to locating and passing offers to the public. The platform aggregates various sources: deal websites with scores of people, crowdsourced deal sites, and individuals who always have the inside scoop. They are all gathered in this one place. Companies also sometimes advertise coupon codes and special promotions through their Twitter accounts.
The best strategy for bid hunting on Twitter is to stay organized. At the very least, use Twitter Lists to avoid getting inundated with a constant flood of information. Couple that with Tweetdeck, a desktop-based interface that lets you view multiple lists at once, and you’ll be able to scroll through information much easier. You can also turn on push notifications for a few select accounts if you want to be notified immediately of every tweet (aka bargain), but this can get spammy. This strategy is best paired with a service like IFTTT, which you can use to filter keywords and send only tweets that match those terms.
Bonus: Tips For A Better Twitter Experience
Twitter Lists And Tweetdeck
As mentioned in the bargain hunting section, you can keep Twitter from becoming an information overload by using a couple of the service’s features: Twitter Lists and Tweetdeck. Twitter Lists lets you group a few select accounts for a curated view. You can have as many (or as few) accounts in a list and mix and match them however you like.
Go ahead if you want to make “technical journalists covering CPUs and sharing funny cat memes” a thing. Tweetdeck then makes it conceivable to see numerous rundowns simultaneously. This desktop interface, available via browser or macOS app, lets you add lists and sort them in any order. You can then see many different tweets at a glance, making it easier to skim the noteworthy ones.
Push Notifications
For a select few accounts that don’t tweet often — or are constantly tweeting information you want to keep tabs on — you can enable push notifications for just that account. To do this, first enable push notifications in your Twitter account settings. Then go to the account you want them for and click the bell icon. It is unnecessary to follow an account to receive notifications of its tweets.
Also Read: Upselling And Cross-Selling: How To Maximize The AOV