Virgin Blue uses Twitter to promote Price Wars

Are you using Twitter and other Social Media to drive traffic to your site?

Well, if it’s good for Richard Branson and Virgin Blue’s CEO Brett Godrey …

Here is an excerpt from TheAustralianNews.com.au

“Virgin has jumped into the social marketing battleground and has campaigns on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Almost 8500 followers make it the most popular Australian airline on Twitter — and it tops 11,000 when international offshoot V Australia is added.

“Social media has been tagged as a fad for the youth market, but it’s not a passing phenomenon,” Mr Godfrey said. “Smart companies will quickly learn to use it as tomorrow’s essential marketing platform.

“We’re looking forward to starting the world’s first airfare war on Twitter.”

The airline has been using social media since last year, and V Australia this year ran what it claims was Australia’s first airline Twitter promotion when it partnered with a radio station to send contestants to Los Angeles for three days or 4320 minutes of tweeting, the short messages used on the network.”

What does that mean?   Well not only is Virgin Blue making great use of the older 25+ year old demographic than say FaceBook to promote in ‘real time’ seats on last minute flights, but also that it is modern and forward thinking in it’s marketing. By embracing new technologies they are perceived as innovators in peer technologies.

I have been saying for a while now that Twitter is a great marketing tool if used properly.   So long as you remember it is not a sales platform but a place where you can add value to others eg by tweeting inspirational quotes, links to great articles, tips and experiences, to useful marketing tools, or especially for them to get to know you, like you and trust you, retweet others great messages and most importantly to your ‘central hub’ ie blog. Then you can invite followers to find out more about you and your business.

So go ahead and follow in Virgin Blue’s shoes and get tweeting!

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