Boost Your Twitter Following with These Ideas
If you know how to use it well, Twitter can be an incredibly valuable tool. What could be better publicity for your brand than free access to hundreds of millions of users who are just waiting for your latest <140-character update? It’s a simple and straightforward way to communicate all kinds of important messages: product launches, sales and promotions, handy information about how to use your goods or services, photos of hot sellers—you name it. Let’s dig a little deeper!
It’s also a way to make users’ experience with your company feel a lot more personal. It used to be that to ask a question about merchandise or a sale, customers had to pick up the phone and call a service representative or send an email and prepare to wait days or even weeks for an answer. Nowadays, the knowledge that they can speak to you on a popular social media platform and hear an answer straightaway is no small thing. And when you answer a customer’s question by tweeting back to his or her post, you have the added benefits of 1) sharing information with countless other users, who may find they’ve learned something useful or had their own questions answered and 2) showing the world that you’re attentive to customers’ needs.
None of this does you much good, however, if you don’t have a steady Twitter following! Fortunately, developing a loyal fan base doesn’t have to be a long or difficult process. Check out our ideas for optimizing your Twitter account and building your following using ideas from a strong social media strategy.
Don’t Just Make Announcements—Be Engaged
It’s a great idea to make company announcements (product launches, seasonal sales, etc.) via Twitter, but by all means, don’t stop there! Take advantage of the many opportunities to network with users. If someone replies to one of your tweets with positive feedback or an excited response to your announcement, favorite the tweet and follow the account. Look for opportunities to engage with that person—if you read one of his or her posts and feel you have interesting, funny, or vital information to add, do!
And it goes without saying that if a user tweets about a recent purchase from your business, be sure to reply, whether the comments are positive or negative. It’s always fun to retweet glowing praise about your goods or services, and if you show genuine concern to someone who is less than satisfied, it speaks volumes about your professional integrity and commitment to customer service.
Don’t Limit Yourself to Words, Words, Words
One of the defining aspects of Twitter is the fact that it limits your posts to 140 characters or less—which means you’ve got to say it quick or go home. Users can read and absorb information in a matter of seconds, so you’ve got to wow them if you want to keep their attention. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your tweets should consist only of written material. Providing high-quality links to other content will tell users that you’re worth keeping an eye on—think photos, videos, funny memes, useful infographics, and full-length blog posts.
Be Consistent
We’ve all done it—followed an individual or organization on Twitter because they posted something absolutely hilarious or incredibly valuable, only to be left hanging for weeks or months on end. Don’t be that person. Have your smartphone calendar remind you to tweet regularly, whether it’s once a day, four times a day, or three times a week, so that users who enjoy what you share won’t think you’ve fallen off the face of the planet. Consistency is key.
Social media has made it easier than ever for ecommerce business owners to be in touch with current and potential customers. But that doesn’t mean you’ll feel 100% comfortable at first, and there’s nothing wrong with that! If you need help building your Twitter following through awesome, unique tweets, it’s worth considering the services of a professional social media services expert. Get the answers to your questions, and you’ll be on your way to developing a faithful fan base!