Many professionals are still apprehensive regarding social media outlets. I run into so many business owners that simply don’t know how to join the social media conversation, so they stay behind, falling further and further into the abyss with the dinosaurs.
For those of you that don’t know how to join the conversation, I’m here to get rid of all the excuses you’ve been using as to why you can’t “get on” social media. Read on to learn how I joined one of the major social networks: Twitter.
How To Get Started on Twitter For Business
Learn the Basics. Go to http://business.twitter.com/ and learn Twitter basics. Just because you don’t know what you’re doing doesn’t mean you have to look like a novice late to the party – that’s the beauty of the internet isn’t it?
Complete your profile. When choosing a username, make it something easy to understand, and related to your name or company name.
Use a real picture as your avatar (aka the picture that shows up next to your username). People want to converse with humans on Twitter; we know logos and robots don’t tweet!
Complete your bio with what you do and what information you share. Otherwise, we (business people) won’t take you seriously.
What to tweet? You don’t have to “rush” to join the convo.
I started by “lurking” – aka reading other people’s tweets and not commenting or retweeting. Then, once I understood the lay of the land – aka “twitterverse” – I started retweeting others’ professional posts.
When I got comfortable, I would add a brief comment to the retweet. Then, again while getting more comfortable, I would find original articles and topics to tweet.
Over time, I became confident enough to add my personality and personal tweets in the mix.
Do you understand how I baby stepped it into Twitter? I didn’t just jump into random conversations without understanding the lingo and the Twitter culture! Every social media platform has unspoken rules and etiquette, and taking the time to understand the culture first is the best advice I can offer. This is my rebuttal to the “I don’t know what to say” excuse!
Who to follow? Since you’ve already learned about hashtags via the Twitter basics, think of a few keywords that relate to your business and search for them as hashtags. You can also seek out fellow business owners, prospects, and clients that are already using Twitter and follow them.
Consistency Counts. You have to tweet to be seen and build a following. I always recommend starting out with 5-10 tweets daily for a few weeks, then 10 or more daily for a few weeks.
I started out tweeting Monday-Friday, and rarely during the weekend. This is pretty acceptable for business purposes, and gives you plenty of time to get the hang of it. I know you can spare 20 minutes three times a day to read tweets and find interesting posts to retweet or comment on. If you use the Twitter app on your smartphone, you’ll make it that much easier on yourself to squeeze in those twenty minutes a day.. This is my rebuttal to the “I don’t have time” excuse!
BONUS: Perform advanced searches to find tweets based on a myriad of criteria, such as keyword, location, and user. This method is still elusive for many, so if you’re reading this post you’re ahead of the game! Thank me by commenting!
This is exactly what I did when I got serious about using Twitter, so I know it works. This formula is simple enough to prevent any excuses.
I understand how overwhelming social media can be, and when you hear tips from “experts” with a huge fan base their advice doesn’t seem practical. Been there, done that, moved on, and so should you!
Building your following and your level of comfort will take time, but you will get there if you follow my tips. The longer you wait, the further behind you’ll be. If you get lost or need help, find me on Twitter @MissKemya, leave a comment, or send me an email at kemya [at] marketingsparkler.com. I’m glad to help.
**For those of you already deep in twitterverse, please send this post to your reluctant colleagues and let me know how it works for them. I’ve had this same conversation numerous times to get people started on Twitter.**
Ciao,
Miss Kemya
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Interesting tips! Thanks!
Thanks for commenting!
Great article! I’m taking the plunge. 🙂
Whoo hoo Renee, go forth and tweet your heart out! And is your Twitter handle @ReneeHoraney? Yes, I just looked you up before I replied, but I want to be sure it’s you before I hit “follow”. I’d love to hear about your Twitter strategy/why you’re tweeting, and I’m looking forward to seeing you in my Twitter stream!