Marketing Blog

Spread the word with Twitter

Social media has proved to be an important part of any businesses internet marketing strategy.

Through its various channels you can:

• - Increase your web presence
• - Become an expert/authority in your field
• - Keep yourself up to date with the most recent happenings in the world of the web
• - Boost targeted traffic to your website

And that's just for starters.

The most recent phenomenon to hit the social media scene is Twitter.It is something that people either 'get' or 'don't get'. So let me help you out a bit.

Why you should be tweeting

A lot of people make the mistake of signing up for Twitter and then spam about their business. Others set up their account, send one tweet and then moan because they aren't getting any followers.

Twitter is all about building relationships and interacting with other tweeters. This is why it goes so well with blogging which is also about relationship building. That isn't to say you should only tweet about the weather, what you had for tea last night or what you'll wear on the next lads' or girls' night out.

You can tweet blog posts you've found interesting, your own blog posts, news items, latest industry happenings as well as your latest business news. Read the tweets of the people you are following (not constantly because when you start getting loads of followers you won't have time to do anything else) and retweet anything you find interesting.

Why you aren't getting followers

First things first, just because you have an account does not mean you'll be instantly followed by thousands of people (unless you happen to be famous). It takes time to build up a following.

You have to give someone a reason for following you. I came across a great post on 10e20 blog by Patrick Winfield talking about 7 Tips for Building Twitter Followers.

The main reasons why people don't follow you are:

• - You have no avatar
• - You have no bio
• - You protect your tweets

People like to know who they are following so add your picture. If you are tweeting for your business and you want your logo as your avatar, add your photo to your Twitter page to add a personal touch.

Filling out your bio is like putting out a welcome mat. It looks as though you've taken time over your profile, you want to tell people about yourself, you are approachable and want to talk, you've mentioned your likes and dislikes so you'll find like minded people - it just makes you human!

If you're not sure who to follow use the Mr Tweet application which suggests tweeters who might be interesting to you.

There are a lot of websites out there that will tell you how to gain thousands of followers quickly. If that's what you want, fine. Personally I would rather build up a following of people who are interested in what I have to say. That way I know that the information I am sending out in my Tweets is going to people who might need it, be interested in it and it might just help them out.

Reciprocity!

Why not follow us @8020marketing.

Until next time, happy tweeting!

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