This post was originally published on February 17th, 2016. It was updated on October 27th, 2017.
When it comes to growing your business, social media can be a powerful tool. It’s a great way to drive traffic to your website, land new clients, and also generate brand awareness. And my favorite platform for doing all of these things is Twitter.
I started using Twitter before I even created my first blog in 2009. It’s proven to be a very beneficial platform, as it has helped me build my business and make friends online. Twitter is one of the best places for real-time engagement, in my opinion.
However, if you’re wondering how to grow your business with Twitter, you may be wondering what important tactics you can implement to see results. And that’s why we’re here today!
How to Grow Your Business With Twitter
If you want to grow your business with Twitter, the good news is, it doesn’t have to be hard. In this post, I’m going to share a few simple strategies you can implement starting today to step-up your presence.
1. Give Your Audience What They Want
Okay, so this first tip goes for any social media platform. If you want to build your audience online, you have to give the people what they want. So, how do you do this? You need to know your target market.
You have to get clear on exactly who your audience is so you can create the right kind of content for them. What problems are they struggling with? How can you help them? The interests of your audience will dictate the things you talk about and the content formats you share.
Now, ask yourself: Are the updates I’m posting benefiting my audience? If your Twitter posts mostly consist of cat videos, then probably not. (Unless you’er a cat blogger, animal activist, or anything else of the sort.)
In order to truly grow your business with Twitter, you need to make sure you’re adding value to the lives of the people in your target market. It’ll make them want to follow you and it can increase the likelihood that they will engage with your content.
2. Pin a Tweet That Will Boost Traffic, Subscribers, or Sales
You know that “pinned tweet” on your Twitter profile? Are you actually taking advantage of that? If not, you should be because it’s valuable real estate. Because our tweets have such short lifespans, a pinned tweet is a great way to draw attention to something you want your audience to see.
Choose a tweet that promotes your business in some way. You can pin a link to your email list opt-in to boost subscribers, a link to a popular blog post to increase traffic, or to your latest product or service to see a growth in sales. Swap out your pinned tweet as your goals change so you can see maximum results.
3. Write a Captivating Bio
Writing a bio is tricky for many people. What’s even trickier? Trying to write a bio in limited space like you have to do on Twitter. When you’re trying to cram in all those amazing skills of yours into a small amount of characters, it’s a little frustrating.
But here’s what you need to know:
- Clearly state to people what you provide and who you provide it for. This will help potential followers decide whether or not they’re going to hit that follow button.
- Use hashtags and @reply people when appropriate. This will help your profile show up in searches for those hashtags and accounts. Maximum visibility for the win!
- Get straight to the point because you don’t have time (or characters) to waste on Twitter.
4. Use Your Header as Promotional Space
Just like the pinned tweet, your header image is also prime real estate if you want to grow your business with Twitter. Instead of just thinking as space for pretty photos, think about how it can boost traffic, sales, etc.
Since your Twitter bio only allows you to use so many characters, think of your header as a way to expand on that. Create a graphic that includes quality images, but also add a blurb of text that further explains what you do. Just don’t get carried away because no one is going to read an entire paragraph!
Another great tip is to consider creating a special header during product launches to promote your offering. Simple, but effective!
5. Participate in Twitter Chats
Twitter chats are an amazing and easy way to connect with new people, while also building your business. These chats are your opportunity to find potential followers, readers, and customers. Not to mention, you may even find your next BBF (business best friend).
The key to making Twitter chats work for you is to pick the right ones. Choose the chats that are within your niche and that your target audience appears to be joining regularly. Then, become a frequent participant so people start to recognize you.
Use Twitter chats as an opportunity to share your expertise and build relationships with new people. This isn’t the time for in-your-face business promotion. Instead, it’s more about building your authority by sharing your knowledge.
Related: How to Join a Twitter Chat (& Why You Should)
6. Alternatively, Host Your Own Chat
If you have a lot to offer, you could consider hosting your own Twitter chat. Choose a topic you’re knowledgeable about, brainstorm ideas for chat topics, and pick your hashtag.
When you’re ready to have your first chat, invite your current followers, customers, and clients to join you and help spread the word. You can also find influencers in your niche to guest host, which helps broaden your reach.
7. Stand Out in a Busy Timeline With Graphics
When you’re sharing content on Twitter, you should really include an image with the tweet. It sounds like such simple advice, but it’s essential if you want to stand out in a busy timeline.
Twitter moves fast and people are often scrolling through quickly. To grab their attention and make them stop scrolling, you need an eye-catching image.
8. Use Hashtags Effectively
Hashtags are an easy way to get your content seen by more people. However, Twitter is one place where you don’t want to go overboard with your hashtag usage. In fact, tweets with one or two hashtags have a 21% higher rate of engagement, while those that use more than two show a 17% drop in engagement.
You also need to be strategic about which hashtags you use. They should be relevant to your content and ones that will help your target audience actually discover you.
Another way to grow your business with Twitter is to spend time searching hashtags related to your business and engaging with new people. Find people who are asking questions you can answer, then chime in with your advice.
I wouldn’t recommend directing them to your blog immediately because it can seem too pushy. Instead, offer genuine advice, exchange a few tweets and then say, “I wrote a blog post that might really help you out. Here’s the link.” That’s a pro move right there!
9. Use Twitter Lists
If you aren’t actively using Twitter lists, I encourage you to get on it right now. The truth is, when you start following so many people on Twitter, your timeline gets cluttered. It’s easy to miss updates from the people who you’re actually interested in. That’s where lists come in handy.
You can put all of your favorite people into one list to stay updated with what they’re sharing. For example, I have a private list of “Awesome Content Creators,” which I refer to whenever I need to curate content for social media scheduling.
And since lists can be public or private, you can also get smart about how you use them. You can create a private list of people who could be potential clients or customers of your business. Refer to that list often and make an effort to connect with those people and build a relationship. When the time is right, they’ll be primed to buy something from you.
10. Regularly Connect With Influencers
If you really want to make a splash, reach out to influencers in your niche and start a conversation. You could end up building a great relationship with these people, which could potentially lead to you working together on a project or something else.
Also, getting noticed by influencers could lead to them sharing your work if they see something they like. Of course, this isn’t guaranteed, but it’s worth a shot! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there if you truly want to grow your business with Twitter.
11. Don’t Forget to Engage Often
One of the main reasons people fail at social media is because they forget to engage with their audience. Social media is meant to be social, after all! And if you want to grow your business with Twitter, you need to engage.
Too many brands schedule their updates and forget all about it. They don’t make the time to check in with their feeds and interact with other people. Having those conversations is so important because it helps you build a relationship with your followers.
My advice is to check in with your Twitter feed at least once a day to see what people are talking about. Reply to their tweets, answer questions you come across, share their content, etc. Start conversations of your own too! When people respond to you, make sure you write back. Let them know you’re listening and paying attention.
Want to learn how to use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest as business-boosting tools?
In my four-week course, Socially Coveted, you’ll learn how to craft an effective social media strategy for your blog or online business. You’ll be able to increase traffic to your website, build a relationship with your target audience, and land more paying customers for your products and services. Learn more…