Small Brands on Twitter Target Hurricane Irene Searchers

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As East Coasters cling to Hurricane Irene forecast developments, one would think that marketers for the Weather Channel, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and others would be all over keyword buys on Twitter right now. But that's not the case.

Instead, a few heady startups from a mishmash of niches are scoring the extra impressions and traffic. They've purchased bids on the following keywords: hurricane; Irene; HurricaneIrene; and Hurricane Irene. The tweet copy being employed is topic-relevant, and, in two cases, includes a landing page with helpful content concerning this weekend's pending storm.

Based on ClickZ's Twitter searches this afternoon, here are brands taking advantage of hurricane-related search traffic:

RoomSaver, a hotel coupons site
Tweet copy: FYI: Many airlines waiving change fees for areas that will be affected by Hurricane Irene. Check your airline for details

Zaarly, a local marketplace
Tweet copy: We just completed our hurricane kit, have you? Why not save time and #zaarlyit? This person did. http://zrly.it/Ca

Service Magic, a home services directory
Tweet copy: We wish everyone bracing for Hurricane Irene good luck. Check out these tips to prepare your home: http://bit.ly/pNLSjg

MyDamnChannel.com, a video site for filmmakers, comedians, and musicians
Tweet copy: Daily Grace tells you how to survive Hurricane Irene AND high school! Because they're similar! http://youtu.be/TQ0OrlLfiGo