Twitter launch: Lead generation cards

Twitter recently introduced so-called ‘Twitter Cards’, which will be Twitter’s future lead generation advertisement, using clickable buttons within (promoted) Tweets. The call to action button is customizable in text and layout and if the user clicks on the button, his name, e-mail addresses and Twitter name will be instantly be sent to the company.

However, the mechanic behind the cards does not replace the need for motivation when Twitter users hand over their data to companies. Twitter cards need to offer incentives like other lead generation methods, as in a fundamental sense, this will creating a positive perception of the brand.  In order to be effective, these incentives should also be on long term basis to build a relationship with users, instead of just a one-time offer. That said, companies and brand should not only share just one particular offer, they should offer several, different activities over a couple of months or even years.

Implementing Twitter cards in as part of a larger Twitter campaign needs a strategy and good preparation; brands must be able to keep their promises and offers to not disappoint users during the campaign. In addition, the offers should be unique and give access to special activities which cannot be received anywhere else to strengthen the user’s acceptance.

To guide advertisers, Twitter has published a good example on their blog, which can be seen above. The coffee house Barista Bar offers to send the user continuous deals for drinks when he accepts the Twitter card. The example also shows the biggest advantage of the cards – mutual benefits for the customer and the company. The customer continuously gains special offers, which leads him back to the brand whilst the company is able to build a group of loyal customers. This group can be also used for further non-Twitter related activities, such as lotteries or surveys.

The cards are also a very good way to share information easily, dismantling the usual barriers to entry. The cards allow easy data collection, instead of expecting users to wade through a vast and complex online form, which usually pushes many people away at first glance.

Overall, Twitter cards are an interesting method for lead generation. They are simple, fast and a good way to promote special offers. They are also a good opportunity to create relationships and strengthen existing campaigns, as well as potentially include a creative element depending upon how the space is used. The way the data is collected could also offer new and faster insights into audience behavior. Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how agencies approach and use this new format, and as said above, the best ideas will be mutually beneficial for the user and company alike.