When it comes to creating new business and professional opportunities, making connections is one of the most important things anyone can do. Social media is an excellent way to do this, and Twitter has emerged as a promising platform for professional development. Twitter allows users to send out “tweets” on their computer or mobile device; those tweets are short messages of up to 280 characters each. On a typical day, there are more than 500 million tweets. The ability to reach so many people so quickly is unparalleled by other social media platforms, let alone alternative forms of communication. Let’s go into detail on exactly how businesses and professionals can harness the power of Twitter.
Take advantage of Twitter lists to organize your marketing targets into easily viewable buckets which you can then monitor and engage with more efficiently without the noise of a thousand random off-topic tweets jamming up your timeline.
Jason MyersBefore you can drum up business and brand recognition on Twitter, you’ll need to create an account and profile. Here are the basic steps to do just that.
A Twitter @name is basically a handle where the “@” sign is followed by a serious of numbers, names or words. Ideally, a professional Twitter handle will use the Twitter users name or company. For example, John Doe’s ideal @name would be @JohnDoe and Acme Industries, LLC’s @name might be @AcmeIndustries. The @name may contain up to 15 characters. It should be easy to identify and remember. Twitter users can change their Twitter name at any time, but once chosen, the @name is permanent.
Individuals will want to use a picture of themselves, such as a headshot or candid, doing something related to the message or brand. For example, a food critic might have a picture of them sitting at a restaurant table enjoying a cup of coffee or a motivational speaker might have a profile photo of them standing on stage. Twitter recommends this photo be roughly 400 x 400 pixels in size to avoid distortion when the image is resized to fit in the assigned area.
On the Twitter profile page, below the user’s name and @name, there are 160 characters available to explain who the Twitter user and why he, she or it is unique. Users can include additional information, such as a website, business hours or geographical location. The bio is read by search engines, such as Google and Twitter’s own search tool, so place relevant keywords inside the bio for search engine optimization.
The header background consists of the entire upper portion of the Twitter profile page and the large rectangular section above the profile photo on the Twitter user’s home page. It can be thought of a personal website banner or billboard to convey whatever current or timely message the user feels is appropriate. Twitter recommends the header background photo be around 1500 x 500 pixels. Make sure any important parts of the picture are centered, as the photo’s edges will be cropped for viewing on mobile devices.
While it doesn’t hurt to keep the default white page background, changing the color or design to complement the overall theme or message of the professional account can enhance the effectiveness of the user’s Twitter presence.
Pin tweets. If there is a particularly important tweet that new users should see, it can be pinned to the top of your Twitter timeline.
Share your location. There is also an option to add your location information to each tweet. This is off by default for privacy reasons. But users who want to communicate where they are to their followers (imagine a Twitter account for a food truck, for instance) will probably want to toggle this setting on.
It’s sometimes difficult to describe professional and unprofessional tweets. The following examples should help give a good idea of what to strive for.
Yard work is tough, and unreliable equipment makes a difficult job even harder. Before you store your lawn equipment this off-season, take these steps to winterize your equipment. http://bit.ly/7skroy
The tweet is to the point and offers help to those who may be facing a particular problem
Pop quiz: The CEO of our company once competed on Jeopardy! Can you guess how much money she won?
This creates an opportunity for followers to engage with the Twitter account.
Looking to travel to Washington, DC this January? Watch out for the inauguration crowds! #2020inauguration
This tweet takes advantage of the popularity of a trending, yet relevant hashtag to gain exposure.
I couldn’t have said it any better than @AcmeIndustries and its article on “10 Ways to Keep Your Clients Loyal.” http://bit.ly/9hjpq4
This endorsement tweet not only brings relevant content to your followers, but promotes another Twitter user who will appreciate the gesture.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Most poems rhyme,
This one doesn’t.
Does this seem familiar? Then check out my guide on how to write poetry that’s enjoyable to read. http://bit.ly/7skroy
Adding a bit of humor to a self-promoting tweet can not only temper its salesy vibe, but get it a bit of extra attention, like a potential retweet.
Need help with your yard? Contact us at 404-555-2935 #lawncare #mowers #landscaping #grasscutting #treeservices #yardwork #yardwork.
This tweet contains way too many hashtags.
My date last night went great. Let’s just say, yada yada yada, I’m really tired.
This would be a classic example of oversharing.
A new survey shos that 54 % of ametricans drink while on twitter
If you’re lucky, readers will think you didn’t edit your tweet. If you’re not, they’ll think you drink and tweet.
I had a satisfying lunch today: a grilled cheese sandwich.
If you have over five million followers, you might be able to get away with a mundane tweet like this. For anyone else, it’s too boring and no one will care.
@AcmeCompetitor: Screw you and your slanderous tweet that’s filled with lies! #fakenews
Remember: Don’t feed the trolls. Responding in kind makes you appear as bad as they are.
The biggest mistakes I see on Twitter are when people just don't get how it all works, get no engagement and give up out of frustration. When you click on a company's Twitter profile only to find out that they haven't tweeted since 2011, it looks unprofessional and gives the impression that this company fails and abandons projects and potentially customers (even if it's really just because they sucked at Twitter).
Jason MyersCreating new business contacts is incredibly valuable, no matter how you find them. Learn how to make the most of Twitter when networking online.
Remember (unlike other socials) Twitter is not about you, it's about them. Unless you're already a big star or influencer, if your strategy consists mainly of Tweeting about things your brand is doing, prepare to be screaming into the void. Instead realize the network's unparalleled ability to directly speak to influencers, engage with their content, tag all brands and accounts you're referring to always.
Jason MyersYou’re on Twitter to boost your career or business. But one of the easiest ways to do this through networking is to help others, such as providing them with information or tips on how to improve their current situation. People remember when they receive assistance from someone else.
You want to use Twitter to advance and develop your brand and business, so naturally you want to have many promotional tweets. But balance these tweets out with those that can help other users and followers or at least provide them with entertainment.
Make Me Feel Important – pretend anyone you’re about to interact with on Twitter has this written on their forehead. Everyone wants to feel special. It’s much easier to create a connection with someone when you pay attention to them and listen to what they have to say.
Don’t be a lurker if you intend to build a following on Twitter. It’s hard to get noticed and create relationships when you don’t reply, follow or retweet with other Twitter users.
You want to be retweeted, so make it easier for someone else to retweet you by giving them 30-40 characters to add their comments or thoughts to your tweet when they retweet it.
Nothing gets attention on Twitter like a funny tweet. Just make sure it aligns with your personal brand.
If you’re uncomfortable directly contacting someone on Twitter, try retweeting one of their tweets. Don’t forget to add a little something of value of your own before sending it.
Twitter users are twice as likely to engage with a tweet if it contains a picture versus if it’s only filled with text.
Introducing two of your contacts can help expand your own network and create professional goodwill.
An effective way to establish a connection and build up some social capital is to promote others without asking for anything in return. Often, the person or organization being promoted will recognize and appreciate the gesture and return the favor when they get a chance.
When on Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social media site, don’t forget to use your @name so people can find you on Twitter.
There are different approaches and goals for using Twitter. Make sure the persona or voice you choose matches with the message you’re trying to convey.
What’s reasonable will depend on how many followers you have and what industry you’re in. For instance, you probably don’t want to follow 500 people but have only 15 followers – that makes you seem like a bot.
Almost always attach graphics, photos or video to stand out on a timeline, but if you're tweeting a link to a site or blog make sure the URL is the last thing in the tweet so that the auto fill will function properly.
Jason MyersA brand is something distinguishable that represents an individual or organization. A voice is a way of describing the brand in a concise way. Put another way, the voice represents the mission statement or theme of the Twitter account.
To maintain your brand and voice on Twitter, keep the following tips in mind.
Stay consistent with the brand and voice. Customers and Twitter users like to know what to expect when interacting with the Twitter account.
Decide on a brand and voice before the first tweet. A well-planned strategy will take some careful consideration, but will make staying consistent easier.
Make sure the profile page properly reflects the brand and voice. Many users will glance at the bio to decide if they want to follow or not. After making this decision, they will have an expectation of what the tweets will be like and how they will be treated during interactions.
Look for feedback. Whether it’s directly from users or from analytics, it’s hard to know if the brand or voice is resonating with the target audience. It can also help find new opportunities for connecting and attracting positive attention.
Always stay on point. It can be tempting to make comments about the latest controversial news, but it’s best for your professional life to stay…well, professional.
Don't treat your company's page as if it's a personal profile. Leave your politics, religion and other potentially divisive opinions at home (unless that's the nature of your business). Otherwise it's not worth risking a potential backlash or, these days, a boycott if your message triggers those opposing your views. Instead, keep your tweets, light, fun, sassy, entertaining… whatever works best with your brand image and resonates with your target audience.
Jason MyersTwitter is an expansive slice of social media real estate. So, it’s understandable if it takes a while to take full advantage of what it has to offer. The following tools can help.
Use hashtags but choose them like a pro by checking their ranking on hashtagify.me.
Jason Myers