Love it or hate it, Twitter is a major social network with well over 700 million users. If you’re not using it for your business, you’re missing out on some amazing opportunities. Despite what some would believe, however, you need to do more than just set up a Twitter account and start making posts. Having a good strategy will turn your Twitter experience from an ineffective waste of time into a powerful marketing tool.
Choose Who you Follow Wisely
Twitter is NOT just about following as many people as possible in hopes that they will follow you back. You should always choose to follow people who will actually provide you with some benefit, even if they never follow you back. If you have a business focused twitter account, only follow people related to that business, but make sure they are all influential or informational people who will really help you along the way. The bottom line here is, you should only follow people who you will actually be getting some value from.
Focus on Targeted Followers
When it comes to getting people to follow your account, more followers is not always better. Having quality followers is much more effective than just having tens of thousands of random followers who will never turn into customers. In fact, a smaller group of followers who are actually engaged will bring many more benefits. You’ll be able to track their behavior better, and customize your marketing to the specific needs of those people.
Sometimes Shorter is Better
With the 140 character limit twitter provides, many people feel like they need to fill up every possible character. The fact is, however, that for many messages, you’ll only need 20-50 characters to get your point across. The moral of the story here is, use how many characters you need, and not a single one more. Sometimes 140 is the right number, but don’t force it just because you can.
Take Advantage of Trending Topics
Twitter tracks which topics and hash tags are being used the most at any given time. Keep this real-time list handy whenever you’re working on making a tweet for your business. If possible, include hash tags from the trending topics and you’ll be seen by far more people than without it. Many people check the trending topics on a regular basis, and if your post makes it into that list, it can quickly provide you with incredible business exposure.
Engage Your Audience
Many business twitter accounts put out regular tweets, but almost never interact with their followers. This is a big mistake. When your audience comments on your tweet, or tags you in their tweets, consider conversing with them. Of course, you can’t reply to every tweet made, but showing people that you’re more than just a robot at a computer is a great way to build a loyal audience.
Brand Your Account
Having a branded twitter account is essential, and that brand should match your Facebook account, your blog and any other properties you own. One of the main points of having a twitter account for your business is to build up brand trust and recognition, and if you don’t have your logo or other branding on your account, you’re missing on a big opportunity. Using a simple logo for your avatar and other areas on twitter will surely improve your overall results from this social media platform.
