How to Use Twitter Effectively for Your Business
Each social media platform is a little different from the others, and although Twitter can get easily overlooked in favor of more visual-centered platforms, there are ways to use Twitter effectively for your business.
Founded in 2006 and reaching 100 million users by 2012, Twitter is a microblogging platform where users post “tweets” of 280 characters or fewer (this was originally 140 characters or fewer, but the limit was later increased).
Yes, users have the capability of sharing photos, videos, GIFs, surveys and other media, but those aren’t the centerpiece of the platform. It’s not a visual platform the way Instagram or YouTube is. People are there to share their thoughts quickly and concisely, and to read what other people are saying as well.
If you already have a Twitter account, good for you. But if you set it up just as formality and you’re just sending out a tweet or two every week, then you’re probably not getting anything out of it. And it doesn’t have to be that way. Use Twitter correctly and it can be a great force for establishing your brand and marketing what you have to offer.
What Makes Twitter So Tough?
Here’s the thing about Twitter — whatever you have to say, you have to say it concisely. You don’t have the beauty of long-winded posts the way you do with Facebook, LinkedIn or your website’s blog. For some people, it can be tough to convey an idea in only short snippets like that.
Twitter’s feed also moves pretty quickly. What a person tweets at any given minute is available for only a brief amount of time before it gets buried by other tweets. A Facebook post might be seen later that day or even days later, but a tweet likely won’t have the same luck unless a person is following very few accounts.
Therefore, to gain prominence on Twitter, you should post about 20 times a day. If that seems like a lot, well, that’s because it is. But remember, each of these tweets is only 280 characters. So each tweet needs to encapsulate one idea or one thought and no more.
Don’t let all of that deter you. The concise nature and fast pace mean that Twitter tends to be pretty laidback. Think of it this way: If your website’s latest blog post is like a speech you deliver for a conference, Twitter is the conversation you have when you run into a neighbor at the grocery store. It’s short, but if you do it the right way, you can still leave a lasting impression.
Setting Up Your Twitter Account
If you’re new to Twitter, make sure you set up an account that reflects your business. You’ll need a Twitter handle, which is essentially your username that people will use to search for you or use to tag you in tweets. It’s preceded by the @ symbol and needs to be shorter than 15 characters. It should also be simple to remember, which will make it easier for people to engage with you.
So if you have a tutoring business called Academic Achievers, then your name is 17 characters without the space between the words. You’ll need to shorten it. But if you simply cut out the vowels and go with @AcdmcAchvrs, that could be tough to remember. You might want to try simply @AcademicAs.
Don’t forget to set up a profile picture that’s recognizable (your logo, for example) and include relevant information in your bio, including relevant keywords and hashtags so that people can search for you easily. You also want to have a link to your website.
Effective Business Promotion and Brand Establishment
Now let’s get to the important part — how you’re going to use Twitter. While it’s all right to use Twitter to make important announcements like new products or closures, all of this should be done in a conversational way rather than as a sterile update:
“We’ve got new products launching in two weeks. Want to know what they are? We’re going to be filling you in over the next few days.”
“Our doors are closed between Christmas and New Year’s, but you can still catch us here on Twitter. If you’re making merry these days, @ us and let us know.”
Here are a few other ways you can engage on Twitter to establish your brand and market your business:
Take advantage of trending topics: When you check out the “Search” section of the Twitter app (click the magnifying glass at the bottom of your phone screen), you’ll see the latest and greatest of what people are discussing on Twitter. Don’t be afraid to join the conversation yourself and tie it back to what you do — even if it seems irrelevant at first. The tutoring company Academic Achievers shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to tweet about #TacoTuesday. Suggest that making tacos could be a lesson in ratios, whether you’re someone who likes even amounts of guac and salsa or twice as much meat as you have cheese. Math lessons are everywhere, after all, and Academic Achievers sees Taco Tuesday as a great excuse for a math lesson.
Ask questions of your followers. Start a conversation by asking your followers what they think about any topic related to your industry. Be ready for people to reply — and be sure to reply to their reply if it’s warranted. If not, simply liking their reply is an appropriate acknowledgement.
Discuss your industry. Have there been changes to your industry lately? Has it made the news? Be sure to share your insight with your followers. You can also follow others who are in your industry so that you can exchange comments with one another.
Crack jokes. Yes, seriously. If you’re an auto shop and you hear a great car joke, share it on Twitter. It’s this sort of lighthearted banter that people are here for.
Share links. Sometimes you have more to say than what can be summed up in 280 characters. If that’s the case, create a blog post — and then share the link to the post via Twitter. You can also share links to relevant news stories or features with your commentary.
You can still use visuals if you want. Sure, Twitter isn’t the social media platform that’s centered on visuals, but this doesn’t mean a photo, video or GIF on Twitter is unwelcome. Far from it! Plenty of people use them to express themselves on Twitter. But while Instagram is about photos that are supported by text, Twitter is about text that is supported by a photo (or video or GIF).