How to Effectively Use Twitter for your Business
So you’ve set up a Twitter account for your business. But now what? How do you make Twitter a useful tool for you? We’re going to walk through some best practices to making your Twitter use a success.
Set Up Your Twitter Profile
This one might seem obvious. However, there’s a right way and a wrong way to set up your profile. You want your profile to be attractive and informative.
Fill it out completely – Nothing should be left blank on your profile. This looks unprofessional and like you didn’t take the effort to do it. Be sure you write a biography, add a link, a profile picture, and a header photo. This will make your profile look complete.
Write a biography – You are allowed to add a biography on your profile, so use it. When someone looks at your profile, this will tell them what your business is. Make it short, informative, and engaging. Be sure to include what you have to offer, whether it be a product or service.
Add a link – This is somewhat easy to overlook, but there is no excuse. In the link field of your profile, simply add a link to your website. It’s that easy!
Add a profile picture – Your profile picture is a visual identifier for you across Twitter. It should be visually attractive, yet also inviting. There are two good choices for most small businesses: You could use your logo-be sure this shows up properly when viewed as a thumbnail. Or you can use a headshot of yourself. A headshot gives your followers a personal view of you, so be sure your photo is professional.
Add a header photo – In addition to a profile picture, you can add a header photo to your profile. This is a larger photo that spans the width of the top of your profile. You have a little more freedom in what you choose here. Add one that conveys the feeling you want to give to your followers.
Posting on Twitter
Because a user’s Twitter feed updates constantly, you should most multiple times per day. I recommend, at minimum, 5-10 times each day. In order to post throughout the day, look into automation tools.
These posts do not all have to be original content from you. Be sure to retweet other users’ content as well. In fact, about 50% of what you post should be others’ content, 30% should be your original content, and 20% should be items that directly relate to sales of your product/service.
Hashtag Use for Businesses
Each of your posts should include at least one or two related hashtags. These hashtags will allow you to show up in relevant feeds.
In order to find which hashtags to use, you will need to do some research. An easy way is to check out similar users as you. What are they using?
You can also make a list of relevant keywords and research them through Google Keyword Planner and then searching them in Twitter.
Get More Followers
In order for people to see your tweets, you should have followers. Most of the time, in order to get more followers, you should follow other users. This will allow others to see that you are active on Twitter.
You can find more people to follow by looking at the “Who to Follow” sidebar. In addition, I find it helpful to search for hashtags and keywords in the search bar. People who tweet about your subjects will show up and you can follow them. Be sure to follow people that you think will add to your online community.
Becoming an effective Twitter user can be a little daunting. However, with the right actions and mindset, you can grow it into a useful social media platform.
Please share any tips or additional information in the comments below!
