Twitter is an extremely simple site to use, but not everyone has figured out the most strategic ways to use Twitter to their advantage. It’s more than just signing up and posting some tweets. Companies that decide to create a presence on there need to consider how to attract enough Twitter followers (and the right ones), how to put out useful information, and which Twitter conversations to participate in – or to start.
How to Gain a Following on Twitter
Without followers, tweets fall deaf in cyberspace. But getting more Twitter followers can be extremely easy. Most Twitter users follow anyone that follows them. But how can a company be sure they are finding Twitter followers that match their target audience? One easy way is geographically. The “TwellowHood” tab on www.twellow.com is an easy way to search for users by town or city.
Another way to gain a following is by topic. Recently Twitter introduced lists, which allow users to organize the accounts they follow into lists. Many Twitter users create lists based on geographic locations, or that groups similar companies or organizations together – browsing either such lists can be very useful to find followers. Companies should also check to see if their Twitter account has been added to any lists – and what other Twitter accounts are on those same lists.
How to Post Useful Tweets
While gaining a following, it’s time to get tweeting – but tweet with a purpose. Tweet with the voice of the company. When composing a tweet, think about the audience – both current followers and the ideal future followers. Engage them; don’t just talk at them. Start a conversation, ask a question, or tease some information to pique their interest, and include a link. Never think of a tweet as just one step, think about the next step the audience should take after they read the tweet. Should they click a link within the tweet? Reply to the tweet? Retweet to their followers?
How to Effectively use Hash Tags
Twitter is simple, however one of the few things users need to know about Twitter is how to use hash tags. Hash tags “tag” or “categorize” tweets, or attach a tweet to a topic or a conversation that is happening. It is very simple to create a hash tag – insert a # in front of a word, and it is suddenly a searchable, clickable hash tag.
If a company is posting tweets related to an industry, tag all (applicable) tweets with a hash tag related to that industry. Tweets related to a hot topic should include the hot topic has a hash tag. To save on space (tweets are limited to 140 characters, after all), turn words within a tweet into hash tags. Also, create new hash tags, and encourages others to use them. When holding an event, encourage all event attendees to use the same hash tag when tweeting about the event. Many industries also have regular “discussions” via Twitter – once a regular day, time and hash tag are established, anyone can join the conversation.
As Twitter grows in popularity, more and more people – and businesses – will start tweeting. By understanding Twitter, and how to use the site strategically, businesses and organizations can stand out among the competition to make sure their messages are heard by their target audiences.
Maggie Wolff - Maggie has over seven years of experience in public relations and marketing in the fields of healthcare, performing arts, and professional ...
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