Think Before You Engage: 100 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Social Media Marketing Campaign

43. Why Is Twitter Search So Powerful?

Twitter has a live search feature that can act as a tremendous tool for businesses if utilized to its potential. Usable through the web interface by visiting http://search.twitter.com (see Figure 6-4) or through different third-party Twitter tools designed as a search form field, users can perform searches of any keywords, names, or terms of interest. The results are pulled in from the live Twitter stream. Results can even continue to come in as more tweets pass through the filter of your search.

FIGURE 6-4: Twitter real-time search

This is so dramatically different from normal search, such as with Google, Yahoo, or Bing. They are different because searches are performed in real time. The tweets that result from your search are what people are saying right now and through your search, you have the ability to act on it. On the normal search engines, results come from news or information that has already been archived for several days, months, or even years.

Content-wise, this gives you access to the greater Twitter world in terms of finding new and interesting content to share with your audience. You'll likely discover new people through search through your common interests, and proceed to follow them and learn even more.

As a business or brand, ...