How To : Build Your Brand On Twitter?

What is Twitter?

•Twitter is a social networking and Microblogging site that was started in 2006. In 2007, approximately 1.2 million tweets were posted.

•As of June 2010, Twitter has 190 Million Users Tweeting 65 Million Times PER DAY.

•Interestingly, most of the users on Twitter are Adults, not teens. Teens only make up 11% of the site’s demographics.

•Businesses use Twitter for customer service, marketing, and to monitor their reputation. It is also a place where you can assess client’s needs and research social trends.

•Twitter is where the conversation between you and prospective clients START. It is a place for building and maintaining relationships.

•If social media was a dinner party, then Twitter is where people would socialize before dinner was served.

Setting up a Twitter profile:

•Your Twitter profile is fully brandable. You have full control over how your profile looks (except for the format).

•Upload a picture of yourself. Preferably the same picture you use on other social media profiles.

•Use a custom background and color scheme that is consistent with your blog and/or website.

•TwitBacks.com: Backgrounds for your Twitter profile.

•Have fun with your bio. Be professional but show your personality.

•Link to your blog rather than directly to your business site. If you don’t have a site link to one of your other social profiles.

Twitter definitions:

•RT = Retweet: When you repost another member’s tweet to your audience.

•Hashtag: Twitter’s version of categories. You can tag your tweets as well as search by hashtag for tweets other users have tagged.

•Link Shortners: Use Bit.ly and similar services to truncate long links to allow more room for the tweet.

•Follow: To sign up to see a person’s tweets on your home page.

•Unfollow: To stop getting updates of a person’s tweets

•DM: Direct Message. Twitter’s private messaging function.

•Trending Topics: Topics that are popular for the moment

•Lists: You can categorize your followers and people you follow into lists to help organize your account. (private or public)

Twitter Etiquette:

•DO NOT SPAM. Spam on Twitter comes in several forms.

1.Only promoting your stuff 24/7

2.Sending DMs that ask people to visit your business or buy your stuff

3.Sending tweets to people asking them to visit your site or buy your stuff

4.Letting robots tweet for you

•However, don’t go the other way and never promote your stuff. Find balance.

•Log in regularly to check and respond to messages. 100% automation is not recommended. People want to talk to you, not a robot.

•Thank people for following you and retweeting your content.

•Don’t be afraid to be controversial but be smart about it. Engage in friendly discourse. Avoid public Twitter arguments.

•However, unless you can take the heat, avoid hot button topics like religion and politics.

•Promote your Twitter account like any other web property you own.

•Don’t just talk business. Talk about your other interests as well. Be a real person.

•Find what works for you and do it.

Tweeting:

•You are there to connect with people. Therefore your tweets should be interesting and high quality.

•Focus on providing information that your target audience is interested in receiving.

•It is okay to tweet links to your blog and business. However, it shouldn’t be the only thing you are tweeting.

•Tweet tips and advice to help your target audience with their problems.

•Comment on the tweets of other members.

•Avoid Auto DMs or at least make them interesting

•Tweet consistently. Once every day, 5 times, etc.

•Find a few blogs in your industry and tweet links to articles of interest from them.

•How much you tweet is a personal preference. Some people love to talk and some don’t. The important thing is to be consistent.

•Try to tweet at times when your target audience is on the site. Popular times include in the morning before work, at lunch time, and after work.

•Retweet and promote other people.

•Engage in conversation.

•Be yourself. No one else can do the job.

The Wrong Way To Tweet : Example in video

My Twitter Marketing Strategy:

•Self promotion – to my blog, articles, etc.

•Promote other people

•RT people

•Funny stuff – StumbleUpon & find on other blogs

•Quotes

•3rd party blogs. ( Mashable, Social Media Today, Tree Hugger, Discovery, Inc Magazine)

•Tweet Tips and Suggest Tools

•Participate in FollowFriday and EcoMonday

•Engage, Engage, Engage

•Have Fun

Getting Twitter followers:

•Add a link to your Twitter account to your website

•Add a link to your email signature

•Place a link on your business cards

•If you do article marketing, link to your Twitter account in your resource box.

•Place a link in your forum signature

•Follow other people. Most people will follow you back.

•Engage, engage, engage

•Avoid programs that claim to get you thousands of followers. Most times they only cause your account to get banned for spamming.

•Share your link on other social networks

Building Your Twitter Network:

•Know who you want to network with. Determine who you target audience is.

•Use  a Twitter directory, like Twellow to find people by categories. Add yourself to directories so people can find you.

•Some people follow everyone and some people don’t. This is a personal choice. Use lists to manage your followers and contacts.

•Go for quality over quantity. Take the time to get to know the people in your network.

•Don’t be intimidated by “Big Names”. If you like what they are saying, follow them. You may be surprised.

•Follow news sites for your industry so you can retweet interesting news.

•Don’t be afraid to unfollow people who have stopped tweeting, only tweet spam, or don’t engage with you. Quality over quantity.


via: http://bit.ly/fNhHA1

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