Experts Speak Indian Social Media

An in-depth guide to X (Twitter) marketing as shared by experts

Experts from the industry share insights into content curation, leveraging trends, features and maintaining a human touch on X, formerly Twitter.

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Shamita Islur
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guide to Twitter (X) marketing

‘Guys, kabhi kabhi ghar ka khaana bhi kha lena chahiye’. In 2019, this cheeky advice coming from a food delivery platform like Zomato on the micro-blogging site, X - formerly Twitter, was enough to get many other brands to join in on the banter. 

YouTube India, ixigo, Prime Video In, and more coming up with their versions of ‘ghar ka khaana’ eventually got Zomato to respond with a ‘Guys, kabhi kabhi khud ke acche tweet bhi soch lene chahiye.’ Coming up with quick and witty responses to generate engagement is what all X (Twitter) is about. 

“Twitter is the best place to do more reactive content. It can be a reaction to an event, some news, or a moment in a usual tweet. It enables the brand to be more casual and interactive with its audience,” comments Srishti Modi, Founder at Lesssgo - a content agency that handles social media for Swiggy Instamart. 

For example, actor Shah Rukh Khan is known for interacting with his fans through #AskSRK, where he encourages them to ask him any question and responds with witty replies. 

Modi considers this to be one of the ‘best’ brand UGC campaigns on the platform, especially since SRK is a brand himself. During one of his earlier sessions this year, a user asked him if he had had anything to eat yet, and the actor replied if he was from Swiggy and if he would send food to his place. 

Swiggy quickly jumped in to say they would send him food and sent their delivery personnel to SRK’s house, which quickly became viral.  

 

 

While brands have been effectively utilizing the platform to create a buzz in an attempt to capture attention, the question is, what makes X different from other social media platforms when it comes to content curation?

Ankita Isarka, Chief of Operations, Thinkin' Birds dissects it for us. She says, “X (Twitter) plays a crucial role in the overall media mix for any brand by offering a real-time and dynamic platform for communication, brand promotion, and customer engagement. Its concise format encourages quick, impactful messaging, making it ideal for timely updates, announcements, and trend participation. Twitter synergizes effectively with other digital platforms, creating a cohesive online presence.”

Its audience utilizes X for many different purposes. In May 2021, over 80% of high-volume users reported using the platform for entertainment and to use the platform as a means of expressing their opinion, whilst 78% said they used it as a way to stay informed. Additionally, users between the ages of 25 and 34 are particularly active on X, making up more than 38% of users worldwide, as per Statista.

This is why it’s not just brands interacting with each other through moment marketing; this platform provides an opportunity to communicate with users. In June 2023, a user posted about her fight with her boyfriend, who gave her a Subway sandwich to make up for it. Promptly, Subway engaged users to like the post (formerly tweet), claiming they would sponsor the couple’s date. Netizens obliged, and the brand followed through with its promise by sharing the update.

 

 

If we look at a cricket team like Rajasthan Royals, they tend to tweet like a random cricket fan would - whether it is to wish a happy birthday to a cricketer or simply tweet relevant song lyrics as their take during the Cricket World Cup, emitting a casual and playful tone. Lesssgo’s Srishti Modi highlights that it feels like a human sitting on the other side and not a corporation, which, surprisingly, not all brands go for. 

 

 

Now that we know the objective behind why brands use X and the tonality that can be taken, we further speak to experts to find out the strategies that can be employed on X to get the best out of it. 

Making of a great Twitter banter

Talking about the human touch, Mitesh Kothari, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, White Rivers Media, points out that social media isn't a monologue; it's a conversation, especially with platforms like X. It is a two-way street where genuine connections are forged, customer concerns are addressed, and brand loyalty is built. 

Further, Kothari shares pointers for brands to keep in mind when curating content. 

“Keep your audience engaged with diverse content like images, videos, and polls, but remember – every tweet should harmonise with your brand's overall message and goals. Don't just share – offer real value through insightful articles, industry news, or exclusive glimpses of behind-the-scenes.”

  • Mitesh Kothari

He also mentions the need to listen to the audience, saying that brands should analyze their response, track key metrics, and be willing to adapt their strategy to make the brand's message resonate on X.

Travel portal, ixigo often shares travel tips, fun facts, or jokes that are designed to be shareable and encourage engagement through likes, retweets, and comments. The brand also integrates the latest trends with its travel content. The latest one was the social media sensation Orry’s ‘I am a liver’ comment that took over the internet, and the brand shared its version of the trend.

 

 

Kanika Nevatia, Head - Brand Marketing, ixigo shares an important insight into their X strategy with us.

“We've found that for Twitter (X), one-liners and trend tapping have been incredibly effective organic marketing strategies for us. For example, during major cultural events or holidays, we create travel-related posts that incorporate the trending hashtags or themes, or during a sought-after cricket match, we ensure we pick up all important moments. This allows us to ride the wave of popular conversations and reach a wider audience that is actively engaged in those discussions,” says Nevatia. 

The travel platform has been active throughout the World Cup, posting its reactions to the match at the moment. It has also actively shared relatable behaviors exuded while planning trips.

 

 

Nevatia also touches upon the challenge faced by the brand. “One challenge we've faced is keeping up with the fast-paced nature of Twitter. To overcome this, we've established a content calendar and scheduling system to ensure consistent posting. We also actively monitor and respond to customer inquiries and feedback, improving our customer service on the platform,” she continues, talking about getting the fundamentals right.

Features on X to make note of

Thinkin' Birds’ Ankita Isarka remarks that brands are increasingly relying on data-driven insights provided by tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social to analyze audience behavior, preferences, and trending topics. 

“Utilising X’s Analytics and audience segmentation features is crucial for tailoring content to specific demographics. Hashtag campaigns and participation in relevant X chats remain powerful strategies to foster community engagement. Moreover, leveraging multimedia content, such as videos and interactive polls, enhances the overall user experience and encourages interaction,” she elaborates.

For the audio brand boAt, enhancing the user experience includes imbibing the music culture into its content game. Memes, music, and moment marketing are the way to go for the brand, as it participates in several trending topical conversations.

Elaborating on the brand’s overall X strategy and target group, Aman Gupta, Co-founder and CMO of boAt divulges, “Our primary focus revolves around the dynamic age group of 18 to 34-year-olds, with a specific spotlight on Gen Z and millennials. Our enthusiastic community, the #boAtheads, actively participates lively on X (formerly called Twitter) discussions, staying in tune with the latest trends, memes, and global happenings. Going beyond mere enjoyment of memes, they are well-informed about worldwide events and harbor a deep passion for music and fitness, establishing a strong bond with the diverse content we offer.”

Whether the occasion is the Cricket World Cup or a festival, the brand has created engaging content tailored to its audience's interests and developed hashtags to foster community engagement while capitalizing on trending ones for increased visibility, he elaborates.

It has also engaged the audience by testing their meme skills through contests.

 

 

Gupta also sheds light on the additional content strategies that have worked for the brand.

  • Influencer Collaboration: Partnering with influencers enhances authenticity, extends our reach, and effectively promotes products or campaigns.

  • Promoted Tweets & Cross-Promotion: We leverage Twitter's advertising tools to target specific demographics beyond our followers and cross-promote content across various social media platforms for broader exposure.

  • Customer Engagement & Analytics Monitoring: Prioritising quick customer responses and using Twitter for customer service, we continually monitor performance through analytics to refine our marketing strategies.

  • Visual Storytelling & Trend Relevance: Sharing visually appealing content and actively participating in relevant trends enable us to engage our audience effectively, building a vibrant presence on the platform that mirrors boAt’s distinctive personality and deeply connects with our #boAtheads community.

ixigo’s Kanika Nevatia prioritizes the use of visual content, including relatable images and quirky videos, to engage with the brand’s audience. 

“We employ Twitter polls to interact with our audience, asking them fun and insightful travel-related questions that foster a sense of community and provide us with valuable insights. We also took advantage of the ‘Timeline takeover’ feature, putting ixigo on the top for a day, giving it reach and engagement like never before.”

When it comes to the underutilized features that could elevate the content strategy, both Gupta and Nevatia believe that hosting live sessions and conversations on Twitter Spaces could prove to be a promising avenue. 

Srishti Modi of Lesssgo emphasizes, “Since there is absolutely no focus on maintaining an aesthetic feed, X is great to experiment with the number of posts, the kind of posts etc. Some things that I’ve usually seen work for brands are owning conversations not only around the brand but also the brand category, engaging not only with topicals but also bangers, and leveraging not only owned channels but also people’s channels to talk about the brand.”

While we can establish from expert opinions that Twitter (X) is primarily utilised for engagement purposes owing to its relevance on topical issues, Modi suggests that brands should realise that nobody has an interesting take on everything, and in a place where everyone is trying to have an opinion, having a fresh take remains a priority. 

 

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