Commun.it, a CRM service built for Twitter, launched this week to help businesses and marketers not only reach consumers, but build and manage relationships with them.
Instead of the stream-based Twitter dashboard all users see when they visit the site, Commun.it gives marketers and community managers the ability to build a more interactive and more in-depth look at their network.
The Commun.it dashboard gives its users more than just a look at a timeline of tweets from those they follow, but it also gives them more insights into how many followers others in their network have and how many conversations they’ve engaged in with you.
It can also let you know if there are any conversations you have not yet replied to, so you can make sure to stay engaged with your best and most loyal customers and associates.
Tools like HootSuite and TwitSpark already offer services for Twitter users that allow them to manage their network, but Commun.it aims to be more focused on the relationship aspect of Twitter rather than just managing and scheduling tweets.
Management systems like this are also widely available for other social sites and platforms. But even though Commun.it may not be the first or most innovative new product, it can still be helpful for businesses looking to dive deeper into social media interactions with their customers and potential brand advocates.
Additional features include the ability to manage multiple Twitter profiles, invite employees and team members to manage accounts together, and even see a complete history of conversations and interactions between your account and other important users.
Users can enter hashtags, websites, and topics of conversation that are directly related to their business or industry and thus might help find new contacts or spur engagement with other users.
The service is free for businesses with one twitter profile, and plans including access to more accounts and services range from $9.99 per month to $199 per month.
Very informative post Annie,
I’ve spend the last week going over the vast amount of social media tools out there (as you know there’s countless available) and I have to say commun.it is fantastic. The free version allows only one twitter account but with all the useful functionality of the paid versions. It really helps you Identify who are the influencers in your network and who is engaged with your brand. it’s one of the best free tools I’ve seen and I’ve seen a lot!
Really good to see it getting a mention!
Stephen
Brad (@totencough)
This sounds like a great tool. I’ve been dabbling in HootSuite and using Social Bro for analytics, but this definitely raises the bar for tracking and customer engagement for businesses.
Having this as an addon tool for a full on CRM like JobNimbus (really simple CRM and project management) could be killer for SMBs looking to branch out.
Martin Lindeskog
Annie: Thanks for pointing out this tool. I have to test it. I think it is an early stage for many companies to start using Twitter as CRM channel, but it is a good sign for the future! 🙂