Syracuse Web Design, Website Development, Hosting, Offsite Data BackupTwitter Basics for Businesses
When given the choice between getting started on Facebook or Twitter for their business, most people would choose Facebook. Why? It looks a lot less intimidating. And, in many ways, it is. Facebook has the benefit of instant connections, but Twitter has the benefit of letting you easily find, and connect with, other business owners and consumers specifically interested in what you offer.
When you first sign up for Twitter, you are asked to fill out your profile, and then dropped off on a mostly empty screen. No followers, no one to follow, and no idea what you’re doing. Scary, right? It doesn’t need to be.
Before you type in your first tweet, upload a picture to your profile. You’ll get more followers if you have an actual image for people to associate with your account, as opposed to one of the generic images. The generic images are used by a lot of SPAM accounts, and other Twitter users will judge your account (and choose not to follow you) if you don’t have a real picture.
Start by following people you know. This could be coworkers, favorite bloggers and companies, friends,or anyone else you know who has a Twitter account. There is a convenient search feature at the top of the page to allow you to find people quickly and easily. Search through the list of accounts they are following, and follow anyone who looks interesting. Follow people who share great information, or who engage in a lot of conversations with the people you are already following. You can also search for topics and keywords, and see who is talking about topics related to your field.
Your first tweet doesn’t have to be perfect. You have 140 characters (letters, spaces and symbols) to say something. Start simple; chances are very good that no one (or almost no one) is actually going to read your first tweet. Once you are following a few people, begin responding to their tweets. Learn how to retweet, and share what you are reading with your followers. Get involved in the conversation.
If you are using Twitter for business, remember that you are building your brand. People will associate your Twitter account with your business, so make it count. Act like you would in any other social situation. Give more than you take. If you consistently join into the conversation, share links to others’ sites, and help out where you can, people will be more than happy to do the same for you.
Building relationships on Twitter takes time, but the rewards for your business can be huge. You’re building a following; people who will help spread the word about your brand. Be consistent; you can’t build a meaningful relationship if you’re only using Twitter once a month. It needs to be an every day thing if you really want to grow your business’ online influence and visibility.
Related posts:
- Facebook Basics for Businesses
- Social Media Pitfalls, and How to Avoid Them
- Social Media Sites Your Business Should Be Using (But Probably Is Not)
- The Best Local Search Ranking Practices
- Local Search Guide for Businesses
