Social platforms create enormous opportunities for businesses looking to build brand awareness, create buzz, increase leads and sales, conduct competitive research and amp up customer relationships. But how exactly can all this be accomplished? To get you started, here are 5 ways to leverage Twitter for your business.
1) Create the Right Presence
It’s extremely important to not only be on Twitter but create an appropriate presence on the platform. You’ll be pushing out your business’ content, news and press releases; engaging with current and potential customers; and establishing your business as a thought leader in your industry. So follow these tips:
- Choose a handle that is easily recognizable and clearly relates to your business.
- Keep your handle short.
- Use an avatar that stands out and showcases your brand. Avoid logos that contain words, as they will likely be unreadable.
- Be sure to create an on-point background and header for your Twitter account. Take a look at RingCentral’s Twitter below:
2) Follow the Right Accounts
You’ll need to create a community of tweeters who are interested in your message. In order to do this, it’s imperative to consider your target audience and start to follow them. If you expect people to simply search you out and start following, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
In addition to curating your audience, you’ll also want to follow industry leaders and relevant news sources. These accounts will provide you with insight into what real-time topics are trending and what types of content people are most interested in reading.
Here are some simple recommendations for getting started:
- Locate competitors on Twitter and follow their followers.
- Create a list of the most influential thought leaders in your industry and see if they have a presence on Twitter. If so, start following.
- Identify and subscribe to Twitter lists that relate to your industry.
- Create a Hootsuite account so you can monitor your stream efficiently.
3) Optimize Your Tweets
Once you’ve created the right presence and began the process of building your Twitter community, it’s time to start tweeting. What you tweet is key and will determine whether or not your community with engage with retweets, shares, favorites and mentions. Here are just a few things to keep in mind when crafting tweets:
- Keep your tweets short. A recent study by Buddy Media found tweets with fewer than 100 characters get a 17 percent higher engagement rate.
- Give credit when necessary. If you’re tweeting out someone else’s content, give them credit with an @.
- Limit your use of hashtags (#), as they take up characters and can clutter your message.
4) Engage
If all you do on Twitter is tweet out your content and messaging, you’ll miss the boat. It’s imperative that you participate and participate often. Retweet, ask questions and address any questions posed to you. Engagement should play a pivotal role in your Twitter strategy.
5) Participate in Relevant Chats
In the beginning, it can be difficult to build a community and craft top-notch tweets. Many Twitter newbies struggle with through their first month of business tweeting. One of the best ways to master your Twitter voice and get comfortable with the platform’s etiquette is to participate in Twitter chats. To find the most appropriate ones for your business, visit The Chat Diary.
Does your business have a solid presence on Twitter? Are you experiencing any issues not addressed in today’s post? If so, tell us in the comments below and we’ll be sure to help you out.
Featured photo courtesy of joelaz via photopin cc.
Originally published Aug 30, 2013, updated Dec 30, 2022
