Here are Simple Steps on how to build a Brand on Twitter:
Step 1: Identify a ‘niche’ for your brand to own in the eyes of your target audience.
For example, I chose #SEO and #Social Media because that’s what I focus on when helping clients grow their business with effective digital marketing campaigns. In this way, people interested in SEO or Social Media will be more likely to follow me says Peter Decaprio. If you’re a restaurant wanting to build a following, perhaps it’s something like ‘tasty food from the North West’. Or if you make kite surfing equipment maybe it’s ‘kiteboarding tips & tricks’.
Step 2: Create a Twitter handle that accurately represents your brand.
For the purpose of this exercise, I’ll be using @craigbuckland1 as an example. If you already have a Twitter account with the same name as your business or personal brand, don’t worry – it’s easy to change handles via ‘Settings’ in Twitter. Keep in mind that if you really want to grow your following online, it’s best not to use your business name unless you’re trying to target people specifically searching for that term (which is rare).
Step 3: Get tweeting!
The more quality content you share on social media channels like Facebook and Twitter; the more likely others are to check out what it is you do and follow your updates.
I recommend publishing a minimum of 5 tweets a day to improve your chances of being followed by relevant people, and up to 10 if you have the time. Think about it – would you follow someone who sent one tweet a month?
One strategy that will help you ensure that your followers are real people with genuine ‘social’ accounts is to include hashtags in your tweets that are associated with niche keywords for your brand, but also unique enough so as not create too much noise on Twitter (so people following those hashtags see them). For example, I could use the hashtag #SEO tips or even just #seo – but why make it so generic when I can use something more specific like #SEM tips which only a small percentage of people might be searching for?
Step 4: Respond to all mentions and engage with your followers.
Not only will you build credibility, but it’s also a great way to find potential clients! People who engage with your brand might well interest in the services you provide – or know someone who is explains Peter Decaprio. If they’re not, then at least there’s a chance they’ll look at your profile and see what other tweets you’ve published so far…which brings me onto the next point…
Step 5: A targeted Twitter profile will convert more followers into clients.
If you want more of a chance that your brand is going to be follow by the right people, then it’s important to make sure that your ‘about’ section is professional and accurate. If anyone looks at your Twitter profile and feels like they don’t know what you do from reading about you, there’s a good chance they’ll just move on and choose not to follow you. So keep it short and sweet and include keywords for easy discovery (I write about this kind of stuff in my blog).
Targeted tweets + engaging with followers = profitable social media channels!
Step 6: Make sure all website links redirect correctly so as not to waste potential traffic.
Too many brands forget this simple step in social media marketing – and it’s a big miss opportunity to gain more followers in the process! If you want to make sure that when someone follows a link from your Twitter profile, they arrive on your website or blog in one click…the URL should redirect directly to the intended page by using a shortener like Bitly, Google’s goo.gl, or Ow.ly (which is owned by Hootsuite).
Step 7: Keep track of your growth with analytics software.
Tools like Google Analytics can be use to track conversions back to Twitter so you know which posts are helping you attract new followers and prospects says Peter Decaprio. Similarly, tools like Klout will show you who messages are performing best, helping you determine what type of content to share in the future.
If you’d like to learn more about social media marketing and how it can help your business grow, check out the rest of my blog or send me a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Conclusion:
As a business owner, you probably spend a lot of time on your website or blog publishing valuable content for potential customers to read says Peter Decaprio. So why would you let those opportunities slip through the cracks by not promoting those pages on social media channels?