Social Media Strategy: 13 Twitter Tips to Manage Your Community
Posted by Bill Faeth on Sat, May 26, 2012 @ 10:00 AM
Social Media Strategy: Managing Your Twitter Community
Managing your community on Twitter is really about managing yourself and how you engage your community while also monitoring and engaging people who are talking about you or your business. Treat your community like a Kindergarten teacher would treat her students. Engage with them. Nurture them. Keep it simple and on point. Use your manners. Hopefully you get the point?
Set Up
1. Avatar
Having a avatar on Twitter is a must if you want people to follow you. Not having one is like emailing a link to someone you don't know without and email address or name attached to it.
2. Background
The same concept applies with your Twitter background as with the avatar except you want to take it one step farther. You have the ability to add content into your sidebars so use them to include a Call to Action, but be discreet. Here is an example of HubSpot's Twitter Page.
3. Bio
Two key points here. Optimize & Be Real. Include keywords or Hashtags in your bio to make it easier to Get Found in search. Don't included your name again in your bio if it is already displayed. Same goes for your website. Twitter is about engagement so be descriptive about your hobbies, passions, and it always helps to be funny.
As you can see not only do we provide inbound marketing services, but we are foodies that love a great hot dog.
Engagement
4. Be Consistent
You need to be active and consistent with your tweeting schedule. Twitter is organic. It lives and breathes so you need to keep your Feed filled with great content. Be sure to post everyday and if possible multiple times per day to build your community and keep them engaged. If you are just starting with Twitter and don't have enough content to post then promote your followers content and blog posts that are relevant to your followers and your business.
5. Ask Questions
Ask your followers questions about their posts and articles. A great question will usually spark a conversation which is what social is all about. You can do this in your Feed or directly with an individual.
6. ReTweet
Receiving a ReTweet from a follower always feels great because this shows that they liked your post enough to share with their followers. Do the same for your followers and for people you would like to follow you. Always give credit to original source when ReTweeting.
7. Thank You
These are the 2 Most Powerful Words in Your Social Media Strategy. Always thank your followers for a ReTweet as soon as you can. This should be done within 24hrs, but is more effective if your are able to do it sooner. You can use Hootsuite or SMS Notifications within Twitter to monitor your RT"s and Mentions via your smart phone to make this easy.
8. Auto DM (Direct Message)
Many marketers don't like using an auto DM at all. We believe you can use an auto DM to say thank you, but don't use it to Push out an advertisement to follow you on Facebook or directing to your landing page. You wouldn't ask someone to marry you on a 1st date would you?
10. Twitter Chats
This is great way to join a conversation that is relevant to your business and to build new connections without soliciting. If you see a topic that is closed ask to be a guest Chat Tweeter and start following some of the key people and engage with them.
11. Monitor Hashtags
This is a great way to set up and monitor conversations around your keywords. Join in on these conversations and add value if you have knowledge of the topic which you should. You can set up Hashatags in Hootsuite or Tweetdeck very easily and start monitoring in a matter of minutes.
12. Strategy
You must develop a plan for each of your social media platforms. Make your content on each platform unique so value is created for each platform within your social media strategy. Search your Hashtags and find at least 2-3 tweets per day that you can have a conversation with. As time permits increase this number and watch your community grow.
13. Have Fun
If you don't love being on Twitter it will show to your followers and you probably shouldn't be using the platform. Be yourself and enjoy the conversations. If your are a foodie like us then tweet about food as well as your business. Twitter is about social engagement and no one wants to shop all day long. The personal connections you make may lead to a business opportunity down the road directly or be a referral.
Do you have some tips you would like to add? Please comment below.
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