Updated: March 24, 2015, 3:23 pm
Twitter: the social media platform every small business needs to be apart of, but doesn’t know how. Luckily, it’s not that hard for small businesses to get their start on and do well at using Twitter! Here’s a couple tips that will get you on the right track.
Tip #1: Be Present
Have a Twitter account? If not, you can sign up here. The first step for all small businesses to use Twitter effectively is to be present on the platform. You need to have a profile and update the details to tell the world, in 140 characters or less, about your business. Be thinking about what handle you want as well, as this is the Twitter name users will mention you by when they want to tag you in a tweet.
Tip #2: Set Goals
What is your business objective in social? Let me guess… crickets are chirping because you don’t know. Never fear! Here are some real, attainable goals you can borrow as your own:
- Increase Website Traffic
- Generate Leads/ Potential Customers
- Promote a product, service, or event
Tip #3: Be Active
One of the unique features of Twitter is its real time nature. It is the platform most consumers go to for news, real time updates and alerts, as well as real time conversations. This is why you’ve seen an increase in news outlets, network television, and sports and entertainment outlets incorporating hashtags and their own Twitter handles.
Now don’t start to get nervous thinking you have to be apart of all those conversations and trends… just a few. On Twitter, consistency is king. Log on each day for a few minutes and practice being an active participant. Not only will you start to learn Twitter better, but you’ll also start to see opportunities for your small business to succeed. Which leads perfectly into my next tip…
Tip #4: Engage in Real Time
Use the power of real time engagement to interact with users in the moment they are expressing intent. The most common types of intent tweets you’ll see on Twitter are users talking about where they want to go, what they want to do, or what they want to eat. And the two most popular phrases on Twitter are “I need” and “I Want”. These are perfect opportunities for you to “surprise and delight” potential customers with a response.
It’s a simple as a natural conversation. For example, you’re a pizza shop and someone in your local area says, “I’m hungry”. Twitter gives you the opportunity to reply to that user with a custom response to encourage purchase behavior. Here’s an example of how a local business is using it with SocialCentiv:
Tip #5: Be Local
As a small business, your backyard is a treasure trove of potential customers. This is one way Twitter can seem daunting, because it is literally a world-wide platform. Here at SocialCentiv, we have created a way for small business to cut through the global noise and find local, potential customers for their business. Engage, respond, and drive action towards the goals that you have. There are plenty of small businesses using Twitter out there- the key is finding what works for you.
Have questions or are curious to learn more about one of these tips? Simply tweet to me @macyenglish and I’ll be happy to help however I can. You can also watch our Google Hangout on this topic if video is more your thing.
Happy Tweeting!
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