If you’re not already using Twitter to promote and grow your business, it’s a safe bet your competitors are. Fortunately, entering the world of Twitter is easy. Even if you fear giving up some of your precious time, you’ll see the benefits and the attention it can bring to your business. With Twitter you can:
- Maintain a constant stream of communication with your followers
- Direct questions to your target audience
- Promote special offers, a new product launch, or share news relating to your business
- Generate leads and convert prospects
- Give your business a human feel
Any of these activities alone provide sufficient reason to explore Twitter opportunities. The possible combination of benefits means you shouldn’t wait any longer to get on board.
Getting started
How do you want your brand defined on Twitter? Some businesses direct their efforts at a specific niche, while others aim for a broader target audience. The tone of your tweets can be straightforward and informative, a little off-the-wall, or outright funny—it all depends on how you want people to think about you and your brand.
If your goal is to promote a product or service, plan to spend time establishing credibility by tweeting great content and becoming engaged with your followers. Some businesses prefer to take a more passive role, using Twitter to keep abreast of industry trends and listening in on changes in customer preference. This option would require less activity on your part, though for Twitter to be effective, you must still carve out a distinctive presence.
Your Twitter handle is how people will know you. It’s the name they’ll use when they tag you in their tweets—so choose a name that’s a good fit with your business. The same goes for the picture you select for your profile page (which also appears alongside your tweets). Make it warm and personable, reflecting the human side of your business.
The Google Keyword Planner can help identify keywords of most relevance to your market or industry. These are words and phrases to include in your tweets, thus entering into the flow of Twitter traffic with the greatest potential benefit to your business. Another tip: Use keywords to optimize your profile, making it easy for others to find you.
Hashtags are a useful tool for seeking specific key words and getting in on trending conversations. Create a hashtag by placing # before a word and employ them strategically to promote forthcoming webinars or online events.
We haven’t even touched on content for your tweets or how to promote them to your community—jump to Part 2.
