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You Don’t Have To Be As Tweet-Obsessive As Will.i.am To Get Noticed On Twitter!
At the time of writing, the prolific celebrity 'tweeter' that is Will.i.am has almost 4 million Twitter followers online and has produced some 2,247 tweets to date. This guy is a tweeting phenomenon!
You might be forgiven for thinking that the Black Eyed Peas co-founder has an iPhone for a hand seeing as he tweets up to 8 times a day. Most recently he tweeted his way through the inaugural series of The Voice UK – and more controversially – whilst carrying the Olympic torch! But the bottom line is, Will got oodles of media – and social media – attention for his trouble.
Twitter is a powerful communication tool which is quick and easy to use. You have 140 characters or fewer to make your point. What's more, if you run a business which relies on local trade, then Twitter will provide the local reach you need to target your immediate market with details of offers and events. And even if you choose not to use your Twitter account as a direct marketing tool, then Twitter provides a great way to network.
Here's how to get started:
Choose your Twitter name:
This could be your name or your business name. Whichever you decide on, it needs to be short and concise. If the name you want has already been taken, then opt for a nickname or shortened version of it, rather than joebloggs1234. Why? Because the addition of the numbers makes it look spammy. And basically, the shorter your name the easier it will be for your followers to re-tweet your tweets – which after all – is the aim of the game!
Upload a photo
Some people will use an avatar or company logo, but my advice is to use a professional headshot of yourself. Twitter is all about personal integration and sharing, so be 'you', rather than a faceless person or business.
Write an engaging bio
Can you introduce yourself to the world in 160 characters? Bear in mind the keywords people may use to find you through the search engines, but better to keep it interesting and write for your human audience rather than Google. You'll attract more followers that way too. And don't forget to update your bio at regular intervals when you need to.
Construct a tweet plan
Assuming you are not well known (or even a star of Reality TV), it's unlikely people will follow you to find out what you had for breakfast. And if you are writing for a business purpose it's unlikely you would want to write that kind of thing anyway. That's not to say, all your tweets should be about business – social stuff works well too – and it can be great for really connecting with people. Once your clients know you are on Twitter it's likely some of them will choose to follow you, so bear this in mind also.
Find some interesting people to follow
Seeing what other people do on Twitter (both good and bad) is a sound lesson in social media etiquette. You could follow people in your industry, entrepreneurs you admire and perhaps people who might make good joint venture partners in the future.
Get established on Twitter before you tell your clients (or anyone else)
What most people do is sign up for a Twitter account, post a tweet, then start telling people they are on there. The best thing to do is to get 18-20 tweets published before you inform your networks. That way, when people come and visit you, they'll have a better idea of what you are about and are more likely to make an informed decision of whether you will be interesting enough to follow.