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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Turning Twitter Followers Into Customers

The social network Twitter can become a very unique and effective platform for a business to promote themselves and increase their brand awareness. However, several things that are peculiar to Twitter must be kept in mind when using this network for marketing your business.




Character Limitations -

Since messages on Twitter are limited to 140 characters including spaces, your company's messages must be clear, concise and directly to the point. You can provide links in shortened URL form, such as Bit.ly, to lead your followers to places where they can find a wider message. Also, the use of hash-tags, the symbol # followed by a word or short phrase can give your audience a way to follow something your company is talking about such as a promotion, contest or offer.

It's All About The Conversation -

Never forget that Twitter is a social media format for people to come together to discuss and engage in conversation. A business that tries to make their Twitter account all about the hard-sell will soon find that all their hard earned followers will make a swift exit and un-follow them. Twitter followers can be promoted to, but do it in unique ways that don't turn them off or offend their sensibilities. For example, you could offer Twitter-only specials using a code or phrase for Twitter followers to use. Engage with your followers by asking and answering questions related to your business and industry. Give advice or tips on topics that are pertinent to what your company does, and that will be useful or beneficial to your followers. When you do promote your company's products or services on Twitter, always provide a direct benefit to the audience. Give them something that they will really want to talk about and re-tweet.

A Real Time Format Needs Real Time Content -

Since everything on Twitter is in real time, keep your posts very current. Stay in the "now" as much as possible. Don't talk about things that happened too far in the past or will happen too far in the future. Let followers know about events as they are about to happen or are presently happening. Comment on or talk about, past events shortly after they are over or have ended. Make all your posts timely, in other words.

Twitter will become a potent tool for your business to reach people with information about your company, its products and services, and your industry -- just as long as it is carefully utilized and used properly.


Posted via OnFast - http://www.OnFast.com