Describe your business in 140 characters… Now describe it in 280 characters… Now do it using a thread of posts…
Twitter has been a whirlwind these past few years, but I’m here to simplify it for you. Get ready to learn the ins and outs of the Twitterverse and how you can optimise it for your business!
WHAT?
Let’s take it back to 2006, when Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet, Google purchased Youtube, and Jack Dorsey announced that he was ‘Just setting up his twttr’.
Jack’s initial idea for the social platform was that it would be used as an SMS-based communication platform, where friends could keep up to date with each other through status updates – Like texting, but not.
Today, the platform still holds a lot of its original values and features, as well as a few extra. The character limit has been increased from 140 characters to 280 characters, users can now create threads for longer posts, and it has been recognised by users as a great place to find out recent news, with 74% of users saying they use the platform for news updates.
WHY?
Social Media Marketing is a prime example of inbound marketing. Inbound marketing is a customer-centric, non-intrusive alternative to traditional marketing.
For any inbound marketing to be successful, you need to understand your customer. You need to help them find you, opposed to finding your competitors, and focus on keeping them happy throughout and after their purchase of your products or services.
- Is Twitter beneficial for businesses?
- Can it help you improve sales?
- Can it increase your brand awareness?
The short answer to all those questions – Yes. And here’s why..
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Twitter can help you build up a community of followers who have chosen to follow you, who are interested in what you have to say and, more importantly, are interested in what you are selling. After you build up this community of people you can advertise your products or services to them for free and with very little complaints. They have chosen to follow you, so make the most of it!
BRAND AWARENESS
Every business owner wants their business to be well known and popular, and social media is a great way to make it happen!
By joining in with relevant conversations, sharing local updates and business updates, you can get your brand name out there and get people talking about you. Sharing your business updates can also build trust with your potential customers and show them that you’re a legitimate company.
REACH NEW PEOPLE
Each platform you advertise on will have a different target audience; Some people use Twitter, some people use Facebook, and some Instagram. Instead of sticking to just one platform, you should spread out your efforts and reach as many people you possibly can.
SOCIAL LISTENING
Twitter gives you the ability to search keywords and hashtags.
You can find out what people are saying about your location, your industry and even your business. This means you can join in a conversation or set the tone of new posts with it. But, with great power comes great responsibility – use your common sense to judge what the most effective reaction to the information provided would be!
WHEN?
You’ve probably read countless blog posts telling you what time to post on social media, but we want to tell you a secret…
These times are not the best time for YOUR business! The only way for you to find out the best time to post online is through your own knowledge and research because only you know your audience. The strategy that works for one business will not work for the next.
So how do you find out the best times to posts? Test posting at different times of the day to figure out what time is best for you. You should be creating at least 3 posts a day on Twitter for optimal performance, so try to spread each tweet over different times each day.
WHO?
Twitter has 18.6 Million users in the UK alone, most of which are between the ages of 16 and 34. 51% of Twitter users are Males. But, the real question isn’t who’s on the social media platform, it’s if your target market is on there and how you can find them!
WHERE?
If you’re a business targeting local people, you’ll want to make use of Twitter’s location features. Much like Facebook and Instagram, you can add your location to your post so your fans can see where you are. However, if you are using your location to attract potential customers, adding your business’s location into the text or as a hashtag can help your target audience find you easily.
HOW?
It’s great to know all about Twitter and how it works, but how can you use it effectively?
HASHTAGS
Hashtags are a great way to find new potential customers, join in with conversations and find out what’s going on. You should use hashtags to find or create conversations that are relevant to your business or topics that are currently trending.
SCHEDULED CONVERSATIONS
As a Macclesfield born n bred company, we love to show our appreciation for Macc. This includes taking part in a weekly business chat on Twitter referred to as #MaccHour. Every Thursday at 11:00, I sit down with a brew, share everything Web Presence have done that week, give my opinions on discussed topics and talk business with local folk!
Not only does this scheduled weekly chat give Web Presence great exposure in Macclesfield, but it helps us get to know other businesses and the people behind them.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Consistency is one of the most important parts of social media. To make the most of any social media platform, your posts and brand image should be consistent!
To keep your audience engaged and excited about your business, you should not leave them waiting forever to see your posts, but don’t overdo it either – For us, the optimal amount of daily posts on Twitter is 3-5!
ADVOCACY
How do you prove to your audience that you can be trusted with their money? Easy, just show them that you are a legitimate company!
People resonate with seeing other people, so showcase your staff! Show your audience what you are doing and they will reward you for the extra effort with likes, replies and retweets!
WRAPPING IT UP…
Twitter is still one of the most popular social media platforms, so it’s important that you understand how it works. It can help to get your brand’s name out there, reach new audiences and generate leads.
Social media is complex but don’t let that have an impact on your business – Contact the Web Presence Team today for a FREE Social Media Review.
