Twitter 101 for Business

If you are new to Twitter or just need a refresher course, here are some basic tips needed when bringing your business or brand to Twitter.

You have an account, now what?

• Build an account using the Twitter Search to listen for your name, your competitor’s names, and words that relate to your brand or company. Listening always comes first.
• Add a picture. We want to see you. Twitter accounts that have real people’s pictures as their avatars get more engagement than those that have a company logo.
• Talk to people about their interests, too. I know this doesn’t sell more widgets, but it shows you’re human.
• Point out interesting things in your stream, don’t just focus on you or your business.
• Share links to cool things in your community. @WholeFoods does this particularly well.
• Be helpful and don’t make excuses for poor customer service. @JetBlue gives travel tips.
• Be wary of always pimping your stuff. Your fans may love it. Others tune out quickly.
• Promote yours or employees’ outside-of-work stories. @TheHomeDepot does this well.
• Talk about non-business topics.
• Then talk about your business.

What to Tweet?

• Instead of asking the question, “What are you doing?” ask the question, “What has your attention right now?”
• When promoting a blog post, ask a question or explain what the blog post is about, instead of just dumping a link and hoping people click it.
• Ask questions. Twitter is great for getting opinions.
• Follow interesting people. If you find someone who tweets interesting things, see who she follows, and follow her.
• Tweet about other people’s stuff. Again, doesn’t directly impact your business, but makes the Twitter community feel like you’re not That Guy.
• When you do talk about your stuff, make it useful. Give advice, blog posts, post pictures, be interesting, not monotonous.
• Share the human side of your company. If you’re bothering to tweet, it means you believe social media has value for human connections. Point us to pictures and other human things such as pics of your pooch, family, or my favorite, wine.
• Don’t toot your own horn too much. Or try and balance it out by promoting the heck out of others, too.
• If you are tweeting from a business or brand’s account or perspective, limit the amount of cussing you do unless this is part of your image.
• But most importantly if you are tweeting for a brand or on a business account: Be social, not personal.

Key Concept: Be Social, Not Personal.

Here is my definition in a nutshell… and yes, this was an actual Tweet:

Social: I’m going out tonight.

Personal: I’m going out on a hot date and hope to get some.

Follow me on Twitter to see how I tweet: @dragonflytweet

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