Want to take advantage of Real Time Marketing? In the world of Digital Marketing, it is easy to innovate. There are new ideas and new ways of doing things created everyday. With so many people using social media sites, companies are now tapping in to the powerful possibilities of reaching people using real time marketing. It is important to understand the purpose of this technique. It must be more than just a quick tweet that shows little thought. Being proactive and ready to take advantage of breaking news is part of the lure of this type of advertising tactic.

Two recent examples demonstrate how these techniques might be put into play effectively. One was the Oreo twist on the lights-out event at the last Super Bowl. When the stadium went dark, the Oreo team quickly tweeted a message that read “You can still dunk in the dark”. Viewers loved the message. It was retweeted more than 10,000 times during the next short while.

This was not an accidental tweet. The social media team consisting of fifteen members was waiting and ready to respond to anything happening online during the game. The team members included artists, a strategist and copywriters. The agency was 360i and their stated purpose was to handle game day tweeting. Although the famous tweet was short notice response, the team had also planned ahead for some more likely options. Contrary to it’s name, planning is probably the most critical element of successful marketing in real time.

Another example of real time marketing is the recent Oscar Awards. The movie “Gravity” won several coveted statues. NASA, the space agency, spent the time during the awards tweeting out facts about space and gravity. They used #RealGravity as the hashtag. Tweeting an image of the Earth from the International Space Station is just one example. These comments and images were retweeted over eight thousand times, with 3900 favorites.

While there is not a direct correlation between tweeting about “Gravity” and the budget for NASA, the use of social media marketing in real time with information of value is likely to make readers feel more in tune with the goals and mission of the agency. The elements of this type of marketing included logical links between the event and the post. Originality and humor also help to engage the audience.

Thinking about giving it a try. Remember these few things:

• The lifespan of one of the messages may not be lengthy. Make it powerful.
• Response time is crucial. Seconds count. Listen, respond, spread the message using preplanned hashtags and social links.
• Have a team that knows how to take advantage of the situation. They must be quick thinkers, conversationalists, know your brand’s voice and know the subject of the message well.

To get started, watch the trends on Twitter. Find one that fits your business and start a storyline. If it doesn’t take hold, try another. And be ready for one that spreads its viral wings. It will come. Would love to hear about your successes!

 

 

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