Hacking Twitter for Customer Feedback

Feedback is the lifeblood of startups. Without out it, you’re running blind.

At PlayHaven, we gather feedback and data in several ways. We take our partners to lunch, survey customers, analyze metrics at a macro and micro level; experiment with a/b tests; read industry and competitor news; review social media and blog comments; and monitor how partners use our product.

The more feedback, the more insight, the greater the chance we’ll build something people want.

One of the best under-utilized sources of feedback is Twitter. Almost every startup has a fixed search of their company name but few actively listen to their audience. For the past few months I’ve gradually built a Twitter list of mobile game developers, marketers, product managers, and others in the industry. With the help of Tweetdeck, I have a persistent pulse of our market. Every day I learn about:

• what they love
• what they hate
• the tools they use
• their opinions on the industry
• what they’re reading
• who they’re talking to
• new games they’re working on

Of course this chatter goes both ways as I actively engage and try to provide value where I can. To be clear, my goal isn’t to sell but to better understand their needs. I’ve had the opportunity to meet several face-to-face or via Skype, building a stronger relationship with individuals and the community. Through these interactions, I’m able to gather even more feedback.

It takes time to generate this list but it will become an everlasting source of feedback, the pulse of your customer.