Why do people use Twitter? Twitter is a place where people go to find out about what’s happening in the world right now. It’s a place to share information instantaneously and spread messages worldwide.
With hundreds of millions of users and over 500 million Tweets being sent each day, it’s also the perfect place to build brand awareness, strengthen your reach and create engagement with your key audience.
So how do you start to create a brand presence on Twitter?
Setting Up Your Business Twitter Account
First, create a Twitter account and profile that tells your business story. Be sure to choose an account name and images consistent with your other online branding.
Your Twitter @name is a unique identifier that should help people easily find your business.
Your profile photo visually represents your brand. It is the icon everyone will see on every Tweet you post. You can use a personal headshot or company logo.
Your bio lets people know why they should follow you. Use the 160 characters to include useful information about your brand and the benefits you can deliver. Don’t forget to include a link to your website.
Your header image is your billboard. You can use event photos, feature products, or graphics with text that highlights your work and team.
Follow the Right People
Once your account is all set up, you need to start following people and get people to follow you. Promote your username everywhere!
Add a Twitter follow button to your website, on your business cards, and on store signage. Tap into your existing customer base using their emails, and find potential customers searching keywords and hashtags that relate to your industry and audience. Also, follow influencers who can help spread the word about your business.
Ready. Set. Tweet!
Now that you’ve found a follower base, it’s time to start Tweeting. There’s a balance between how often you Tweet and what you should Tweet about. If you only post every once in a while, it’s not going to make any impact. On the other hand, if you post too often, you will lose your authenticity. Two to three times a day seems to be about the average amount of Tweets to keep people engaged without feeling bombarded with marketing materials.
When you do Tweet, it’s good advice to follow the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of your posts should be informational, fun, and entertaining while the other 20 percent should be self-promoting. You don’t want to market yourself too much, or people will get tired of it and unfollow you.
Hashtags are an important feature of Twitter. Hashtags connect tweets that talk about the same thing in one place. When people are looking for information on a product or service, this is how they find what they are looking for.
Ask people to Retweet your posts. When someone Retweets your content, they’re sharing your business with their network of friends and followers, creating an even bigger reach for your brand. Be sure to thank people for Retweets and try offering an incentive. You can offer an exclusive coupon code or discount if a Tweet reaches a certain number of Retweets.
People also want you to Retweet their posts. Make sure that the Tweet applies to your audience. You can also like and comment on posts that may not be of interest to your audience, but it shows them that you are trying to be nice and help them gain attention as well.
Vary your posts often. All text, all the time can get boring. Try using images, GIFs, links, quotes, and text. Images are especially popular on Twitter since your Tweet is limited to only 140 characters.
It Takes Times
Don’t get discouraged if it’s slow-going at first. You have to develop relationships with your followers. It will be a lot of trial and error, in the beginning, figuring out what to Tweet, what times to Tweet, and what hashtags to use. Twitter analytics can help you refine your marketing strategies. It can tell you which Tweets your audience likes better so you can find similar posts to connect with them.
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that Twitter is the best place to have conversations that support, educate and delight your customers. It’s a place for authentic interactions.
