How To Use Twitter for Your Business

Aeriel Davis

What Is Twitter?Twitter is considered micro blogging because

there is a limited number of characters you can

use in each message (tweet)

You’re only allowed 140 characters per tweet

You can tweet links to any web content or

photograph, or video.

An image can greatly expands what you can

share beyond the 140 characters you’re allotted.

People follow (subscribe) to your Twitter account,

and you follow other people. This allows you to

read, reply to and easily share their tweets with

your followers

Starting Your Twitter

When you start a Twitter account Twitter is very

great about walking you thru all the steps

You choose your username

You have to “follow” so many people from

different categories

Set up a profile picture and background picture

Customize everything

Present Your BrandYour Twitter account and profile are the

foundation of your Twitter experience. It’s your

chance to tell your business story to the twitter

community.

Choose an account name and images

consistent with your other online presences

and your brand.

Chose your username.

Usually your business name. Make sure to keep

it easy to type on mobile devices.

Choose your profile images. Twitter uses two

different images to represent your account.

You upload these images under profile in your

account settings. You can use either your

company logo or your headshot for your profile

Present Your Brand

Many Small businesses use their business name

for the account and a personal photo for the

profile photo. This adds a personal touch to your

Twitter account.

Build A Strong FoundationComplete your Twitter account completely

It’s important to give as much information about

your business as possible

Tell people where they can find you.

Make it as detailed and as clear as possible.

Some people may not be from your area that visit

your page.

Leave a link to your blog or website

Start Following People

As you’re going through the process of setting up

your blog it requires you to start following so

many people

When you follow someone you subscribe to what

they share,

Don’t go crazy following everyone, be selective.

If you start following too many at first, Twitter will

suspend your account for “aggressive following”

Start Following People

Follow-

Your Customers

Business partners, suppliers, contractors, and

vendors

Competitors or peers

Trade organizations or professional organizations

Businesses in your neighborhood

Businesses run by people you know

Start TalkingGive yourself a little time to get your feet wet.

Listen to others. Jump in when you feel comfortable.

Start Talking as you get your bearings.

Tweet: a message you send out to everyone who follows

you. This is the heart of Twitter communication.

Find the sweet spot between what your target

audience wants to hear and things that promote your

business.

Give useful information and answer their questions.

You will be considered a valuable member of their

community when you do this.

Talk Smarter

@Reply: send out as a

reply to a message you

received

Mention: a message

you send out that

mentions another

Twitter username.

Direct Message

(DM): a message you

send privately to

another Twitter user.

Retweet (RT): a

message created

and sent by

someone else that

you share with the

people who follow

you.

Drive Traffic to Your Website

and Blog

Twitter is a great place to drive traffic to your

website and blog

Create a Tweet around a link.

Twitter tools allow you to shorten your web

addresses using a URL shortener.

Connect Your Online

Presence

Add your Twitter account information to the

social media account information on your

website and blog

Most social follow tools used on websites and

blogs allow you to add your Twitter account easily

and quickly to your list of social media accounts.

Make it easy for people to share your website

and blog content on Twitter.

You can add a Tweet This button to your blog

posts and website pages. This allows your

visitors to easily write a tweet about your content

and share it with their followers.

Get Mobile!!!

Smart phones all you to use the Twitter app and

Twitter mobile website to easily send and receive

tweets.

Non smart phones with texting service (SMS)

allow you to use Twitter using text messaging.

Pictures and Video

People love looking at pictures. Include them

whenever you can. They don’t have to be

professional pictures by any means.

Take pictures of the different activities and daily

aspects of your business.

Video is also another way to tell people about

your business.

You must first upload them to another service,

such as YouTube, and then link them in your

tweet.

Organize your Followers

As you follow more people, it can be challenging to focus on the info coming from specific people and groups

Create separate lists for:

Customers

Potential Customers

Neighborhood or community businesses

Trade or professional organizations

People who inspire you

People you talk with the most

# Use Hashtags #

Hashtags appear in tweets to identify a common

topic or theme. They use the pound (or hash)

sign followed by a unique identifier.

You can create a hashtag unique for your

business and use it in your marketing to help

people find your company and the conversation

around it.

Hashtags are a great way to use Twitter for

customer service and support.

Find Local Customers

People often think that social medial allows you

to connect with people outside your local

geography.

Twitter allows you to focus on people in your own

background.

Use Twitter Advanced Search to find people near

your location

References

Social Media Examiner -

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-

use-twitter-for-business-and-marketing/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/MyLifeNTheHills