How to start engaging and interacting with people on Twitter

How to start engaging and interacting with people on Twitter

28th July 2011

  

For the amount of time it takes to post a 140 character tweet on Twitter, it’s worth the small effort to see what this popular micro-blogging platform has to offer. Twitter has become a worldwide phenomenon in a short period of time. 

  

Getting Started

Before you start following people, post at least 20 tweets on your profile so potential followers can get an idea of who you are. It is far more difficult to gain followers when your profile is blank than when it is filled with interesting, creative tweets about you and your brand.

  

If you are new to social media and Twitter, take some time to study how the experts do it. Here are some KryKey Radio Stations to follow and observe:

•  @KryKey
• @NewYorkWebRadio
• @RedBabeRadio

Next, find people to follow. Look for those who have similar interests and who are leaders in your industry. Their tweets will lead you to others you will want to follow as well. Be careful not to follow too many people at one time. Start slow (10-20 people/day) and slowly build as people follow you back.

You can also search for people by location. You can start your search directly on Twitter and you can search by #tags, for example #KryKey or #WebRadio.

A potential follower will make a decision about whether or not to follow you in under five seconds. First impressions are everything. It’s important in the beginning stages to follow some rules of etiquette to tip the scales in your favor:

Thank each person who follows you.

Re-tweet liberally to show people you are interested in what they are tweeting.

Refrain from excessive self-promoting tweets. Once you build a following, it is recommended to follow the 80/20 rule (80% valuable content / 20% self-promotion). This number may fluctuate slightly depending on the nature of your audience, but generally 20% is a maximum.

If you add #KryKey to your tweets, KryKey will rewteet your tweets - as we have over 7,500 followers this should help you as well

Twitter Marketing Tips

Twitter users are looking for great content, integrity and engagement. If you can manage to offer all three, you will have a very successful Twitter campaign which can bring in many new leads and customers to your business. 

Here are some Twitter marketing tips to remember:

• Excessive advertising can turn away potential customers. The more value you offer your followers, the more they will want to know about you. Never force your brand on your followers.
• Once you are close to following 2,000 people, Twitter will allow you to follow a maximum of 10% more people than the number of people you follow. Example: You have 2,000 followers. You are allowed to follow a maximum of 2,200 people (2,000 x 10% = 200 + 2,000 = 2,200). This is why it is important to avoid going on a following spree.
• Re-tweet often and thank others for re-tweeting your content.
• A Twitter profile full of outgoing links and void of interaction gives off the appearance of a “self-centered” business. A successful Twitter profile will contain a good mixture of outgoing links, replies to others, engaging questions and helpful information.
• Refrain from “over-tweeting”. The ideal number of daily tweets will depend on your audience, but generally 4-6 a day is acceptable.
• Ask questions to start conversations. Use hashtags (#related keywords) at the end of your tweets so other interested followers can find your tweets easily and engage.
• Sharing personal information will help your followers connect with your brand. Share enough to help your audience relate to you, but nothing too personal that could potentially damage your brand. Social media is based on the premise of “part work, part play”.
• Try to avoid changing your Twitter profile photo – People remember photos more than usernames.

The two most important points to remember: Continually offer solutions to the problems of your target audience and always talk back. If you can answer the question, “What’s in it for them?” when referring to your followers, you will become a very successful tweeter.