There are currently over 200 million active Twitter users, and this number is steadily growing. Because of this, making connections on this growing social media network has become increasingly important for business owners. But where do you start? These 10 tips will help the Twitter novice advance into an experienced account holder while simultaneously increasing their business sales and presence on the social media site:
Interact
The 140 character limit seems to make many businesses forget that the cornerstone of a successful social media presence is interacting with consumers. With such a limited amount of space, many businesses fall victim to the idea of utilizing those characters to sell, sell, sell. However, this tactic will only backfire. Instead, businesses should adapt an 80/20 rule when posting. 20% of posts can be shameless self-promotion, while the remaining 80% should be valuable content and customer interaction.
Don’t Be Afraid of Hashtags
Aimlessly perusing Twitter is a waste of both your time and effort. Instead, spend time targeting trends that apply to your business and use that information as a business tool. The search function and trending tools available on Twitter are an incredible asset for business owners that can be utilized to increase the value of the content you tweet out. Join the discussion on trending hashtags to expose your company to a whole new subset of potential followers.
Follow Your Competition
You should follow your competition. Similar businesses can expand their fan base by joining forces with each other, exchanging information and sparking discussions among a larger group of users. While you may not be soliciting your competition for services, social media encourages business competitors to join forces in an effort to increase industry success.
Following your competition will also keep you up-to-date on new products and services being offered. The Twitter format lends itself well to announcements and press releases and often becomes the first place new information is shared. Following your competition is a primary benefit of establishing a Twitter account.
Protect Your Account
There are an abundance of companies that have found themselves in the middle of public outcry because of tweets that were poorly timed tweets or done in bad taste. Like other social media accounts, keep the reigns tight when assigning staff to update accounts. Don’t allow an open account for all staff members to share. Have a single account holder who understands the importance of maintaining professionalism on social media sites.
Use Images
While Twitter advertises itself primarily as a short content site, it actually makes an effective site for image-based promotions and content. Unlike visual social media sites like Pinterest, Twitter makes it easier to attract an audience by adding hashtags and reaching out to specific users. Post interesting images to engage followers and increase retweets.
Keep it Short and Snappy
Shorter tweets, usually those that are 100 characters or less, result in more user engagement. Keep the content you post to Twitter engaging and use the least amount of characters possible. Verbosity and convoluted messages are lost on Twitter. Users want clear, concise messages that encourage interaction and sharing with other users.
Spell it Out: Retweet
Adding the word “retweet” or the acronym “RT” to a post makes it 12 times more likely to be retweeted. For content you want shared, it’s just that simple.
Tweet Often
Unlike other social media sites, the front page of a user’s Twitter account isn’t stagnant. It’s constantly updating and evolving. A good Twitter account should be updated at least four times a day with valuable content. Experiment with what times and days produce the most responses and retweets and take your audience into consideration. Those with a strong fan base in a particular time zone or country should target tweets to times when those users would be online.
Ask for Your Followers’ Opinions
The simple design and response system makes Twitter an ideal place to poll users and improve products. Don’t be afraid to engage with followers on the social media site. Interaction with your fans and followers will spark discussion and lead to more brand exposure.
Don’t Ask for Verification
Verification is an unnecessary step that discourages fans from following your account. Make engaging with your business easy and hassle-free. Get rid of any verification or confirmation steps to connect with you.
Unlike other social media platforms, Twitter encourages responses and interactions in a novel way. While 140 characters may seem intimidatingly short, a great tweet can gain more followers and garner more interaction than other social media sites. Understanding the pitfalls of a poorly run Twitter account and enhancing the benefits of the site will lead to business success.