Twitter is not just for tweeting pictures of your breakfast. When used correctly it can be a powerful tool to help promote your business. The only cost is your time. These 5 tips will help you promote your business easily and effectively.
1. First things first – Learn the Language!
A post is a Tweet. You don’t ‘Twitter’, you ‘Tweet’. You can reply directly to a tweet or quote the Tweet and share the conversation with your followers. A private message is a DM – Direct Message. A hashtag is any word following a # symbol. This can be any word or phrase without spaces. E.g. #ThisIsAHashtag Once this symbol is placed in front of the word it becomes a hyperlink and is used to connect tweets with similar subject matter. More on this later. You Follow accounts that you’d like to see in your Newsfeed. Trending is when a hashtag is popular and is the most discussed topic on Twitter. The top ten trending hashtags for your area will be listed on the right hand side of your screen. Because only 140 characters are allowed (let’s hope it stays this way!) TextTalk is commonly used so get familiar with the following acronyms:
BTW – By The Way
OMG – My My God
TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday
TMI – Too Much Information
BRB – Be Right Back
FB – Facebook
JK – Just Kidding
LOL – Laughing Out Loud
B/C – Because
BF – Boyfriend
LO – Little One
NP – No Problem
2. Update Your Bio
Include hashtags that describe your business & hobbies e.g. #SocialMedia or #Gardener. Put in your location as a hashtag also e.g. #Wexford. This will make your profile more searchable and will increase the chances of being seen. Make sure to add a link to your website, don’t leave this blank. If you don’t have a business website yet then set up a profile on About Me and use that instead. https://about.me/
3. Use Hashtags
When Tweeting use hashtags relating to your business and the subject matter. A hashtag will anchor your tweet. Anyone searching for this topic will see your tweet and the chances of gaining extra followers and connecting with others increases significantly. Search for your business topic and look at the hashtags other people are using. E.g if you search for the term ‘Gardening’ on Twitter you will see hashtags such as #DIY #Gardens #Landscaping. Be creative and fun and use different hashtags such as #FlowerPower or #SpringTime.
Join in on Twitter hashtag chats such as #WexfordHour, every Tuesday 9pm. Simply place the hashtag in a Tweet and say Hi! It’s a great way to promote your business and make new virtual friends too! d
4. Use Images
The right image can be extremely powerful. You don’t have to take 100’s of photos of your own office or services. Google some keywords relating to your business and find fun, interesting images to use. Again see what other people are Tweeting to get some ideas.
5. Don’t Be So Serious
Keep your Tweets light & fun. Don’t Tweet too many sales tweets. Find interesting articles about your business or your local town and share these. If it’s a Friday, tweet a image saying happy Friday and use the hashtag #FridayFeeling or #TGIF. Or use the hashtag #MondayMotivation and Tweet an inspiring quote.
The main thing you have to keep in mind is to ask yourself why would anyone follow you or what would your current followers be interested in seeing? Would you only like to see professional, serious and somewhat boring Tweets or would you like a mixture?
If you’d like more help with your Social Media you can email me on denise@thesocialmediadepartment.ie
