Social media has become the mainstay of marketing for startups and small businesses, and while Twitter doesn't embody the glitz and glamor of Instagram or the stability of Facebook, it's still reaping dividends for businesses of all kinds.
According to statistics published on Juan C. MejÃa's blog, Twitter has more than 353 million active users worldwide in 2021.
As a social networking platform, Twitter has continued to grow, despite many believing that it will disappear. The network has held its own against stiff competition and has even successfully absorbed users who left Tumblr.
For small businesses trying to reach customers organically and generate leads , the benefits of social media marketing, especially on Twitter, are immense.
But there are some tips that small business marketers should keep in mind when using Twitter. Here are nine tips to put this social network to use if you have a small business.
1. Do not ignore your Twitter profile
Your company's Twitter profile is the first thing consumers will see when they visit your account, and if it's not attractive and informative, you'll lose customers before you've even started converting them into followers.
Your profile image should be a good quality version of your logo and the header is another important aspect to optimize. Therefore, make sure to use images and graphics that convey the personality of your company. A program for making infographics and other designs can help you create eye-catching visuals.
With these determined visual elements, work on your Twitter bio. It should be concise but not vague; think about adding a call to action, your location and including your brand hashtag .
Do not forget to add a link to your website and access from your other social networks. You can also leave a pinned tweet at the top of the profile to promote new products or make an announcement.
2. Use your brand voice
Digital branding is not just about the strategic use of your logo, but also about the use of brand colors and fonts to make your brand recognizable by the public.
Another aspect of branding that small businesses need to consider, especially on social media, is voice, and Twitter is the type of network where you can easily share your company's voice and personality.
You will need to set the type of voice you want to use. It can be funny, serious, sarcastic or informative and should ideally be incorporated into all of your tweets.
3. Comment, chat, connect
Twitter is all about connections and conversations. While you need to tweet about your business and interests, you can't expect people to stumble across your account; You need to do some outreach first.
Comment on relevant posts, retweet, like and quote tweet posts that would be of interest to your followers.
When someone follows you, send them a tweet thanking them for following you. If they have a good number of followers, consider following them as well.
4. Use Twitter as a news source
It's tempting to send chain tweets about your latest products, services, company-related activities, and the timeline of the company's evolution since its founding. But that's not what Twitter users visit the platform for.
While Facebook and Instagram are leading the way in terms of entertainment, Twitter has become a primary source of news for Internet users.
Instead, share informative blog posts, how-to guides, infographics, industry news, and interviews.
5. Stay up to date on Twitter changes
Social media is constantly changing and updating. It can be hard to keep up with updates, but if you want to get the most out of the platform, you should know that it's changing.
One of Twitter's major changes to its platform occurred in 2015, when it replaced its "favorite" button, which was shaped like a star, with a heart-shaped "Like" button.
In addition, Twitter is also making changes to its algorithms , similar to what Instagram and Facebook have been doing.
6. Social listening
Social media cannot be used as a one-way channel where you send out information and expect people to respond. People are chatting about you and around you, without you being able to see them.
But these conversations can affect your brand, even if you don't know anything about them. Monitoring conversations about your brand is social listening and it will bring you incredible benefits.
7. Advertise on Twitter
Most small businesses avoid paying for social media, but it's something you might consider implementing in the future.
There are a few ways to adopt paid promotions on Twitter such as sponsored posts and trends, as well as Twitter ads.
Promoted tweets appear like normal tweets, except for a small "promoted" banner on the tweet. These tweets reach Twitter users who don't follow you back, so they're a great way to boost your tweet and reach new followers.
8. Schedule your Twitter posts
The days of logging into your Twitter account and manually tweeting each post are long gone. Most marketers use social media scheduling tools, posting tweets at certain times of the day and throughout the week.
Twitter is a busy platform: according to G2's Twitter stats, 6,000 tweets are sent every second. The Twitter feed is constantly updated with new content, so you should post more often here than on other channels.
But you should also post at times when your audience will see your tweets. When do people look at your account? During breaks in the day, such as lunch hours, for example.
9. Analysis and statistics
Tweeting randomly will not get you the results you want. You need to analyze your tweets and report on successes and failures.
Have tweets with graphics performed better than those with stock photos? Do longer videos generate more engagement than GIFs? Is it better to post at 10:00 am on Tuesdays or 3:00 pm on Wednesdays?
conclusions
Twitter is a great channel to reach customers, but you need to use it well to get the most out of the platform.
Work on your Twitter profile, engage with the public, and listen to the conversations happening around your industry and brand.
Don't be afraid to experiment with posting times, and consider paid promotions as a future proposition.
More than anything, analyze everything you do to find out what works and what doesn't for your brand.
Using Twitter effectively will help you reach new audiences and generate leads, while also positioning you as an industry leader in the eyes of consumers.
