Routes to New Networks

A Guide to Social Media for the Public Transportation Industry

Micro Blogs

Microblogs

Microblogs are a condensed version of the written blog. They require short posts that are limited by a character limit. They often contain quick thoughts, links to a full length blog post, or links to multimedia (video or pictures). The most common microblogging platform is Twitter™.

What is Twitter™?

Top Transit Usage

Twitter

Monitor and respond to current or potential riders within your specific geographical area.

Twitter is a web-based micro-blogging service, which allows users to send messages called “tweets” that are 140 characters or less to all of their followers. Tweets can vary in substance, from random thoughts of the sender, to current news or events commentary. Followers can be anyone from anywhere, and the primary goal of the Twitter system is to network with as many followers as possible.

In turn, users are encouraged to follow other users. Usually this is comprised of:

  • People the user knows
  • Those who interest the user
  • Those who are in the same business or networking arena as the user

It is very common for people to reciprocate those who follow them, hence growing everyone’s network. Additionally, this tool has some advantageous search capabilities. Twitter allows users to find assorted tweets by user in a particular city/region/state – allowing your organization to tap directly into a target audience.

Twitter is available to users via:

Examples

NCTR on Twitter

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit

Friends of Transit

Benefits

  • Facilitates 2-way conversation with customers
  • Can search users by geography
  • Audience seeks out your organization’s message
  • Easily accessible
  • Easily monitored via “keywords”
  • No costs to setup account
  • Real times updates

Drawbacks

  • Customers can express discontent
  • Potential for negative customer relations with real-time feed


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Nov 23, 2009.)