Want to know what everybody’s talking about? Hop on Twitter. The little light-blue bird is everywhere. Twitter is on the news all the time, and there’s a reason for that. This social media platform has found a massive audience and has given a megaphone to some of the most powerful individuals in the world.
With the potential to reach many people, Twitter can help businesses in several different ways. In this article, we’ll discuss:
- Twitter Basics
- Let’s Tweet About It: The Do’s
- Avoid Those Tweets: The Don’ts
Once you’re familiar with these, you can develop a Twitter strategy to help generate new leads for your business.
How Can Twitter Help Businesses?
Leveraging the different social media outlets takes time, energy, and knowledge. Before you can develop a strategy, it’s essential to know the basics of how Twitter works.
First, it’s crucial to find out if your target demographic is on Twitter. Take time to research your ideal customer and find out if, typically, he or she is spending time on Twitter.
If the answer is yes, then you’ll need to start by setting up your profile. For your username, handle, and profile picture, you will want to choose copy and images that existing customers will automatically associate with your brand. You should start by following influencers in your niche and, if possible, existing customers as well.
You will also want to choose a cover photo that is unique to your business. Ask a graphic designer to come up with a timely and creative image. It should be related to an upcoming sale or event.
Lastly, you’ll want to brainstorm and write a strong tweet to use as your pinned tweet, which will always stay at the top of your Twitter page. You can change your pinned tweet if you want to promote a product, event, or sale.
Cheep Cheep! Twitter Dos
- Promote your existing content.
Once you have your profile set up, it’s time to think about what to do with it. If your business already has a blog, Facebook, or Instagram presence that it utilizes heavily, you will want to Tweet about posts on those sites.
- Choose your Twitter guru.
You will also want to decide who will come up with content for your tweets. This is extremely important and depends entirely on your business. If you’re running a two-person show, then it will need to be the person with more marketing, Twitter, or writing savvy. If you have an entire marketing team at your disposal, then you’ll need to think about it more critically.
Usually, it’s a great idea to choose your team member who is the most similar to your target audience, and therefore most likely to be in-the-know about Twitter trends and memes that might attract attention.
- Learn before you tweet.
If it’s up to you to write the best tweets possible, then you’ll want to look at your competitors and see what’s working. Stay authentic to your business, but don’t be afraid to learn from those who are succeeding in your niche.
Oh No! Twitter Don’ts
Because there are so many people engaging in conversations on Twitter, running a business Twitter account is not a straightforward process. There are a few steps you can take to avoid issues that are common on Twitter.
- Don’t avoid the hard stuff.
When companies refuse to comment on major current events, they can be seen as insensitive or out-of-touch. If your business has come up with its response to a recent occurrence, make sure that you Tweet about your statement.
- Don’t pander or speak down to your audience.
Twitter is a complex world, and posting the right content isn’t always easy. It’s important to avoid cringey tweets that make users want to unfollow you. It’s also important to avoid talking down to your audience. A polite tone goes miles in the Twitter verse.
- Don’t engage in public arguments.
Many companies have been called out on Twitter for bad behavior or not delivering on a promise. When this happens, it’s important to take a balanced approach in your response. Make sure the customer or follower feels heard, and then make sure you address them as politely and logically as possible. You can also send a Direct Message (DM) to them as quickly as you can to try to take the conversation out of the public eye.
In Conclusion…
By having a firm grasp of the basics, embracing important Twitter Dos and avoiding the Twitter Don’ts, you’re on your way to utilizing a popular social media platform to promote your business.
There are many tools you can use to find out more about your target audience, and your competitors, on Twitter. Do your research and then make sure that you always tweet with respect.