Twitter is filled with potential for businesses, but a Twitter account is only as good as its content. Sometimes just observing how top businesses take advantage of this communication platform is a good way to learn.
Here are 20 popular retail brands’ Twitter feeds. Follow them on Twitter and watch their posts carefully — you might just learn a trick or two to improve your own business.
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@Zappos. Zappos is well known for offering terrific customer support. One of the main ways it does this is through its Twitter feed from CEO Tony Hsieh. Zappos also runs @ZapposInsights for its membership site, where followers can learn how to create a strong company culture.
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@BestBuy. The main feed from Best Buy with posts regarding company culture, upcoming events and deal notices. Best Buy also runs @GeekSquad for answers to customers’ technical support issues 24 hours a day and @TwelpForce with more tech advice from Best Buy technology experts.
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@HomeDepot. This is the main feed from Home Depot and the company uses it for home maintenance tips and tricks, as well as customer support. Home Depot branched off two other feeds — @HomeDepotFdn is the Home Depot Foundation for building affordable sustainable homes for those in need, and @HomeDepotDeals for both in-store and online deal alerts.
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@Target. This is Target’s main feed for ongoing deals and product announcements. It also has the @TargetDailyDeal feed for discounts on products available one day only and also @TargetStyle for fashion and beauty tips and products for customers on a budget.
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@ToysRUs. The main ToysRUs feed for all product announcements, gift ideas and customer service. ToysRUs also runs @BabiesRUs for the baby product line of stores and products with product suggestions and more.
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@Walmart. Walmart uses its general feed to interact with customers for fun and support, make product and service announcements and encourage customers to engage with the brand by submitting photos and more. Walmart also runs @WalmartSpecials, a separate feed just for limited time discounts and @WalmartGiving, the Walmart Foundation Twitter page with thoughts about community and donation.
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@Gap. Gap keeps it simple and runs one Twitter account to address customer concerns, engage with their customers and encourage participation in photo contests or talking about favorite stores and items, as well as product and deal alerts.
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@StaplesTweets. Staples uses its feed to feature products, ideas for product usage, deals and customer engagement.
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@MySears. Sears splits its Twitter feeds into two types of content: this main one is for questions, comments and issues from customers to get addressed as well as product suggestions and news. Then the @SearsDeals is the daily-updated deals and discounts alert feed.
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@Kohls_Official. A single feed from Kohl’s keeps things straightforward – the company uses it for product tips and deal alerts as well as fun and casual conversation with customers.
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@AmericanApparel. This feed is used to announce deals, free shipping codes, new product launches, new store openings and job opportunities.
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@OldNavy. Old Navy manages just a single Twitter feed as well, and uses it to have fun and engaging conversation with customers, post links to new products and stores and sale announcements.
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@Macys. Provides deal and product announcements, special event announcements and some customer support.
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@Nordstrom. Nordstrom splits its Twitter content into three main feeds, starting with this primary feed for customer engagement, support, product and deal announcements and more. Then @Nordstrom_Rack for its discount store and @NordstromBeauty for tips and announcements about all its beauty products.
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@NikeStore. Nike runs several Twitter feeds and what follows are just a few. This main feed is used for product and deal announcements, customer support and engagement. It then has a Twitter feed for many of the sports and lifestyles that the brand appeals to, but it splits them off into their own feeds, for example @NikeGolf for the golf gear customers and @NikeFootball for the football gear customers.
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@Converse. Converse does a good job of keeping the content on its feed lifestyle oriented, making it appealing to a young and hip demographic, with casual language, links to cool Converse events, art shows and contests and more.
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@AppStore. Apple has six Twitter accounts. This main one is for the App Store and features announcements about new apps, free apps, popular apps and more. Apple then splits the iTunes brand into five separate feeds, the @iTunesMovies for all movie content, @iTunesTrailers for movie trailer content, @iTunesTV for current TV programs available to download, @iTunesMusic for all music related announcements, free tracks, new releases and @iTunesPodcasts for new and rare podcast announcements and release dates.
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@Netflix. Netflix splits its content into several feeds, but these four are the main accounts. The general Netflix account is used for movie gossip, news and new release information. @Netflixhelps is the customer support feed. Netflix has an interesting @NetflixAPI feed for tips, advice and support for bundling the Netflix software with any device. And finally it has @NetflixJobs for employment opportunities in the company.
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@Verizon. Verizon runs multiple Twitter accounts, all for very specific content. This main one is for product announcements across all its brands and services, links to current news and events and more. Some of their other interesting feeds are @VZSmallBiz, which offers small business advice, @VerizonWireless for customer support and product information for its wireless users, @VZWOffers for special deals and coupon alerts, @HeadlinesVZ for the latest news in a wide variety of topics from around the nation. Verizon also runs dozens of additional local feeds for customers in particular cities or regions.
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@VictoriasSecret. Victoria’s Secret split its content into its two biggest brands, the main feed for the general Victoria’s Secret brand for adult customers, which features deals, product announcements, sneak previews to new items and more. Then the @VSPINK feed for its younger customers, which features more lifestyle oriented content, deals specific to the PINK brand and links to youth-related news and fashion.