6 Simple Tips To Network Effectively On Twitter
Twitter is one of those important networking sites you should be on. But not everyone gets it or understands why they should spend time on it. I’ll tell you why this tool should dominate your social media arsenal. When mastered, it will enable you to maximize your online reach. You can connect with fans, customers, colleagues and even CEOs that pique your interest. It’s so popular that users are sending more than 200 million tweets per day!
If you haven’t heard, I just hit 10,000 Twitter followers. I know, how cool is that? But let me tell you, there is no one formula for Twitter success. It takes time, consistency and a plan of action. So let me ask you… how effective are you on Twitter? People I talk to either love it (and might even admit to being addicted) or they just don’t get it, not understanding how it can help them. I was an early adopter, discovering Twitter back in early 2008 when it was mostly dominated by techies not celebrities and in-your-face marketers. In these three short years I have learned valuable strategies that make it work for me.
Here are my 6 simple tips that will help you build momentum and followers. There is no magic pill for instant success. But if you follow these strategies, you will improve your results. And remember, it’s about building your Twitter network… one follower at a time!
1. Have a great, professional profile. By this I mean a nice up-close photo and a really good description with a link to your website. Be sure to put in your location too. I can’t tell you how many profiles I come across that have poorly written bios, bad pictures and no location. This information is vital in helping people find you when conducting a search on Twitter. And when they do find you it let’s them know who you are, what you do, etc. Now is the best time to review your profile, make any necessary updates and you’ll increase the odds of being followed.
2. Be real. Transparency is very important on any social network, especially Twitter. Be yourself. Talk about what’s important to you. Don’t make every post about buying your new CD, service or product. And above all, be likeable. People love that.
3. Connect with your followers. Interact. Engage. Retweet. Direct message. Thank people who Retweet your posts. Do a shout out to your Twitter friends with #MM (Music Monday) and #FF (Follow Friday), which are popular hashtags. Your followers will quickly become a friend and fan when you take the time to reach out.
4. Get their attention. If done right, you can grab the attention of high profile people in your field by reaching out on Twitter. Retweeting posts can help get you on the radar. It can spark interest and allow you connect to those you seek out. Of course you don’t want to be a pest. Retweeting and commenting on relevant posts is a great start in building relationships with the right people on Twitter.
5. Tweet often. By this I mean do more than one or two posts a day but don’t post 20 times an hour. The key is consistency. If you don’t have anything to say, find something good to Retweet. Pass along worthwhile information. Reply to tweets from others. There is always something to say or repost. If you need a nudge, find a post on my site that interests you and tweet it.
6. Participate in Twitter chats. You can easily do this by keeping tabs on various hashtags of topics that interest you. Join in the discussion and you’ll quickly make new connections. If you are not familiar with Twitter chats, they are typically held live at a specific date and time with everyone using the same hashtag. Using TweetChat makes it easy to post and follow along in real-time. Last week I hosted the first ever Twitter chat for members of the GoGirls community. We discussed a variety of topics. You can read our posts here. It was a great experience, connecting with other musicians, tweeting and networking. By the end of the evening (we tweeted for almost two hours!), we put out 425 tweets and were all friends. Well, I knew just about everyone. But it allowed others to connect and share their interests. It was so successful that I plan to host one weekly. The next one is Thursday at 9pm EST. Join us and please use hashtag #ggchat.
One of the most notable Tweeters at our GoGirls Twitter chat was Country singer/songwriter Charlotte Autry. At one point I asked her to discuss how she got so many Twitter followers. She has well over 6K! Here is the advice she dished out during the chat:
“Artists have begged for a way to interact with the public, to be more personal with them, get to know them.. Twitter is amazing.”
“Even the Pope is Tweeting.. I’m very personal on my Twitter, I interact with my friends, do #MM’s, #FF’s, great ppl.”
“But you really hafta be you on it.. involve yourself, take down the walls, and talk to folks, just be who you really are.”
“EVERYTHING comes down thru Twitter today… it’s that powerful of a tool.. can’t emphasize that enough.”
I can’t stress enough that Twitter is an extremely valuable tool that, when mastered, can be tremendous for your networking arsenal. If you use it, please take a moment to comment your Twitter URL so my readers and I can learn more about you and also follow you. And please be sure to follow me at @MadalynSklar.