Many of you have discovered the wonderful world of Twitter. Twitter, as you know, is a way to post short comments of 140 characters or less. Twitter is many things to many people - some use it only for conveying personal insights, while others use it as a marketing venue for their business. Whatever the reason, there are some simple tips which will help make your tweets more effective.
First, don’t over-tweet. Much like with Facebook, people become overwhelmed when you make too many posts. (I hope I am not too guilty of this.) If you continually post 15 things in a row, several times a day, people will likely stop reading your entries. They simply will not have the time. Instead, choose the most important few things per day to post. Fewer posts hold more significance each.
Second, include a link. Generally, the point of marketing is to either get people to your website or get them into your shop. Often, getting to your website is the first step in getting them to your shop (if you have a brick ‘n mortar). Twitter has a neat feature that automatically shrinks your URL to fit your post.
Third, don’t mix business with pleasure. If you have strong political or religious views, don’t tweet them in the same account you use to share sales, discounts and industry news. Unless, of course, you only want customers who share your views on the world. Generally, it is good business to keep the two separate.
Fourth, use hashtags (#). If you’re tweeting about an event or topic that’s trending, give it a #hashtag. It will help when searching for certain topics. (Example: What does everyone think about #windpower?)
Fifth, integrate your social networking platforms. Using the Twitter application on Facebook, you can have your tweets posted as Facebook status updates automatically. This saves time. Also, post your @handle at the end of comments you post. This will help people engage with you regardless of where they found your content.
Sixth, interact with others. Don’t just go on Twitter, post your stuff and leave. If you want folks to follow you, you should follow others as well. Retweet posts that you like and comment on ones that interest you. It will go a long way toward building relationships.
