Twitter is an amazing tool to build up your personal or company brand. When you Tweet out your 140 character message, you are sending your message out to the world.  Anyone following you reads your message and can re-Tweet, or send your message, to their audience as well. The business potential on Twitter is also limitless… as long as you use it correctly.

So, how do you get started? Here are 3 useful tips for to help you get started marketing on Twitter.

1. Start Posting
You may be thinking, um… what? FYItag social media planning tool makes it easy for you to plan, schedule, and execute your social media marketing campaigns on Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube AND Twitter.

Your posts should represent your brand, but not be a heavy sell. For example, if you operate a car repair shop, your messages could be as simple as 140 character tip on when to replace your windshield wipers, or when to change your oil. Other Tweets may include the following:

·  Re-tweeting messages from those you follow

·  Posting an article those in your industry, or potential customer base, may find interesting

·  Link to interesting polls or surveys

·  Post your opinion on fun topics, like the score of your favorite sports team.

·  Ask your users what they want from you, what would be useful to them. This is often the best way to figure out what to say

·  Make comments and be a part of the conversation

2. Make every tweet count
What makes a quality Tweet?  Here are a few things your followers will appreciate and expect.

·  Be conversational, personal and genuine

·  Engage them in a dialogue and ask them for their opinion

·  Focus on information that is current and useful in the short term (e.g., price changes, new shipments, coupons, etc.)

·  Don’t us social media for  heavy handed selling

·  Notify them of longer form posts that you are making elsewhere (a blog perhaps)

·  Provide a path to find information that is useful to them (i.e., include links in your post)
 

3. Start to follow others
It is important to be an active part of the community you want to reach.  Being active increases your visibility and in turn will increase the amount of people that follow you.  Here are a few tips on how to get started.

· Search twitter http://search.twitter.com find users with similar interests, and follow them.

· Search for your people you know on Twitter and follow them.

· When visiting a website you often visit, click on that company’s Twitter profile link and follow them.

Twitter sometimes can feel overwhelming when just starting out. The most important thing to remember is to relax and have fun. For more information on how to get started on Social Media, read our other helpful posts listed below.  Happy Tweetin'

Johnathon Howard

CMO

Starting out with Social Media for Your Business Part 1: Jumping in.

Starting Social Media for Your Business Part 2: Setting up for success

Starting out with Social Media for Your Business Part 3: What to say when you have nothing to say.

Starting out with Social Media for Your Business Part 4:  Ideas and the Power of Pictures