In the stock market, they call it after-market trading, where market professionals make bets on the next day’s trading based on their analysis of late-breaking stories – often potentially negative, and often resulting from late-afternoon announcements by the government or public companies.
In Twitter, there’s something similar going on – largely unnoticed by many. No, it’s not stock trading; it’s comments by individual reporters for major media outlets (think the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Reuters, CBS) who talk about their take on stories, and pass along their own coverage as well as stories by their peers.
Take a look at what they’re writing about in those 140-or-less-characters analyses and you have a pretty good idea of where these market professionals see things going in your industry – and what they’re interested in. (PR people take notice.)
Here’s how to play the game.
1. Follow the reporter on Twitter. (For a comprehensive list of reporter Twitter handles by media outlet, go to MuckRack.com).
2. Check in once a day and see what’s got them going. (Often an interesting mix of business and personal interests, accompanied by a healthy dose of “look at me.”)
3. Retweet their stuff. (They will notice!)
4. Use your take on what they’re writing to look smarter in front of your clients or your management. (This is business, after all.)
5. And filter what you read on Twitter into your media management, including how you position your client or company. (See point 4.)
