Confessions of a Twitter Evangelist

Even though I have been working in the B2B social media marketing world for the past four years, I didn’t own an account until 2011. I didn’t care about what color underwear people were wearing. It didn’t make a difference to me. Boxers or briefs, I could have honestly cared less.

However, now that I have built a presence for many well-respected businesses through my work on Twitter, this popular social network has become one of the most indispensable tools in my marketing toolbox. I am definitely now a fan of this platform. Many of my colleagues who started out as “Twitter haters” are now big fans as well.

I’d like to share with you some of my Twitter “secrets” to make this network work for you. Here are some quick and easy tips you can adopt to develop a quality community of Twitter followers for your business or brand:

1. First things first. Take it from one of the top marketing and PR experts in the world, Oprah Winfrey. She once said, “Follow your instincts, that’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” We all know Oprah is a smart cookie. She’s right. Twitter followers follow that which appeals to them in a matter of seconds. You only have 140 characters and a profile photo to make your first impression. Make sure that your profile photo and message are clear. Also, be sure that the link to your site works!
2. Don’t do it! Don’t send an auto-DM to every single person who follows you. It’s ok to write back to someone to thank them for the follow or to ask them about something in their profile. After all, Twitter is all about creating a conversation. However, don’t send spam through Twitter’s DM function. That’s the quickest way to lose a follower!
3. “Help, I need somebody. Help, not just anybody.” So the Beatles may have been the first to pick up on this, but always try to be helpful. Try to answer questions that people may have about your business, product, or service area. If you help someone with a question that they have, you aren’t just being helpful; you’re demonstrating what expertise or skill you bring to the table. You are guaranteed to garner a few followers then and there.
4. Strangers? So, here’s the deal. There’s no such thing as a “stranger” on Twitter. There are, however, influencers. Hopefully, some of these people will also become friends. Find out who the “big names” are in your field and do your best to follow them and share creative and informative content that may interest them. Also, attempt to start a conversation with them every now and again. As they have tons of followers, they may not get back to you right away. However, even if they respond even just once, that’s all you need to be noticed. I once received an answer from Gary Vaynerchuk, an influencer in the field of internet marketing. Within minutes, I had ten new Twitter followers!
5. Create the conversation. As I mentioned earlier on, Twitter is about creating conversations and adding value. If people want to know the color of your underwear if you are wearing boxers or briefs, then tell them and continue as you would with an in-person conversation.

Ok, are you feeling more confident now? Ready to take the Twitter plunge?
Start a conversation with us here.