Tips From Our Experts

How To Get Your Business Started On Twitter

Want to take part in “it”, when “it” actually happens? Do you want to reach as many people as possible with the latest information about your business? Then Twitter is for you. You can run a micro blog in real-time and be followed by people or organizations around the world. Here are some tips on how your company can get started with Twitter.

Why write a novel when you can say it all in a "tweet"? On Twitter, short and sweet is what matters. Contributions of up to 140 characters are called tweets. On Twitter, you can quickly and effectively share what's happening in your company right now.

With the right tools Twitter can be an important building block in your digital marketing. You can also take the opportunity to follow news, your partners, your favorite celebrity or your toughest competitor.

What exactly is Twitter?

Twitter's own definition is that it is a network for real-time information which is run by people around the world and that allows you to share and discover what's happening right now. Simply put, Twitter is a micro-blog where you choose what you want to say, and where others can choose to follow you and be your "tweeps". By following news channels, your friends, other businesses or even Charlie Sheen, you will receive their updates. And in return, they may choose to view yours.

Why should we be on Twitter?

It is a simple way for you to reach many people quickly with your latest information. Having over 190 million users speaks for itself. Via Twitter, users keep updated on everything from product launches from their favorite businesses, to their friends' plans for the weekend. Among the Twittering masses are existing and potential customers, journalists, opinion leaders, bloggers and other key people for your business. Through Twitter, you can create a network and engage your audience, making sure the right information reaches the right people, and building relationships with people who can become good ambassadors for your brand.

But how do you get started?

1. Create an account in the name of your business by following the step-by-step guide on Twitter's website.
2. Locate the users that are relevant to your business and follow them. Find the customers, journalists, bloggers and competitors.
3. Find out what's being said about your business and industry. Use the search field to type in keywords that are associated with you and your business. For example, your name, your competitor's name or the name of the products or services you sell.
4. You can then read what is tweeted about your company and industry right now. You can also bring yourself into the dialogue. Use a hashtag (#) before the keywords to search for tweets within a particular topic. For example, if you are interested in social media, you could search for #socialmedia.
5. Now it's time to start Twittering!
6. Respond to others' tweets and retweet their updates. It is a great way to get started.
7. To refer to or address another user directly, use the @ in front of the username. For example, @Mynewsdesk.
8. When you're comfortable with the technology and language, you can submit your own tweets with company news and product offerings. Remember though, that Twitter is used primarily for communication and exchange of information. Avoid purely commercial updates since advertising doesn't feel natural on Twitter.
9. It is important to be personal on Twitter, but avoid private information. Finding the right tone can be a bit of a balancing act. Keep it professional, but don't be too formal. View Twitter as an opportunity for the people behind your company to step forward.
10. Last but not least: don't forget to listen to your audience and respond to everyone.