
Understanding viral marketing is crucial for any business. You could create the best ad ever, but without a solid plan for getting it in front of people, it’ll flop. On the other hand, a mediocre ad could go viral for reasons you can’t control. That’s why many marketers start by asking, what is viral marketing and how can they harness its power to boost brand awareness and engagement.
Table Of Contents
- Pros of Using Twitter for Marketing
- How to Use Twitter for Marketing in 12 Simple Steps
- 10 Content Ideas for Twitter Marketing
- 10 Businesses Using Twitter for Marketing
- Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
Pros of Using Twitter for Marketing

1. Genuine Connections Through Direct Messaging
Twitter offers a direct messaging feature for private chats between users. The catch? Both accounts need to follow each other. This is an obstacle for marketers aiming to reach influencers or key industry figures. But it ensures that conversations are meaningful, engaging, and authentic.
2. Engagement Boosters: The Potential of Tags
The @ symbol is crucial on Twitter. It notifies users and increases the chances that your tweet will be seen. Tags also provide easy attribution for quotes and articles. Twitter now includes content discovery features, so users may see tweets from accounts they don’t follow. If a tweet gets liked by several people in your network, the algorithm may suggest similar content. This means engaging tweets can reach new audiences, expanding your exposure.
3. Frequent Posting Is Welcome, Not Annoying
Studies suggest that marketers should post up to 15 times a day on Twitter. Unlike Instagram and Facebook, where posts are often arranged by algorithm, Twitter’s feed is still broadly chronological. Because tweets have a short lifespan, regular updates are needed to maintain relevance. This opens the door to a diverse mix of entertaining and informative content that engages followers. Twitter supports text, images, video, live video, and polls, all of which can spark conversations.
4. Show Off Your Brand Voice
A more extensive posting schedule helps brands develop their public persona on Twitter. Tweets can be authoritative, humorous, or even sassy, depending on the brand. Fast food brands have used Twitter for comedic branding, from Wendy’s rap battle with Wingstop to Taco Bell’s witty comebacks.
Even forgotten brands like MoonPie have found new life on Twitter, where its self-deprecating humor has attracted 279,000 followers. Consistent brand voice is also essential for potential customers researching how your brand interacts with its audience. Twitter’s open nature means nothing is hidden, and problematic old tweets can resurface at inopportune times.
5. The Viral Potential of Twitter
One of Twitter’s most appealing features is its ability to spread messages rapidly. Users often see multiple tweets daily go viral, regardless of the account’s follower count. This means brands can also gain exposure through a well-timed tweet that resonates, dramatically increasing reach, traffic, and conversions. The only limit is creativity and timing.
6. The Influencer Effect
There’s no denying the potential of influencers. They can drive traffic and sales through authentic recommendations. Twitter offers a unique opportunity, as research shows that seeing tweets from brands and influencers doubles purchase intent. Nearly half of Twitter users trust influencers’ recommendations, and 40% have purchased based solely on an influencer's tweet. As Instagram becomes saturated with influencer marketing, Twitter provides a fresh alternative.
7. Your Profile Is a Traffic Driver
Social media profiles are the new homepages. Twitter is an ideal platform to showcase and develop your brand voice. Users often visit a brand’s Twitter profile to learn more about it. Research shows that 47% of profile visitors also check out the linked website. Marketers should ensure brand voice and imagery are consistent across channels. For instance, a playful Twitter account shouldn’t lead to a formal landing page that confuses visitors.
8. Follower Insights Aid Targeting
Twitter provides robust native analytics to help marketers understand their followers. The Audiences tab offers valuable data on demographics, lifestyle, consumer behavior, and mobile habits. This information helps craft targeted campaigns and messages that resonate with current and prospective followers.
9. Low-Cost, High-Impact Advertising
Advertising on Twitter can cost as little as $1 a day. But its true strength lies in optimization. Twitter Ads guides marketers through campaign creation and suggests settings to maximize impact. The platform then bases spending on results to avoid unnecessary costs. As marketers gain experience, they can experiment with A/B testing and different settings. Independent research shows Twitter campaigns deliver 40% higher ROI than other media channels.
10. Branded Hashtags Foster Community
Hashtags remain a key tool for social media discovery, mainly for branding. Research shows that brands drive 70% of hashtag usage. Marketers can create unique tags to help track online conversations and user-generated content. These niche spaces make it easy to find and share brand community interactions, whether for participation or future content opportunities.
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How to Use Twitter for Marketing in 12 Simple Steps

1. Understand Your Audience and What Makes Them Tick
Before you can create content that goes viral, you need to understand your audience. What do they care about? What makes them laugh, cry, or feel inspired? What types of content do they share? The answers to these questions will vary depending on your target demographic.
For example, if you’re trying to reach Gen Z, you might focus on creating funny, relatable content optimized for TikTok. On the other hand, if your audience is older, you might prioritize emotions like nostalgia or empathy. Once you clearly understand your audience, you can create content that resonates with them on a deeper level. And that’s the first step toward going viral.
2. Create High-Quality, Shareable Content
Not all content is created equal. To go viral, you must create high-quality content people want to share. This means investing time and resources into your content creation efforts. Whether you’re making a funny video, an insightful blog post, or a heartwarming social media graphic, focus on delivering value to your audience. Once you’ve created your content, make it easy to share by including social media buttons and encouraging your audience to spread the word.
3. Optimize for SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is optimizing your content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This is important because people are more likely to click on and share content that appears on the first page of Google. To optimize your content for SEO, do keyword research to identify relevant terms and phrases to include in your content. Use these keywords in your headlines, subheadings, and body copy to improve your chances of ranking on Google. Additionally, create shareable, linkable content to boost your chances of earning backlinks from reputable sites.
4. Leverage Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for spreading content quickly and widely. It’s often the first place people share and discover new content. To maximize your chances of going viral, create a strategic social media plan that includes posting your content on multiple platforms. Tailor your messaging and visuals for each channel to improve engagement and sharing. Additionally, consider using paid social ads to promote your content to a larger audience and increase your chances of going viral.
5. Engage with Your Audience
Going viral often requires a bit of luck. However, one way to increase your chances is to engage with your audience and build a loyal following before you attempt to create content that goes viral. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and create content encouraging sharing and interaction. Building a strong relationship with your audience will improve your chances of going viral when you need it most.
6. Monitor Trends and Be Timely
Many viral moments result from timely content that taps into current events, pop culture, or social media trends. Monitor the news and social media platforms for trending topics and conversations to optimize your chances of going viral. Create relevant content that adds value or a unique perspective to these discussions and share it while it’s still top of mind. Timing is everything regarding viral content, so don’t miss your window of opportunity.
7. Be Authentic
Today’s consumers value authenticity and are quick to spot insincerity. If your brand tries to go viral by creating content that feels forced or inauthentic, it will likely backfire. Instead, create genuine, relatable content that resonates with your audience. If your brand has a quirky sense of humor or a unique point of view, don’t be afraid to showcase it. Authenticity breeds trust, and that’s essential for encouraging sharing and engagement.
8. Have Fun
Going viral shouldn’t be your only goal. Instead, focus on creating high-quality content that your audience loves and wants to share. If you do that, you’ll increase your chances of going viral organically. And even if your content doesn’t go viral, it can still help you achieve important marketing goals like building brand awareness, generating leads, and improving customer engagement.
10 Content Ideas for Twitter Marketing

1. Infographics
Visual representations of information, infographics, are designed to be shared. They quickly capture attention and communicate essential data at a glance. To maximize their impact, ensure your infographic is visually appealing, easy to understand, and relevant to your audience.
2. Run a Giveaway
Contests and giveaways create excitement and encourage participation. Make the entry fun and straightforward to enhance your chances of going viral. Promote your giveaway across platforms, leverage hashtags for discoverability, and encourage tagging to expand reach.
3. Puzzles
Engaging brain teasers can boost interaction and shares. Tailor puzzles to your audience's interests, whether they're pop culture references for younger users or historical themes for older demographics. Consider adding a contest element to incentivize participation and sharing.
4. Memes
Relatable and humorous, memes are a staple of online culture. They can be a great way to connect with your audience and encourage shares. To create effective memes, stay current on trends, inject brand personality, and ensure your content is visually striking and easily shareable.
5. Listicles
These easily digestible articles present information in a numbered format and are highly shareable. To create a viral listicle, focus on topics of interest to your audience, incorporate eye-catching visuals, and add humor or unique insights to enhance entertainment value.
6. Motivational Content
Inspiring messages resonate with audiences and can quickly gain traction online. Use visuals, quotes, and personal stories to convey uplifting ideas that encourage sharing. Connect your motivational content to trending topics or current events to enhance your chances of going viral.
7. Host a Challenge
Interactive challenges invite participation and can create a sense of community around your brand. Ensure your challenge is fun, easy to understand, and shareable for maximum impact. Promote it widely, and consider offering incentives for participation to boost engagement.
8. How-to Tutorials
Educational content is highly shareable, and video tutorials are particularly popular. Use A.I. to generate scripts, streamline production, and share your finished videos across social platforms. Incorporate humor, personal storytelling, or interactive elements into your how-tos to enhance engagement.
9. Quizzes
Fun and interactive, quizzes invite participation and cater to various topics. They are also highly shareable, making them a great way to engage audiences and promote your brand. To create a successful quiz, focus on a central theme, use engaging visuals, and encourage social sharing.
10. Do a Poll
Simple yet effective, polls invite audience participation and encourage sharing. Use them to spark conversations, gather feedback, or engage your audience lightheartedly. Create visually appealing graphics to promote your polls across platforms for maximum impact.
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10 Businesses Using Twitter for Marketing
1. Starbucks: Mastering Community Engagement on Twitter

Starbucks stands out for its ability to connect with fans through timely interactions and humor. The brand’s approach includes embracing trending topics, such as the debate over their red Christmas cups, to spark conversations and create engaging content.
Starbucks also fosters community by regularly interacting with followers, sharing user-generated content, and responding to tweets. Their innovative use of Twitter helps strengthen brand loyalty and create a fun, inclusive atmosphere.
2. PlayStation: A Dynamic Twitter Presence Fueled by Fan Engagement

With nearly 9 million followers, PlayStation has built a robust Twitter following by consistently providing engaging content that resonates with gamers. Their tweets feature a mix of links, videos, and text updates, many of which spark conversations and encourage retweets.
PlayStation also uses pinned tweets to promote new game releases and special events, increasing visibility and engagement. Their dynamic Twitter strategy highlights the importance of fan interaction in building brand loyalty.
3. Samsung Mobile US: A Diverse Content Strategy That Keeps Followers Engaged

Samsung Mobile US maintains a strong Twitter presence by sharing a wide variety of content, including product news, promotions, and lighthearted memes. Their tweets often feature well-curated hashtags and a mix of images and videos, encouraging engagement and sharing.
Samsung’s consistent, creative approach to Twitter showcases the brand’s playful personality while keeping followers informed and entertained.
4. Whole Foods: Educating Followers to Build Trust and Loyalty

Whole Foods uses Twitter to share valuable content that educates followers rather than simply promoting products. Their tweets feature a mix of recipes, cooking tips, and seasonal ingredients that resonate with health-conscious consumers.
This strategy positions Whole Foods as a helpful resource and builds customer trust, enhancing brand loyalty. Their approach highlights the importance of providing value to followers in social media marketing.
5. Sony: Leveraging Cross-Promotion to Maximize Brand Exposure

Sony effectively uses Twitter to promote its diverse offerings, from music and movies to gaming and electronics. The brand regularly retweets content from its various divisions, showcasing new releases and special promotions.
This cross-promotion strategy enhances Sony’s overall Twitter footprint and introduces followers to the brand’s wide range of products. Sony’s approach highlights the value of collaboration in social media marketing.
6. Michael Kors: Showcasing Brand Aesthetics Through High-Quality Visuals

Michael Kors uses Twitter to reflect the brand’s sophisticated, modern aesthetic. Their tweets feature a mix of polished images, lifestyle shots, and product placements that capture attention and encourage engagement.
This visual strategy helps reinforce Michael Kors’ luxury positioning and appeal while providing shareable content for followers. The brand’s approach highlights the importance of aesthetics in social media marketing.
7. McDonald’s: A Playful Approach to Promoting New Menu Items

McDonald’s uses Twitter to showcase its iconic menu items and promote new additions, such as the McPlant burger. The brand’s playful tweets feature puns, memes, and engaging visuals, encouraging sharing and interaction.
McDonald’s also highlights its commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing through thoughtful content that resonates with consumers. Their approach demonstrates the power of humor and creativity in social media marketing.
8. Calvin Klein: Focusing on Celebrity Collaborations and Brand Heritage

Calvin Klein uses Twitter to promote its timeless aesthetic and modern sensibility through product-focused and lifestyle content. The brand’s tweets feature high-profile celebrity collaborations, such as the recent expressions of love between Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber, that drive engagement and brand relevance. Calvin Klein’s approach underscores the importance of integrating heritage and innovation in luxury marketing.
9. Etsy: Connecting With Customers Through Humor and Heart

Etsy uses Twitter to showcase its diverse community of makers and promote its unique products. The brand’s tweets feature a mix of engaging visuals, seasonal content, and lighthearted memes that connect with followers and encourage sharing. Etsy’s approachable, playful social media voice highlights the brand’s commitment to creativity and personalization while fostering community and connection.
10. Nintendo of America: Engaging Fans Through Nostalgia and Interactivity

Nintendo of America has built a loyal social media following by connecting with fans through engaging content that celebrates the brand’s rich history and modern innovations. Their Twitter presence features a mix of nostalgic references, interactive polls, and promotional content that drive engagement and sharing. Nintendo’s approach highlights the importance of balancing brand heritage with innovative marketing in the digital age.
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