There have been a couple of blog posts over at Promo Marketing lately on the topic of Twitter. Specifically, how the promotional products industry isn’t using Twitter well and a few things you can do to improve your Twitter messaging.
We’ve been thinking about this recently, too. Because while Twitter holds a lot of marketing potential, many companies aren’t maximizing their efforts.
First, if you’re not on Twitter, you should see if your target audience is using it and consider joining. It’s a great way to share news, connect with customers, stay on top of industry trends, and drive traffic to your website.
If you are using Twitter, you should follow these best practices:
- Optimize your profile. Use a profile picture — either your logo, if you’re tweeting as your company or brand, or your personal picture. Include your website and use the “Bio” section to explain what you do and give people a reason to follow you. Twitter just launched some new features like header images, so take advantage of those, too. (Here’s a good article on the subject.)
- Remember that Twitter is public. Anyone can see anything you tweet, so be sure to stay consistent to your brand and your overall social media strategy.
- Don’t use automatic messages. If someone follows you, take the time to check out their profile and send them a personalized thank-you via direct message or a tweet, rather than a canned automatic response. Likewise, share your promotions and news, but avoid automated tweets that only promote special offers.
- Repeat key messages. If you have something of value that you really want people to know about, such as your latest blog post, tweet it out at different times over the course of a few days. The goal is to have your message heard without overwhelming people.
- Give to get. Focus on following and retweeting others who are relevant to your strategy, and they will do the same for you.
- Don’t use “text-speak.” With only 140 characters, it can be tempting to use texting abbreviations like “RU” and “GR8.” This looks unprofessional, however. Crafting a short, grammatically correct tweet can take some effort, but it’s worth it.
- Focus on value. Think about what your target audience will find helpful and interesting, and share that. You should aim for a mix of retweets, links to helpful articles you’ve found, and original content such as special offers, company news, and links to your blog posts.
What are your biggest challenges with Twitter? What best practices would you add to the list above? Please let us know in the comments and leave your Twitter handle! You’ll find us at www.twitter.com/promomatting.
