I have to admit, I’m a newbie to Twitter. I read a few chapters in books, participated in a few seminars and just jumped right in. I’m still not as proficient as I’d like. It’s moving faster than a cat in a room of rocking chairs. I know I made many mistakes along the way, including the one I’m sharing here.
There’s a social media shortcut that seems like a great time-saver: Having a Facebook post show up on Twitter. But it’s not a good idea: The two social media platforms are very different in the ways fans engage with them and require different approaches.
Twitter is a good tool for connecting with current as well as potential customers. It’s tailored for gathering and responding to tweets about your business and to handle any complaints. Here’s why it should not link to Facebook:
- If you’re not posting directly to Twitter, you probably won’t follow up with your customers and interact directly with them. Customers will think you don’t care about them if you’re nonresponsive.
- People may follow you on Facebook also, but if the same content is on both, you’ll lose them half the time. They’ll see the same posts as being impersonal and inauthentic.
- Facebook allows up to 5,000 characters per post and Twitter only 140. A truncated post on Twitter just looks sloppy and loses its impact. Some posts also only show up as links on Twitter when linked from Facebook. Your message gets lost and the opportunity to reach a new customer is gone.
You’ll end up with less followers than if you manage them individually. It will mean more time, but you’ll notice the difference over time and build a stronger, loyal customer base.
So if you’ve followed us on Twitter, you may have noticed this blunder. Please come back. We realize our mistake and we’re in the process of making changes.