Watching You Twitter

BusinessWeek ran an article recently about the increase in companies watching traffic on Twitter, the micro blogging service that allows short posts of 140 characters, in order to track brand perception and improve customer communication. Included in the group of Twitter watches are Dell, General Motors, Kodak, JetBlue and Comcast. “The attention to Twitter reflects the power of new social media tools in letting consumers shape public discussion over brands,” the business magazine reported. “It's not just audience size that draws brands. People who use the site are likely to hold sway over others. A single Twitter message—known informally as a tweet—sent in frustration over a product or a service's performance can be read by hundreds or thousands of people. Similarly, positive interaction with a representative of the manufacturer or service provider can help change an influencer's perspective for the better.”