Confused about marketing your small business on Twitter? You are not alone.

I’ve seen it a hundred times.  I’m always searching for targeted followers on Twitter and it never fails. Screening the results from Twellow or a  Twitter search, I am left to look at Twitter profiles with no activity . . . crickets.  No tweets.  Maybe, the last tweet was a year ago, or all the tweets are the same.  Or their page is filled with tweets that they posted.  No interaction. No retweets. No replies.  Nothing.  Squat. No conversation. Crickets.  What image does that portray?

My conclusion: They don’t know why they’re on Twitter

Marketing Your Small Business On Twitter

So many business people I talk to can’t seem to figure out how to use Twitter to help their company grow. That’s how I felt when I heard about Twitter. I thought Twitter was totally ridiculous and one more fruitless distraction being pushed by this generation.  Boy, was I wrong. Fortunately, I made a deal with myself years ago, that I wouldn’t dismiss anything until I’ve looked into it enough to know if it’s for me or not.

I’m always afraid of being stuck in the past, because I don’t embrace new things.  Like one of those 50 year old ladies still wearing blue eye shadow like they did in junior high.  Outdated and not knowing it – one of my worst fears.  Yes, you guessed it. I don’t like change.  Thankfully, I was wrong about Twitter.  And, luckily, you don’t have to be a social media expert or a marketing guru if you’re thinking about including Twitter in your overall marketing strategy.

Lets Define Twitter

Twitter is a social networking web site. Some call it one of “The Big Three”, which include LinkedIn and Facebook.  If you’ve ever updated your status on Facebook, then Twitter will be a breeze. Status updates are called “tweets” and are limited to 140 characters.   Type in your message and hit the “Tweet” button.  The people you connect with are called “followers” who can be acquaintances, family members, friends, or any of the 174 million people on Twitter.

Here is the link for Twitter’s Help Center.

Common Uses For Twitter

What people get hung up on is not knowing how they will use Twitter. Figuring that out is half the battle.  There are countless ways to use Twitter, but the main uses include sharing news, instant updates, and communication with friends and family. You can share links to articles, blogs and news or share photos and videos. For example,

• New Jersey mayor used Twitter during a major last snow storm and showed up at the homes of followers who tweeted with a shovel to dig them out.
• Los Angeles firefighters employ Twitter to keep the community abreast of potential fires and other emergencies.

You just have to think back to the latest natural disaster, and you can see how Twitter has changed how journalists give up-to-the-minute news updates. While companies and public services are beginning to use Twitter more and more, most Twitter users use the web site to keep family and friends updated on their current activities.

7  steps to take before you abandon your Twitter account or use it in a way that doesn’t project the image and brand you want:

1) Use Twitter Search or Twellow to locate targeted followers

2) Follow those people and observe (what they respond to, what interests them, etc.)

3) Take a look at what your competition is doing (they’re on Twitter too)

4) Do some keyword research.  It’s important to know what keywords and phrases your target market is typing in Google, when looking for the products and services your sell.

5) Defining your Who, What When Where, Why & How:  Who is your Target Audience? What information do you want to share? When will you schedule time to tweet? Where will you get information to share (news articles, blogs, quotes) ? Why is Twitter good for your business?  How will you communicate your brand?  (as an expert, authority, a resource,  friend, confidante)  You’ll be better able to answer these questions after you’ve gone through steps 1 through 4.

6) Using those keywords and phrases, write about 20 tweets.  Remember the 280 character limit  (keep to 120 characters if you won’t people to retweet to their followers).

7) Schedule an hour or two with a Social Media Consultant (and you don’t have to look very far :).   We can either take care of all of this for you, or you can present the information you’ve gathered.  Having someone with knowledge and experience in Social Media is invaluable.   The recommendations, tips and tools given to you will save you both time and money.

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