These tips on how to make your business visible on Twitter is part 2 of my Twitter domination series. If you missed the first part of how your industry can rule Twitter, click that.
Remember, there are millions of tweets published per hour. However, although Twitter is a crowded social media platform, you always have a chance to MAKE your company stand out.
To do that, you need to take steps to make your business’ Twitter visibility intentional and tactical.
How to make your business visible on Twitter
These tips on Twitter visibility for your company are organic (read: FREE) except one.
JOIN #FF
What is #FF?
#FF stands for Follow Friday. On Fridays, many Tweeters recommend their favorite followers in a tweet with the #FF hashtag.
It is a fun way to make new connections and make your brand visible in other people’s newsfeed without doing a lot of heavy lifting.
How do you #FF?
- Keep a global list of your favorite Tweeters. (Huge time-saver).
- Now create a tweet that lists some of the tweeters you like to recommend.
- Include the #ff hashtag.
- If you have space, include a reason why you are recommending them.
See this #FF shared by Toyota Equipment, as an example.
Thanks 4 the weeks MTs FAVs RTs & #FF @CertifyMe @Westmatforklift @WindowWorksUSA @p4pdp and Ruby @SocialSMktg #happyweekend
Thanks 4 the weeks MTs FAVs RTs & #FF @CertifyMe @Westmatforklift @WindowWorksUSA @p4pdp and Ruby @SocialSMktg #happyweekend
— Toyota Equipment (@ToyotaEquipment) February 17, 2018
How is that for free word of mouth brand visibility on Twitter?
PRO TIP:
Double the impact of your Twitter visibility by responding to the #FF as your brand.
RE-POST YOUR EVERGREEN CONTENT
Don’t be reluctant re-posting your evergreen content, even though you have shared it already.
Not ALL of your followers are online all the time, at the same time. They most likely may have missed it.
PRO TIPS:
- Schedule a post in days’- or months’- interval.
- Share the same content in different formats.
SHARE TWITTER POSTS FROM OTHER TWEETERS
Resharing others’ post is another way to make your business visible on Twitter. Mention the original poster and author of the content, if you can.
Now, other than the fact that resharing posts gets you seen by them, it also helps build YOUR community.
PRO TIPS:
- Share Twitter posts by people you want to connect with.
- Share on-topic posts by people who keep on sharing yours. That is “kindness for kindness.”
CARVE OUT TIME TO ENGAGE
If you want to get seen, then actively engage on Twitter. Spend time some time there.
Like a 3-legged stool, these three should be part of your organic Twitter marketing strategy:
- Tweet
- Retweet
- Engage
Many companies get a good handle on tweeting and retweeting, but engagement…?
They think, “Who’s got time to chat?”
Now, imagine what happens when you sit on a 3-legged stool that is missing a leg! You get the point, right?
Engagement is what makes Twitter a SOCIAL medium. It is spreading brand awareness that you control without “selling.”
When you engage consistently, that is when you develop relationships, build community, and find your influencers. The act keeps you “top of the mind” of other brands or companies that you often speak with.
How to engage with people you do not know or do not know you?
-
- Simply start a conversation. Check out this post on how to participate in social media conversations.
- Use an old-school tool called listening. Listen to connect – and to know. Stop talking about yourself.
“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would rather have talked.” – Mark Twain
- Hold a conversation. Ask questions to keep the conversation going. Connect to them by talking about what THEY think of _____ (insert the topic). Make it ABOUT them, not about you.
- Talk to a person because he/she is interesting not because he/she is a celebrity. You social climber, you. *smiles*
Here is a reason why you should carve out time to engage on Twitter
Even if YOU do not plan to use Twitter for customer support, some people use it to lodge complaints, and they will expect a prompt response from the brand.
Seventy-eight (78) percent of people who complain to a brand via Twitter expect a response within an hour, according to digital marketing experts.
You do not want to be seen as a company that ignores complaints on Twitter, do you?
PRO TIPS:
- Hang out on Twitter for 30 minutes a day. Focus on one list a time. Trust me; it is a must-use tool if you do not want to go insane on Twitter. See how to create Twitter lists here.
- Hire a social media consultant. There are many out there that can do this tweeting, retweeting and engagement part for you.
AUTOMATE POSTS
Automating posts is an essential part of an excellent social media marketing strategy. Twitter runs on turbo 365/24/7; you, naturally, can not.
It may be OK to post 1-3 times on Facebook, but not Twitter.
Why? A tweet has a shorter shelf-life compared to a Facebook post.
Your tweet’s life (or non-life)
Various studies done by multiple social media experts have concluded that on average a tweet has a lifespan of 18-20 minutes. Then, it dies.
Hence, if you want to make your business visible on Twitter you would not want it to die with your last post, would you?
The solution? Schedule different relevant posts automatically.
What are some Twitter scheduling tools to use?
- Hootsuite
- eClincher
- ContentStudio
- Buffer
- SproutSocial
- Planable
- PromoRepublic
PRO TIPS:
- Do not go for breadth (quantity of posts); go for depth (value/usefulness of posts). Add value, Friend.
- There is no such thing as a complete tool. List what you need first; then, find the tool that will serve you best. Note that, the more bells and whistles; that means the more money out of your pocket.
SHOWCASE YOUR AUTHORITY A PIN AT A TIME
A pinned post is the first post that people see on top of your Twitter business profile when they visit it.
Now, posts do not automatically get pinned. You have to pin it your self.
How to pin a post?
- Go over your tweets, and find a post worth pinning.
- Click, the drop-down arrow.
- Select, “Pin to your profile.”
Can you unpin a pinned post?
Of course, you can!
Go to your profile, and look for your “Pinned Tweet.” In the drop-down, you will be shown an option to “Unpin from profile page.”
PRO TIP:
Do not pin random posts, pin your media.
What Twitter post to pin?
Check out these tips on what you should pin.
CHECK TRENDING HASHTAGS
Twitter aggregates popular topics and hashtags and calls it “trends.” You will find it on either side of your Twitter newsfeed.
According to Twitter:
“Trends offer a unique way to get closer to what you care about. They are tailored for you based on your location and who you follow.
So make sure that you check it and see what your community is talking about. Then decide whether or not you want to join the conversation to get seen.
PRO TIP:
Check the contextual use of trending hashtags before jumping in the trending wagon. You don’t want to be THAT business misusing it, do you?
USE EYE-CATCHING VISUAL CONTENT
We are visual, and remember information more when it is shared with an image.
Research has shown that when people hear information, they are likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later. (LifeLearn, 2015) (Source)
Your business will miss out on social media if you don’t have social media graphics on your Twitter communication strategy.
This mentions that: …tweets with images received 80% more likes, 18% more clicks, and 150% more retweets.
Surely there is no better way for your business to be remembered and get seen quickly on Twitter than when you include fantastic social media images in the form of photos, videos, and gifs.
PRO TIPS:
You can create stunning vids and images with a wee bit of editing using apps and desktop solutions:
- Powtoon
- Story Slicer
- Ripl
- Animatron
- Shakr
- Promo
- Typito
- Anchor Videos
- Rawshorts
- Splice
And for image editing tools:
- Getstencil
- Crello
- Adioma
- Smartmockups 2.0
- DesignBold
- InstaQuote App
And of course, for visibility on Twitter, do not forget to watermark your social media graphics with your branding.
PARTICIPATE IN TWITTER CHATS
What is a Twitter chat?
A Twitter chat is an organized conversation on Twitter about a topic. It is one way to spread brand awareness, and find more and engaged followers.
It is fun – and fast. Most Twitter chats are often that way.
How do you find Twitter chats?
There are many Twitter chat directories out there.
How to join a Twitter chat?
If you haven’t participated in one yet, chats have rules.
Don’t get nervous at the word “rule.” It is straightforward and easy.
Here are basic Twitter chat rules:
- If you want to be seen by all the moderators and participants of that chat, use its designated hashtag. There is always one.
- When you answer a question for Question 1 as an example, preface your answer with A1 as your answer to the first question. Then Question 2, then Q2, and so on.
- Use tools like tchat.io, when joining a Twitter chat. It is handy because it will automatically add the chat’s hashtag to the conversation, so you don’t have to type it again, and again when you chime in.
And most importantly, - Have fun.
You can host a Twitter chat too if you prefer that.
RELATABLE CONTENT LIKE A BLOG
Your content should address a real need to make it relatable.
A helpful content does not talk about your brand ALL the time. If it does, better just upload your product brochure.
How do you find out contents that address a real need?
- Google questions that people are searching. Write an article that answers the questions you find. Then, create different Twitter copies of that post.
- Ask your community. That one is easy, right?
PRO TIP:
Your relatable content will get shared often. And it can potentially bring more people to your site.
PAY TO BE SEEN
If you want to make your business and services to become visible to MORE people, then Twitter advertisement is your way to go. The data says that:
- 80% of Twitter users have followed an SMB after seeing their promoted post.
68.7 % of users have purchased from a company (SMB) once or more because of Twitter.
PRO TIPS:
- A well-planned Twitter ad saves you money.
- Measure your ads’ impact on your key performance indicator.
CONCLUSION
Patience, aside from strategy, is a massive part of your social media success.
There is no shortcut to making your business visible on Twitter. Social selling is a long journey. Stay at it with resolute consistency.
Your turn! How do you make your business visible on Twitter?