Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business or Blog
I met Tom the other day and he mentioned that he didn’t get Twitter. Tom is not unusual. So many people I come across in person do not understand how to use Twitter for their blog or business.
They either signed up and never spent time on the network or they just never ventured away fro[click_to_tweet tweet=”Tom was interested to keep up with news on Twitter but didn’t know how he could expand his small online business using Twitter. #Twitter @Lisapatb” quote=”Tom was interested to keep up with news on Twitter but didn’t know how he could expand his small online business using Twitter. #Twitter” theme=”style2″]m Facebook.
Tom was interested to keep up with news on Twitter but didn’t know how he could expand his small online business using Twitter.
I began to tell Tom what he could do to gain followers and potential clients through this old but powerful social network.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Tom was interested to keep up with news on Twitter but didn’t know how he could expand his small online business using Twitter. #Twitter @Lisapatb” quote=”Tom was interested to keep up with news on Twitter but didn’t know how he could expand his small online business using Twitter. #Twitter” theme=”style2″]
Meet New People on Twitter
Twitter is a great place to meet new people. When you are on Facebook or LinkedIn you usually know the people, you connect with. Or you have some connection to them. This is not the case with Twitter. You can start conversations with anyone on this social network. (Not all people will reply the first time, though!)
You can do a search for topics and or people in the Twitter upper right-hand corner. Twitter also suggests people to follow though some are promoted ads. You can see those along the right-hand size of your Twitter feed on desktop.
On mobile you may only see those promoted ads to follow people or to see their promoted tweets. But you can still search on mobile for people or hashtags and now even topics!
[click_to_tweet tweet=”You can start conversations with anyone on this social network. #Twittertip @Lisapatb” quote=”You can start conversations with anyone on this social network. #Twittertip” theme=”style2″]
Network on Twitter Chats to Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business
You can turn it up a notch on Twitter with Twitter chats. These are more niche oriented. Twitter chats are like Facebook groups but at a fast pace. Twitter chats typically last an hour.
There is a lot of going back and forth with questions, answers and thoughts on a chat. Before you do one, I recommend observing one.
It helps to have your mobile device near your desktop or you can use tools like Tweetdeck or the Tchat app for Twitter chats in real time.
Many people prefer Tweetdeck as you can add extra columns makes it easy to filter and keep up with conversations using the columns. The more people on the chat the harder it may be to follow especially if it is your first time on a Twitter chat.
Practice before you get too involved in participation. If you ask a question start with Q followed by the # of the question, like Q3 and people will respond with A3, etc. Always use the Twitter chat hashtag in every tweet as well.
Lastly, if you have a blog you can easily embed your Twitter chat there to increase it’s reach and visibility.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Always use the Twitter chat hashtag in every tweet as well. #Twitterchats @Lisapatb” quote=”Always use the Twitter chat hashtag in every tweet as well. #Twitterchats ” theme=”style2″]
Showcase Your Expertise on Twitter
If you are an expert in an area Twitter is a great place to showcase that expertise. You can give tips, and answer questions from others on your area of expertise.
Over time, people will come to you with questions and realize you know something about a topic.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”If you are an expert in an area Twitter is a great place to showcase that expertise. #Twitter @Lisapatb” quote=”If you are an expert in an area Twitter is a great place to showcase that expertise. #Twitter” theme=”style2″]
Share Others Content to Deepen Relationships
By sharing others content, you will get noticed. By tagging them with the @ before their username they will know you have shared their content.
To really get noticed, add useful previews before their content. Oftentimes, I will write “Read and Commented” before the tweet or expound upon why someone should read the tweet or the contents in the link within the tweet.
Blogging entails not just writing and sharing your own content but being able to share other’s content on social media.
Pin the Perfect Tweet to Your Twitter Profile
This is the place you want people to click on your link. Have it by your latest blog post or the place on your site where you want people to act like a landing page. You can change your pinned Tweet often as you like. Your pinned tweet is your prime real estate on Twitter.
I mentioned to Tom that he could do a short video about himself or why others may want to follow him or his business on Twitter. That would make the perfect tweet for your business to shine!
[click_to_tweet tweet=”You can change your pinned Tweet often as you like. Your pinned tweet is your prime real estate on Twitter. #Twittertips @Lisapatb” quote=”You can change your pinned Tweet often as you like. Your pinned tweet is your prime real estate on Twitter. #Twittertips” theme=”style2″]
Ask Questions in Twitter Polls
After you have a following on Twitter this a great way to know what people like or know. It can help you give them more answers on the things they care the most about. Many people love to engage in Twitter polls as they can be fun and useful.
You can provide 4 answers for others to choose from in a poll and it can appear for up to 7 days on the Twitter feed.
Once you tweet a poll bookmark it so you can easily find it. These type of tweets are great for embeds on your blog or website too.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Many people love to engage in Twitter polls as they can be fun and useful. #Twitterpolls @Lisapatb” quote=”Many people love to engage in Twitter polls as they can be fun and useful. #Twitterpolls” theme=”style2″]
Share a Video in a Tweet
People love doing business with other people. What better way for them to get to know Tom than to see him on video?
Videos do get more engagement on Twitter just like on most of the other social networks today. You can do a video up to 2:30 minutes on Twitter.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Videos do get more engagement on Twitter just like on most of the other social networks today. #Twitter @Lisapatb” quote=”Videos do get more engagement on Twitter just like on most of the other social networks today. #Twitter” theme=”style2″]
Answer Questions to Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business
Search hashtags to see what people are asking about in your niche. Answer some questions to help them. Be genuine and do not try to sell them anything at first! That’s the biggest turn-off on any social network but some people do not understand that.
Also, you can ask questions to start conversations with others on the Twitter network.
Use DM’s – Direct Messages Sparingly on Twitter
Tom asked about all those spam messages he was started to receive on twitter. I explained that does happen and to be careful and not open any links from strangers there. I went on to tell Tom that he should use them sparingly as well.
Only DM those people he has grown to know on Twitter or those he personally knows.
Oftentimes, I will send a tweet with a DM alert so that person will know it’s there,
Share Emjoi’s and GIF Images in Your Tweets
People love emojis. They make them smile or laugh. GIF images are another way to make others laugh or smile. Now they have apps you can use to create your own image into a GIF.
Madalyn Sklar highly recommends this and talked about it recently in your latest Twitter chat. It is her pinned tweet today! As she claims it can add personality to your tweets! 😊 Tom liked that one.
After all, who could not use more personality today?
Mix It Up with Tweets with Words Only in a List
Rebekah Radice is the queen of listicles on Twitter. I started doing a few and have noticed a bigger engagement factor and even gained followers from these. Sometimes Rebekah will number her lists and other times she will use emojis in front of each word.
These are well-thought-out lists, not just put there to have them help her Twitter rank. Think strategically and creatively about how you can do listicles as well for your business that be started anywhere (see how to get llc florida).
Use Relevant Hashtags to Have Your Tweets Be Discovered
Tom asked about using Hashtags on Twitter. I explained that you can and should use them but only up to 3 per tweet, no more! Does every tweet need a hashtag Tom asked? No, you don’t need to on every tweet I told him.
If you want to do research on hashtags there are many apps now that can help you with that. The Blogging Wizard recently published a great guide for Twitter hashtags.
Tom asked about where the best place is to put the hashtag in the tweet? Most experts agree at the end of the tweet is the best place for your hashtags. It is more likely seen there and it keeps the tweet neat.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Most experts agree at the end of the tweet is the best place for your hashtags. #Twittertips @Lisapatb” quote=”Most experts agree at the end of the tweet is the best place for your hashtags. #Twittertips” theme=”style2″]
Keep and Use Twitter Lists to Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business
This will be a huge time saver for you! Adding people to a list keeps you out of the main Twitter stream and lets your focus on groups of people. I have over a dozen lists that I use regularly.
Don’t forget to add people along the way as you get to know more folks on Twitter. You can read my post over on Donna Merrill’s blog about Twitter lists in detail.
Organize your lists as you would any CRM by putting people into categories. For example: Friends, clients, local news, charities, wordpress whiz’s, finance experts, etc.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Keep and Use Twitter Lists to Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business. #Twittertips @Lisapatb” quote=”Keep and Use Twitter Lists to Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business. #Twittertips” theme=”style2″]
Schedule Your Tweets Out
Twitter now allows you schedule tweets right on Twitter. Tom was shocked to learn about this new Twitter tool. You have to go to the Twitter Media Studio to schedule them. But I told him with caution as you cannot use emoji’s in them. ☹
That turned me away from scheduling on Twitter and kept me scheduling on Agorapulse which I love for all my social media scheduling and reporting.
Depending on your niche and how many followers you have, will determine how many tweets per day you should send out. Start out slow and increase them by the day. Once you reach a threashold, you will know as some people will unfollow you for overtweeting.
Have FUN as You Make the Most Out of Twitter for Your Business
I told Tom this and he laughed but I always tell people when I teach that you must enjoy tweeting if you will continue to use it! Make it fun and not all work. Follow other things you are interested in and keep in touch with friends you make on Twitter.
Today I’m meeting a woman I met a decade ago on Twitter to go walking. Next week I’m doing a second zoom meeting with someone I met on a Twitter chat.
I’ve chatted with many other bloggers from all over the world for the past decade and will continue to do so in coming decade. That’s how I’ve meet Enstine here at Enstine Muki 😊
Did you make the most out of Twitter for your business or blog yet? We’d love to know more in the comments below.
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