Sometimes, you just need an extra boost when it comes to social media, including Twitter. Check out these 12 great tips to help you stand out on the popular 140-character social media service.
- Use Twitter with a purpose in mind. Don’t just do it because every other business is. Make sure that you have a goal for your Twitter account and that you’re taking steps to move toward that goal.
- Revamp your appearance. Haven’t touched your profile picture since you got an account in 2008? Now’s the time to update all your images, including adding a cover photo if you never ended up doing that. While you’re at it, give your profile bio a makeover – make sure it’s informative yet memorable.
- Get in the know. It’s important to know what all the @s, #s, RTs, and MTs mean so that you get the most out of your Twitter experience. Luckily, Twitter itself has a nifty guide to understanding the lingo.
- Follow the right people. Some people may disagree, but I believe you shouldn’t follow all sorts of people willy nilly on Twitter, especially if you’re using it for marketing. That following/follower ratio is something people actually care about – and trust me, it looks bad to be following 100,000 people when only 50 are following you. Be smart about who you choose.
- Research (yes, research) the hashtags you use. Hashtags are a great way to reach a larger audience and connect with like-minded people. However, you should be smart about using them. Use hashtags that you know will get you exposure, and make sure they actually mean what you think they mean. Case in point.
- Use images to stand out. Tweeting pictures breaks up the monotony and makes your posts shine.
- Tweet often. Twitter doesn’t have an algorithm like Facebook, so everything you share shows up in your follower’s feeds. However, so do all the other tweets from people they follow. In order to cut through the noise, be sure to tweet frequently without being overbearing or spammy. Find a good balance – it’ll be different for everyone.
- Repeat tweets. In order to have enough content to tweet frequently, it doesn’t hurt to repeat select tweets. Most people who follow you will miss the first time you tweet something – so don’t be afraid to share it again at a different time of day. Again, find a balance in this. Nobody likes a spam bot.
- Use shortened links. Don’t waste space with long URLs – use a link shortener like Bitly to conserve characters and track clicks. There are even services that allow you to create custom shortened URLs.
- Have a little personality. It’s not enough just to have your tweets be seen – they actually need to be interesting, too! You only have 140 characters, so use them wisely. Whether your brand’s personality is funny, classy, or clever, be sure to let that shine in each and every tweet.
- Keep track of how things are going. Twitter now has analytics available for every account (finally). Use them! Track your performance and see what kinds of tweets are getting the best momentum. Change your strategy accordingly.
- Try out Twitter advertising. Want to reach more people than just your followers? Consider creating an ad campaign on Twitter. Most people see a great return on their money for this sort of thing, but start small and test obsessively before investing the big bucks.
What other tips do you have for Twitter beginners? Let us know in the comments below.
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