As industry leaders in Apache OFBiz, HotWax Media strives to help its clients save money by using open-source development that eliminates up-front licensing fees. In the current economic climate, doing more with less is a concept that has become a reality for many.
Whether by choice or necessity, individuals and businesses are consistently trying to achieve more with less, and in many cases, actually expecting to get more from less. Strangely, the reality of this idea has the potential to hold its weight. For example: If there is less traffic coming to my website can I get more business? If I spend less on marketing initiatives can I get more ROI? The answer to these questions, and many others like them is, maybe. If the traffic coming to my site has arrived via a highly targeted channel, maybe I’m more likely to convert a sale or land a new client. If my marketing spend was streamlined so that I was actually putting more into the campaigns that drive qualified leads, then maybe the number of people hitting my site will increase. Based on those assumptions working in tandem, I should be increasing site visits while attracting people who know what to expect when they arrive, thus giving a boost to business.
That might be an overly optimistic scenario, but the adage still holds some truth. So in a world where information is steadily being passed from one person to the next, especially through social media outlets, is it possible that less can actually offer more when it comes to sharing information?
According to a new report released by the marketing firm SocialTwist, Twitter’s click through rates are outperforming those of Facebook by over 16%. That’s a surprising margin considering the juggernaut boasts nearly 80% of all social network chatter. So why the disparity? If you consider the imbalance in the amount of content between the two sites it actually makes some sense. The simplicity of Tweets is also the appeal. Because those brief messages are targeted, and followers aren’t bombarded with a whole page of distractions, it only seems natural that click through rates would be higher. There’s a message and a link, and the follower either clicks it, or they don’t.
When I visit Facebook though, it’s easy to get lost in the content. I’ll click on someone’s status, start leaving comments somewhere else, browse another person’s pictures, and an hour later I have no idea why I went there in the first place. In the end I might not even remember that I was supposed to check out a link sent by a friend, or view an event someone passed along. It’s easy to drift when there’s so much space, but we all know that’s the point–to keep us engaged so we stay on the site.
It’s no doubt these two social network sites are dramatically different, but the exclusivity, simplicity, and brevity of a Tweet is what makes it more enticing to click an attached link. So, in the case of a click through it does seem that less is indeed more. Of course it goes without saying that neither of these outlets should be ignored by any organization looking to relay information, or promote brand messaging. Depending on specific needs, less of one may very well mean more of the other.
Ironically, if you aren’t convinced you’re getting more for less from your short and sweet Tweets, there’s now an advertisement offering from the company called Promoted Trends. For $100K an advertiser is listed at the top of the most discussed Twitter topics for…..drumroll…..an entire day. More for more? That remains to be seen, and perhaps that’s a discussion for another post once an answer flaps its way into sight.
Here at Hotwax Media we understand that some people Tweet, some people Facebook, some people blog, and even a few people make phone calls still. We do all that stuff too. But at the end of the day what we really do is offer solutions that allow companies to make informed decisions and grow their business. Contact us today to learn about how you can get more for less from the best in the business. It’s not a bad theory to test.
Jared Matkin is a staff writer for HotWax Media with a background in PR, Branding and Marketing. He’s also a light-hearted and an opinionated character who will join other HotWax Media employees and advisors in periodically posting his thoughts on topics ranging from enterprise eCommerce to business and technology.
