Twitter is all about followers. Who you’re following, who’s following you – this is what makes the twitter experience.
If you’re going to be effective in using twitter to engage with potential or existing customers and market your business, it’s essential to have a healthy following. So how do you go about attracting more followers?
1. Follow people
When you first start on twitter, you’re faced with a blank screen. The only way to fill that void with tweets is by following people. Find friends who are on twitter, search for people you’ve met or follow the experts in your industry. Our tips on finding people to follow on twitter may help.
2. Strike up a conversation
If someone you’re following posts a tweet that catches you eye, respond to it. That way, they’ll know you’re on twitter and that you’re following them. There’s a good chance that if the conversation goes well, they’ll follow you back.
3. Be interesting
Post tweets on a regular basis that are going to interest the people you want to follow you. these could include:
- links to interesting articles on topics of relevance to your target audience
- comments on what’s going on in your industry
- tips on being succsful in your industry
- links to your blog posts
- anything that’s new and orginal, and shows that you are a human being and not a robot posting tweets (they do exist!)
4. Use hashtags
Hashtags make it easy for people to find tweets on a topic that they’re interetsed in. Find out what the hashtags are for the things you’re wteeting about and use them. People who aren’t following you may find your tweets that way and decide to follow you.
A great use of hashtags is if you’re at an event which has its own hashtag – by tweeting with the hashtag you can make contact with other people there and talk about the event as well as arrange to meet up. For example at #wordcampuk this year hundreds if not thousands of tweets were posted (admittedly among a large group of geeks!) – we used twitter to comment on what was being said, to ask questions of the speakers, to add suggestions, share tips and to make arrangements for the social event. Afterwards, dozens of us are still following each other.
Don’t know how to use hashtags? Check out our guide to twitter jargon.
5. Tell people you’re on twitter
Tell people you meet that you’re on twitter. Put your twitter name on your business card. Add it to presentations that you deliver. Ask people you meet for their twitter name.
The more people know to find you on twitter, the more likely they are to follow you. I always make a point of searching for people on twitter whenever I’ve been to an event and met new people.
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