Twitter Marketing Guide | Getting Started With Twitter, Strategies & Tips For Business

Do you want to learn how to market yourself and your business on X (Twitter)?

Here is the complete Twitter marketing plan you have been looking for. In this guide, you will learn how to drive more customers and sales directly from Twitter or your website with ease.

Twitter is one social media platform that lets you follow and unfollow people — allowing you to easily clean up your news feed the way you like it.

Why am I saying this?

Twitter is a great place to follow accounts that are of interest to you. Enabling users to stay close to brands by filtering irrelevant accounts — these types of accounts are of no value to the user, thereby creating space for more relevant Twitter users to be followed.

This allows existing small businesses and new entrants to have a shot at reaching maximum business targets when used in the right way.

Twitter marketing should be an integral part of any digital marketing campaign.

But before we delve in-depth…

What is X (Twitter) Marketing?

It’s basically what you want it to be. Want to learn more about your customers? Make your brand a little more human. Build buzz about your new product or service. Provide lightning-fast customer support. Publicly humiliate trolls?

Twitter’s got you covered.

Thus:

Whatever your marketing aims, there’s no problem Twitter can be an important instrument to help you reach your goals.

But you might not be sure where to start or if you’ve already started, maybe you’re having difficulty tying your Twitter strategy to your larger business objectives.

So whether you’re looking for a few strategic pointers or a start-to-finish guide to Twitter marketing strategy, you’ve come to the right place.

About X (Twitter)

Twitter is a short message communication tool that allows you to send out messages (tweets) up to 280 characters long to people who subscribe to you (followers).

Your tweets can include a link to any web content such as blog posts, website pages, affiliate links, PDF documents, etc.

Or perhaps, you could share a photograph or video.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, adding an image to a tweet greatly expands what you can share to beyond the 280-character limit for tweets.

People follow (subscribe) to your Twitter account, and you follow other people.

This allows you to read, reply to, and easily share their tweets with your followers (retweet).

Quickly, let’s get into the real business of the day!

Twitter As Part of Our Social Media Marketing Campaign

Twitter is a core social networking website good for research, user engagement, and brand awareness.

Some years back Twitter wasn’t an integral part of our marketing especially here in Nigeria.

Considering the growth and opportunities small and medium businesses stand to attain with Twitter, there is certainly no reason why we shouldn’t include it in our social media marketing strategy.

If you’re not working it into your marketing/content strategy yet, you can be sure your competitors are.

If you aren’t convinced about the great benefits you will get if you make Twitter part of your marketing strategy, here are some reasons we find compelling:

• Twitter has over 330 million active monthly users.
• Those users send 6,000 tweets per second—that’s more than half a billion per day.
• Twitter users are three times as likely as Facebook users to follow a brand.
• A survey by Twitter found that 69 percent of respondents had purchased from an SME after following them on Twitter. The survey also found that 79 percent of people who follow SMEs retweet content from that business.
• In a survey, 63.5 percent of social media managers listed Twitter as one of their top social media platforms in terms of return on investment (ROI), second only to Facebook.

Getting Started With Twitter Marketing

Visit Twitter.com

To get started with Twitter, head over to twitter.com/signup. You’ll need to enter your full name, email, and password in their sign-up form.

Choose a profile name

This is the name you’ll be known as on Twitter (also known as your @name). I’d recommend using your real name if it’s available. If not, try and include your name or initials.

For example, We chose @DMSInstitute. Not my first choice but everything else was taken.

You’ll want to make the account name your full name as well. Also, ensure to keep your @username short and easy to remember.

Add a photo of you, not your logo

It’s really important to add a photo of you so people can connect with you on a personal level. Don’t use your logo or a cartoon picture, and not the default egg image.

Your profile picture is displayed every time you post a tweet so you want to differentiate your tweets from everybody else’s. Your profile picture will help.

Make sure your picture is clearly showing your face.

Complete your bio

You’ve got 160 characters to tell everyone what you do, why you do it, and what interests you so use them all – make it interesting and sociable.

People relate more with accounts with a human connection.

So use this so people can make a connection with you.

Many times I’ve read a bio and decided to follow that person based on what they’ve written in their bio. I’ve discovered some amazing people and businesses that way.

Add your website address

If you have a website, blog, or business site, why not add your URL?

There’s a space to add your website to your profile. You can also use this even if you don’t have a website.

Instead, you could link it to your blog, LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, or anywhere online so people can find out more about you or your business.

Change Your Header Image

It makes sense to change the default blue band to a header that gives you a branded social media presence, tells your followers something about you, or at least shows that you took some time to move away from the default settings.

Changing your Twitter header can bring you more traffic.

To change your header image, go to your profile page, and click on the “edit profile” button.

Follow some people

You have to start following people if you want people to follow your account.

Make sure you carefully select profiles to follow to ensure your news feed is in check.

Though I can’t tell you not to follow whoever you want. But more importantly, you want to follow profiles that can help your business – that’s why you’re there!

Don’t follow too many profiles to start with because you’ll get overwhelmed.

A perfect place to start is looking at who is following profiles with the same kind of customers as you.

Get tweeting

An advise that will help you get started with tweeting is to get involved with conversation in your industry. And ask questions.

Learn from professionals and experts in your niche, and see what and how they tweet before making your move.

Don’t get hung up about saying profound stuff, just relax with it and have some fun.

Check your mentions regularly

It is very important to keep track and keep up with mentions on Twitter.

You want to keep an eye on who is talking to you and about you or your brand. Many people forget (or don’t know) to do that.

Conversation is key on Twitter – if you’re not talking to people, replying, and responding you may as well not use it because you won’t get results.

12 Important Twitter Terminologies

Before we dive deeper into the Twitter interface, here are some important terms to know as you start to use this popular social media site.

1. Tweet – a Twitter status update
2. Retweet – when you share an existing update on your own home stream… Something that you share that way is a retweet. This is often abbreviated to RT.
3. Mention – use the @ symbol to tag another user in a tweet. You can use this multiple times within a tweet.
4. @ – This symbol together with your username is how people identify you on Twitter.
5. Timeline – your home stream of tweets
6. Avatar – your profile photo
7. Follow – to subscribe to someone’s updates so they appear on your timeline
8. Hashtag – a word or symbol preceded by the # symbol. Hashtags help Twitter users to identify and search for content around a topic. Just click on it to see more content on that theme. It’s ok to use multiple hashtags in a tweet but do not overdo it.
9. DM – a direct message. Direct messaging is private messaging between one Twitter user and another. Group DMs are also available.
10. Header photo – the wide photo that appears at the top of your profile. If there is no photo, you will see a blue band.
11. Like – click on a heart under a tweet to show your appreciation for it. Everything you like is listed in the “likes” tab on your profile.
12. List – a collection of Twitter users that you want to follow as a group. When you click on a list you will see members’ tweets in their own stream.

See more important terms in Twitter’s glossary.

Twitter Marketing For Business: Tips & Strategy

1. Set Objectives For Twitter Marketing

It’s important to decide what you want to achieve before planning your Twitter business strategy.

If you want to get more people to view your content, your objectives should include some of the following:

• Generate leads from Twitter by getting followers to visit your landing page.
• Build awareness for a new product or service by using Twitter to market it to relevant prospects.
• Build a positive opinion about your brand, products, or services, by using Twitter as a PR tool.
• Build a community of like-minded people to give you ideas to innovate a product, service, or overall marketing strategy.
• Provide customer support through valuable content and one-on-one conversations that help customers get the most out of your product or service.
• Build thought leadership, engage with industry influencers and like-minded people, and share your opinions.

2. Position Yourself As A Thought Leader

Startups can use Twitter to position themselves as experts, thought leader,s or specialists in a particular niche.

All you need to do is simply engage users and followers in a discussion about different topics relevant to your business and retweets about subjects that are pertinent to your topics.

Here are some tips:

• Target industry keywords so your tweets show up in relevant searches. Thanks to tools like the Google Keyword Planner, it’s easy to find out what your followers are interested in.
• Develop a #hashtag – It’s important to develop a unique and easily identifiable hashtag that can become synonymous with your name, brand, or Twitter handle.
• Create a follow list – If you want to narrow your focus and have your feed only display certain content, you can create a follow list. You can then manually control which accounts are displayed.
• Learn to curate – Learning how to curate content is a major skill on Twitter. By being able to put a new spin on old information, you can push out fresh content without spending hours thinking about it.
• Market your handle on websites that allow you to publish your handle in your profile,. You should take full advantage of this opportunity to drive traffic to your tweets.

3. Use Retweets To Your Advantage

Your startup business should start with an average number of retweets that you generally receive in response to your best-performing tweets.

Then, you can add more Retweets after your offers attract more customer engagement.

Start with the average number of Retweets you normally would get from your best-performing Tweets then add a few more since offers will likely attract more engagement.

Here are some tips:

• Rewrite and Repeat Your Best Tweets – If you worked hard on a blog post that you know deserves some attention don’t be afraid to tweet it out a few times. When you repeat your tweet, mix it up. Don’t tweet the same tweet every time.  Re-word your tweet and you will appeal to different people each time you tweet it. There are now more than 100,000,000 tweets a day.  It is harder than ever to get your tweets noticed these days, due to the sheer volume of tweets. As long as you don’t spam, and add value, it’s fair game.
• Tweet Breaking News – If you tweet breaking news there is a good chance others will share this news as well, and your tweet might just spread like wildfire.
• Create Retweeting Reciprocity – Promote the content of others more than you promote your own content. Help others get their message out and they will be much more likely to do the same for you.
• Include @mentions – Include the Twitter usernames of others in your blog post, and then send a shout-out to them on Twitter letting them know. There is a good chance other people will retweet your post when they find out they are in the post you are sharing!
• Determine the number of Retweets – Start with the average number of Retweets you normally would get from your best-performing Tweets then add a few more since offers will likely attract more engagement.

4. Tweet Without Links

Did you know that a Tweet without a link can get more engagement than one with links?

Well, if you think that’s questionable, here is research by Socialfresh that shows tweets without links get more engagement.

Remember that not everything you tweet has to have a link. If you limit the number of links you share on Twitter, you’ll add value to the ones you do.

Twitter is an excellent platform to build your brand and create trust, so spend time developing relationships with your followers rather than just sharing a lot of links.

Plus, when you tweet fewer links, the people who trust you know whatever links you choose to share are likely worth clicking.

5. Drive Twitter Traffic To Your Site or Blog

If you do not promote your website or blog articles, there is no way anyone would know or learn about your awesome content.

Driving traffic to your blog is about as essential to your blogging success as your writing itself.

Take the opportunity to cross-promote your blog on Twitter. Tweeting about your blog can be an incredible way to reach out and connect with your consumers.

With over 330 million monthly active users, you can find lots of new readers through tweeting too.

If you use Twitter well, it can drive tons of traffic back to your blog.

But simply tweeting the title of your blog post with a link back to your site will not work.

You need to be proactive, creative and use great marketing when you are tweeting about your blog posts.

Here are some tips:

• Use Creative, Provocative Tweets –  Generating compelling content in 280 characters or less can present a good little writing challenge. When you’re tweeting a link to your blog post, get creative. Try making tweets that invoke interest in your blog article. They work. When you’re tweeting about your article, keep in mind that you don’t need to stick with the title of your post.
• Include Statistics – People love statistics. (Well, that’s what the data indicates.) If you have any interesting statistical information in your article, tweet about it. And to have even more of an impact, use numbers and characters – not just letters.
• Ask a Question Related to Your Topic – A question in your tweet can generate lots of engagement. If the question generates enough connection and curiosity with your followers, it will get more clicks to your blog.
• Include a Blog Link in Your Bio – our Twitter bio is what your followers (and others) see when they visit you on Twitter. It doesn’t change unless you make changes to it. This lends itself to being a perfect opportunity to drive more traffic to your blog. Include a link to your blog, or even a particular blog post, in the about and/ or contact sections of your bio. Both sections have clickable link capabilities. You can include CTA’s to entice your followers to click through to your blog too.
• Tweet about Your Blog-Hosted Contest – Running a contest, sweepstakes or group offer on your blog is a brilliant way to drive traffic to your site. It creates engagement with your readers and gives a great incentive for new readers to visit your blog.

READ: 10 Tips On How To Generate Leads On Twitter To Drive More Sales

6. Use Multimedia To Drive More Engagement

The popularity—and effectiveness—of multimedia continues its meteoric rise on social media.

A survey of Twitter users found that the majority (82 percent) watch video content on Twitter and that users want to see more videos from celebrities, other users, and brands.

GIFs can be a great option for adding some relevant fun to your tweets. If some cheeky animated joy is on-brand for your organization, try out Twitter’s integrated GIF search.

Why not offer your followers more of what they’re asking for?

Here are some tips:

• Post Videos — You might tweet out videos your organization has created, retweet relevant video content your audience would find valuable, or explore ways to share real-time videos on Twitter.
• Use More Images — Among all the options for sharing images and photos online, don’t forget to share them on Twitter too. Include relevant images to catch the eye of your community and encourage engagement. If you’re sharing photos of people, you can also tag up to 10 people per image.
• Leverage GIFs — GIFs can be a great option for adding some relevant fun to your tweets. If some cheeky animated joy is on-brand for your organization, try out Twitter’s integrated GIF search.

7. Post At The Right Time

Tweets don’t last.

According to Wiselytics, a tweet has a half-life of just 24 minutes and reaches 75 percent of its potential engagement in less than three hours.

That means you need to tweet at the right time to reach the most potential followers and boost engagement.

Use engagement data from Twitter Analytics to adjust your timing once you’ve gathered some data about how followers are engaging with your tweets.

Here are a few tips:

• Learn to tweet regularly — We recommend tweeting at least once a day to attract and engage Twitter followers. Experiment with posting more than that, and then pay attention to how your followers react to find the frequency that works best for you.
• Start with industry best practices — According to Coschedule, the best posting times are generally 12–3 p.m., with a peak best time at 5 p.m. Consider posting at these times in your initial strategy, then flesh out your schedule as you learn more about what times get the best results with your followers.
• Use analytics to fine-tune your approach — Use engagement data from Twitter Analytics to adjust your timing once you’ve gathered some data about how followers are engaging with your tweets.
• Use automated tools to schedule your tweets — Now that you know when it’s best to push out content on twitter, you might want to try scheduling tweets using tools such as HootSuite, TweetDeck, and more.

8. Measure Impact

Twitter is increasingly becoming the platform of choice for marketers, with 83% using Twitter as part of their marketing activity.

How many of that percentage are accurately measuring the success of their campaigns and highlighting areas for improvement?

But how can you make your strategy’s objectives measurable and make sure that your brand is making the most out of Twitter? We’ve put the basics of measuring your Twitter success in a simple guide that will help track if your Twitter efforts are paying off.

Twitter is increasingly becoming the platform of choice for marketers, with 83% using Twitter as part of their marketing activity.

Here’s a video that explains how to measure the impact and success of your Twitter Advertising campaigns and get the most out of Twitter marketing:

One final thought:

Benefits of X Marketing

1. Real-time Information: X emphasizes real-time updates, allowing businesses to stay current and engage with audiences in the moment.

2. Customer Service: X provides a platform for businesses to interact directly with customers, addressing inquiries, feedback, and concerns promptly.

3. Wide Reach and Brand Exposure: X has a massive user base, offering businesses a global platform to increase brand visibility and awareness.

4. Enhanced Communication and Customer Interactions: X facilitates direct engagement with customers, fostering loyalty and trust through timely responses and feedback.

5. Better Advertisement of Products and Services: X offers cost-effective advertising options, allowing businesses to reach a larger audience and promote products effectively.

Try Twitter Adverts

You can promote your business to Twitter’s interested audience and gain more customers and sales using Twitter Ads.

Here are some results you can achieve with Twitter ads:

• Reach potential customers — Get your messages in front of people not yet following you by promoting your Tweets
• Gain more followers — Quickly grow your community of high-value followers and drive word of mouth by promoting your account
• Measure results in real time — Track the growth of your follower base and see how people engage with every single Tweet

Honestly, Twitter is a great tool for any digital marketing, business owner, and individual to grow your social media engagement with your audience.

This guide, however, when implemented accordingly should help achieve success on Twitter.

If you need to understand more about social media marketing, I have previously published a social media marketing guide here or you can register to attend out digital marketing training course today!

Marketing on Twitter – Conclusion

Twitter is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. It offers a unique platform to connect with customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales. When you create engaging content, utilizing hashtags, and leveraging Twitter’s advertising options, businesses can reach a wider audience and generate leads. With its real-time updates and direct engagement capabilities, Twitter provides a unique opportunity to build relationships and establish trust with customers. Finally, marketing on Twitter is a valuable strategy for any business looking to grow and succeed in today’s digital space.

FAQs

Is Twitter still effective for marketing?

Yes, Twitter remains highly effective for marketing, offering a platform with over 300 million users and 500 million daily tweets. It provides real-time updates, direct messaging for genuine connections, and the use of tags to encourage engagement. With its chronological feed, Twitter requires frequent updates to stay relevant, making it a valuable tool for businesses to engage with their audience and drive brand awareness effectively.

Is Twitter a good platform for business marketing?

Twitter is an excellent platform for business marketing due to its vast audience, real-time communication features, and the ability to increase brand visibility. With its fast-paced nature and engagement opportunities, businesses can effectively promote their brand, connect with customers, and drive traffic to their website.

How can I market my Twitter for free?

You can market your Twitter for free by optimizing your profile, engaging with your audience, posting regularly, and using hashtags strategically. Interacting with followers, sharing valuable content, and participating in Twitter chats can help increase visibility and attract more followers. Additionally, leveraging user-generated content, running contests or giveaways, and collaborating with influencers can enhance your Twitter marketing efforts without any cost. Consistency, authenticity, and providing value to your audience are key to successful free marketing on Twitter.

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