Is Twitter part of your social media marketing? Are you following best practices to build your brand and ultimately grow your business?
Twitter is the ultimate “micro-blog” and provides challenger brands with a channel to start, join and lead conversations as well as interact directly with customers, prospects, influencers, and partners.
Twitter shares some features with the most common social media channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, etc. However, the differences really define the platform.
- A tweet is a short Facebook status update, but unlike Facebook’s posts, filtered by the platform’s algorithm, every tweet is seen by your followers.
- A tweet is a short LinkedIn status update. But, LinkedIn is based on trust relationships, whereas Twitter allows you to follow anyone, which is very helpful when you’re trying to reach prospects.
- Both Pinterest and Twitter allow users to share photos, but starting a conversation on an image is much easier on Twitter.
Now let’s dive in and see how your company should leverage Twitter in your social media marketing efforts.
- Share photos and behind-the-scenes info – Boost the attention your tweets get by adding photos. Your followers want to know the latest, so posting a sneak-peak into new products or services and upcoming events will help you engage with your followers.
- Listen carefully and follow – Twitter is most effective when conversations occur and evolve. Here are 3 ways to interact with your followers:
- Ask questions to gain insight and to demonstrate your company is listening to clients.
- Provide compliments and respond in real time.
- Address negative comments professionally and informatively.
- Reward loyal followers – Loyal followers are your best clients and prospects. They deserve special offers, discounts, and time-sensitive deals. Running a contest for followers who retweet your messages or offering a Twitter-only special code are great ways to reward your most loyal followers.
- Demonstrate thought leadership – Seize the opportunity to position your brand as the industry expert by sharing useful resources, articles and links about the future evolution and overall big picture of your business. You should always think ahead and lead the way.
- Be genuine – How do you want your brand to be perceived by Twitter users? Cutting-edge, knowledgeable, caring? Pick your voice and stick to it as Twitter users respond best to a direct, sincere and likable tone.
