Twitter can be a powerful tool when used for your business. As always, getting started should include some time to learn and follow what others are doing. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Goals
Know what you are trying to accomplish. This needs to be more than just pushing people to your website with links. You should be telling a story through short messages about your brand, providing helpful information, linking to your website sometimes. Provide useful tips to your followers and they’re more likely to retweet your tweets.
Be a good listener.
This is just plain common sense on any social media platform. Listen to the conversations on twitter. Thank your followers for following you. Reply when someone sends you a direct message.
Follow the leaders.
There are leaders on Twitter – those within your industry that have built a name for themselves and their company using social media and are Twitter masters – search for and follow them. Watch what they do right and learn from that. And just as important: be aware of the behavior you don’t like – direct messages that are sales pitchy, spammy direct messages that make no sense – and make sure that you stay clear of doing that.
Your profile
Your profile picture should be YOU not your logo. People want to talk to a person, not a logo. Your profile summary should be informative and quirky. It should tell people what your primary focus is on Twitter and give a hint to the personality behind the campaign.
Find people with your interests
Want to find others in your industry on Twitter? Search for your industry keywords using the Twitter search bar. If you have been following and watching others, maybe you’ll know of common hashtags that reflect your interests. Search for those hashtags. You’ll be presented with a list of people that match the keywords and hashtags. Browse the list to find potential people to follow.
Twitter is also good at sending you periodic emails providing you with a list of whom you may be interested in. Keep an eye out for those emails and look through their suggestions. Chances are you’ll find their suggestions match your interests and are a good way to keep growing your network.
Be Social!
Social Media – regardless of the platform – is meant to be social, friendly, helpful and personable. You’ll be more successful if you know what you are trying to accomplish, show your personality and keep it conversational.
The easiest thing for you to do – on any social media platform that is new to you – is to watch and learn. Search for those that have many followers and see what they are doing right. Learn from them, craft your own plan and you’re ready to go.
And as any conversation goes, you’re only in charge of your side of it. Make sure you stick to your plan and stay respectful. Remember, everything you tweet is public to anyone that follows or retweets to their followers. Keep that in mind when you are constructing your posts – if you wouldn’t say it to your Grandmother, than don’t say it on social media!