How Local Businesses Can Leverage Twitter’s New Nearby Feature

Twitter has made headlines in recent weeks with the quiet launch of its experimental Nearby timeline, which allows eligible mobile users to discover tweets posted by others in their immediate vicinity, regardless of whether they are following them.

This feature is currently available to a select number of users who have opted-in to allow their location information to be shared on Twitter. Nearby appears as its own tab alongside the Home tab within Twitter’s mobile apps.

As shown right, the tool features a map with the user’s location indicated, surrounded by pins for the locations of other users who have recently tweeted. Users accessing Nearby can click any of the pins to view and engage with the Twitter user and their content, whether they’re around the block or several miles away.

I believe that there are five simple (and free) steps that local businesses can pursue now to take advantage of this experimental tool and best position their Twitter efforts if and when the feature becomes permanent. Read more in my Marketing Land Social Media Marketing column.