Let’s talk about Twitter.
Between making recent headlines and the platform’s ongoing staple of top business owners, Twitter has its time and place for SMBs and solopreneurs.
And given that Twitter is already over a decade old, there’s a lot we’ve learned about the platform in terms of its best practices.
Likewise, it represents a rare social network that’s truly stood the test of time.
From building up your reputation to expanding the reach of your content marketing efforts, the Twitterverse can be a special place for businesses from a branding perspective.
That is, if you have your profile and posting strategy squared away.
Below, we’ve outlined a quick checklist to ensure your Twitter strategy is on point. Remember: Twitter is a different beast than Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and must be treated as such.
Create The Perfect Profile Picture
First, you must make the right first impression with your profile picture.
Brands can choose to use a personal picture or a good business logo, depending on who’s running the show and what social presence they want to put out there.
If you want a more “professional” vibe that means business, consider using a free DIY logo maker tool. Ensure your company branding is sharp and your imagery looks good on all screens. Crafting a good logo will instantly set you apart from businesses treating their creatives as an afterthought.
And if you’re a solo brand, try to get a proper headshot versus taking a random selfie. Again, your profile picture should speak to what your business is all about. A low-effort profile picture likewise signals a low-effort social presence.
Craft a Brilliant Bio
Using 160 characters to work with, Twitter bios are valuable for real estate for explaining exactly who you are to industry players and prospects. You can keep it simple or inject some humor into your profile, but regardless, it’s a great place to signal your personality and expertise.
Some smart Twitter bio ideas include:
- Including a brief personal quote or company tagline
- Tagging publications or places online you or your business has been featured.
- Mention a personal quirk or detail about your professional life (“addicted to coffee,” “recovering office drone”)
Practice Tactical Tagging
Simply put, posts on Twitter that contain hashtags receive more engagement than those that don’t. As such, tagging can instantly expand your reach in seconds if you take the time to look into industry and community hashtags. Don’t overdo it: one to three tags per tweet is considered optimal without distraction.
Hashtags aren’t the only types of tagging you need to focus on, though. For example, if you share a post from an industry pub or thought leader, take it or leave a quick comment in your tweet to couple with your post. This instantly increases your likelihood of a shout-out and puts you front and center with people relevant to your business.
Take Your Content Diversity into Consideration
If you’re blasting article after article, your Twitter feed will grow stale.
Consider how combining imagery, retweets, photos, and factoids will keep followers engaged and on their toes. For example, infographics are among the most popular posts on Twitter and represent yet another way to show that you’re in tune with your industry.
Even something as simple as a snapshot around the office is fair game for showing off your business’s human side and keeping your feed fresh. If you’re strapped for the idea, don’t be afraid to show some love to others in your space by retweeting them. You’re golden as long as there’s some diversity in your feed regarding content types.
Figure Out Your Social Schedule
Conventional wisdom tells us that morning and afternoon are ideal times to post on Twitter for maximum engagement. This can trip you up if you’re trying to post exclusively in real-time or are stuck in a time zone different from your target audience.
Social schedules like Tweetdeck, now built into Twitter directly, are life savers for tapping into optimal timing. Furthermore, this allows you to queue up your most important content to ensure it’s being seen. Beyond a queue, you can block off-breaks throughout the day to check into Twitter and respond to notifications to avoid wasting time.
Steer Clear of Fake Followers
Finally, make a point to avoid engaging with or following any accounts that might seem suspicious. Twitter is notorious for its presence of bots, which can annoy a brand. Consider looking into a Twitter audit tool to ensure you’re not attracting strange attention and engaging with real, flesh-and-blood people.
Whether you’re looking to network with industry players or keep up appearances, there’s a time and place for Twitter, regardless of your business. With this checklist in mind, you can ensure you’re putting your best foot forward on the platform.