With the rise of Instagram and Snapchat, Twitter is sometimes overlooked by marketers as a tool for increasing your digital footprint. But 326 million people still use Twitter every month, and for the businesses that are using it right, it’s a great way to not only increase reach but to improve consumer’s perception of a brand.

Whether by thinking up creative campaigns, making engaging posts, or just being downright hilarious, here are five companies that are nailing it.

1. Innocent

We can’t talk about companies on social media without talking about Innocent. When it comes to Twitter, they’re one of the best. With nearly 300,000 followers, their tweets are consistently engaging and on-brand. When not tweeting about drinks, they’re talking about the weather, baking shows and anything, well, innocent. Just a few weeks ago when Faceapp (an app that makes you look older) launched and drove the internet crazy, Innocent decided to make their own version. They invited their audience to tweet in photos so Innocent could make them look older, which they did in their own style. The joyful, humourous character they show through in their tweets strengthens their fun and charming identity as a brand.

2. Greggs

Greggs know they already have the nation on their side, and take full advantage of it on their twitter page. As well as creating funny memes and making hilarious videos with stars such as Lewis Capaldi, they know just how to get on their customer’s side. Their interaction with Piers Morgan is just one example…and at nearly 145,000 likes! It’s not just about having a great product (or sausage roll), but it’s about having fun with it. Greggs certainly has.

3. Netflix

Being successful on Twitter means taking risks, and despite Netflix being such a huge company, that’s a risk they’re willing to take. While a number of their tweets have caused controversy, there’s no denying the reaction is great. Their tweet revealing statistics for their cheesy rom-com “A Christmas Prince” made headline news with lots of consumers accusing the company of ‘spying’. Whilst some saw it as a breach of privacy, a lot more people found it hilarious. With over 100,000 retweets, the tweet was arguably a huge success despite the backlash. They continue to be just as successful, knowing just what to say to reach their audience and boost views for their latest releases.

4. Wendys

Twitter can be a great place to get ahead of your competition, and Wendy’s has done it in style. They were made famous by one memorable interaction where a fan asked how many retweets they needed for a years supply of chicken nuggets and Wendy’s replied: 18 million. It turns out, he wasn’t far off, breaking twitter records for the number of retweets. This wasn’t a fluke for Wendy’s however, who continue to interact with their customers and make light-hearted digs at their competition to increase their engagement.

5. Nike

While humour is definitely effective, it’s not always needed to create a buzz. For Nike, it was a daring idea and fantastically driven campaign. #Breaking2, Nike’s attempt to break the two-hour barrier for running a marathon, was Twitter’s biggest ever live-streaming event that was driven by a brand. Not only that, but their inspirational and highly-produced videos for their #justdoit campaign continues to gain hundreds and thousands of likes, showing you don’t have to be funny to be successful on Twitter.

It’s easy to say that Twitter may not be for everyone, but if used right, it can be a fantastic tool. You can’t treat Twitter the same as Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, and if you do, then marketing through the site may not be working as well as it could. Twitter is a unique space, but if shown as much care and attention as with these five companies, it can work a treat. 75% of B2B businesses market on twitter, so why shouldn’t you? Don’t overlook Twitter. It can be great for increasing your network, improving communication with customers and strengthening your brand identity.