5 Tips to Get Active on Twitter and Reach Your Brand's Audience Twitter is an insanely popular micro-blogging platform with an incredible reach of people you may want to know.
By Deborah Mitchell Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As social media continues to evolve in marketing, brands are constantly feeling the pressure to be more social on all platforms. But which platform is right for you?
Someone once told me this, and now I pass it along to my clients: Think about online audience in three ways. Facebook is for the people you know, LinkedIn is for the people you need to know, and Twitter is for the people you want to know. With about 232 million "monthly active users," Twitter is an insanely popular micro-blogging platform with an incredible reach of people you may want to know.
Related: How to Use Twitter Analytics to Help You Tweet Better
Here are a few tips on how to increase your Twitter followers and keep your platform alive!
1. Work on your social media voice.
Your brand should have a personality and voice on social media. There is a good chance that your brand is being discussed, hopefully in a good way, online. Every platform has a different audience, so identify that audience and cater your voice and message to them. Try and be a part of real-time conversation.
If you want to hire someone to converse on your behalf, make sure they are familiar with your brand's message. Hiring an intern to save money is probably not a good idea. It could backfire. While the tone may change depending on the platform, your brand's message and authenticity should be intact.
2. Make it easy for your audience to find you.
There is no question that people are moving quickly -- reading articles and watching videos on their mobile devices while on the run. With this in mind, make it easy for them to share your information. Place share buttons on your company website pages, your blog posts, on your other social platforms and in your email signature. Put the buttons in a place where they are easily accessible.
3. Be proactive.
A good way to increase your followers is to follow people you know by importing your email contacts to Twitter. Make sure that this list is updated with all your recent email contacts and your LinkedIn connections, as well. Once you are following them, you will be surprised at the number of followers you will get!
Related: Advanced Marketing Techniques to Help Your Twitter Account Take Off
4. Tweet often and increase numbers.
According to a study by Mashable.com, it takes about 10,000 tweets, on average, to break into the 1,000 followers mark. Without compromising the quality of content, make sure you remain a consistent and prolific presence. Even better, join real-time conversations by setting your Twitter time to the peak time your audience is online.
Tap into the moments that matter and that people can relate to and can create a conversation. Your brand may benefit from shared discussions about cultural events, sports, pop culture, news events, etc. Stay grounded in popular demand and trending topics. This can only contribute positively to your social presence.
Be careful and conscious of participating in controversial topics that may put your brand in a spotlight you might not be interested in.
5. Use compatible hashtags.
Your industry has hashtags that are already being used. Join the conversation with relevant content and use them, as well. #ThrowbackThursday, #ShopSmall, #Entrepreneurs are a few good ones. Also, expand your reach by following prominent names in your field, sharing posts or articles, and including them on the tweet along with the hashtag.
Remember, tweets are not just bits of conversation. In mass, they have the power to affect your business. The sooner you join that online conversation, the better!
Related: #HashtagFails? 5 Tips That Will Change Your Fortune
