Twitter marketing tips for a small business

Twitter is an amazing place to discover new things and start conversations.

It's a great platform for your business, allowing you to reach out to your loyal customers and engage with a community that cares about your products and services.

Recent research shows Twitter is the leading social media channel when it comes to brand interactions.

As a business, Twitter can help you strengthen relationships with your existing customers, while growing your base by connecting with new people and staying on top of what people are talking about in your industry.

Twitter provides an environment filled with discovery, meaning whatever your message is, Twitter has the power to make sure your audience sees it and remembers it.

So, if you're looking for a platform for your business where people are open-minded and enthusiastic about hearing what you have to say Twitter is a good place to start.

How to create a Twitter account for your business

The first step you’ll need to take is to go ahead and create a twitter profile, remember though to click ‘Switch to professional’ to designate your twitter handle as a business account.

By doing this, you’ll be able to make use of additional features Twitter gives businesses exclusive access to.

A professional account gives you access to a dashboard to track performance, a dedicated space (called a Profile Spotlight) to showcase your business’s location, opening hours, and contact information, as well as access to Quick Promote for paid tweets.

Choosing a profile photo for your Twitter account

One of the most important elements of your Twitter profile is your profile photo so make sure you choose one that reflects your brand and makes best use of the circular space that Twitter gives you.

The best dimensions for an image are 400x400 pixel dimensions.

You’ll also want to upload a header image (ideally 1500x500 pixel dimensions) that goes well with your brand colours – think of this image as your own personal billboard, letting you showcase whatever is new with your business, like a new product or service.

How to choose your twitter name

When coming up with your Twitter account name (the name with an @ before it), it is important to make sure it is easy to read.

Not only will people be able to find you more quickly, but it can also give your Twitter profile an added boost of professionalism.

Don’t forget that, when choosing a name, the Twitter handle is unique to the business and will appear in the URL of your profile page.

Unlike your account name, your display name can be instantly changed whenever you wish and appears right above your Twitter account name.

It can be a good idea to make your Twitter display name the same as your business name for improved brand recognition and exposure - Twitter users often search for businesses first by their handle or display name, so having an easy-to-find one will ensure maximum visibility.

Writing a Twitter bio for your business

Your Twitter bio should provide a concise and engaging pitch, helping people understand your business’s mission, what sets you apart from the competition, and why they should follow you.

Twitter only gives you 160 characters, so you’ll have to be concise but don’t forget to include pertinent information like your location, hashtag, and opening hours - this allows people to connect with you easily!

How to send your first tweet

The first Tweet you post is a great opportunity to introduce your business to the world in an engaging way – consider including a welcoming photo, video, or graphic that helps tell your story.

If you're looking to establish a strong relationship with customers or build up a community of supporters, now is the time to say so!

To make sure that followers focus on this relevant initial Tweet, it’s a good idea to pin it at the top of your Twitter profile page.

As your business grows and evolves over time, this first pinned Tweet can easily be swapped out for an updated message highlighting current activities like sales, product launches, cause initiatives etc.

How to attract followers on Twitter

If you’re looking to gain followers for your twitter account, then understanding what to post and when to post it is vital.

There is a common misconception that businesses need to produce wittiest tweets to be popular, this isn’t true.

Twitter can be used as a powerful tool for businesses to tell their brand stories and gain public attention by providing interesting and timely promotions, product features, employee spotlights, industry observations, giveaways, trend forecasting, and event highlights- just to name a few.

To start writing great tweets for your business, consider the following:

• keep your tweets concise with a clear call to action
• remember to include one or two hashtags relevant to your brand or audience – if you capitalise the first letter of each word of your hashtag it helps make your tweet more accessible for screen readers
• it’s always a good idea to include any relevant links where possible
• tweets with images or video tend to be more popular than those without so visuals that are colourful and on brand.

Creating a regular cadence of Twitter posts that fits your needs best is key - whether that be three times a week or multiple times per day.

Remember though that it’s not enough to just create a Twitter presence for your business, companies that make the best use of Twitter also get involved and join the Twitter conversation during buzzy events that make sense for their brand.

Who should my business follow on Twitter?

Following a mix of customers, brand partners, industry thought leaders, influencers, and other businesses that inspire you can bring your Twitter presence to the next level.

You can also consider showing appreciation for your customers by engaging with them regularly and don't be afraid to showcase useful content from others as it helps form partnerships and solidifies relationships.

Twitter followers can quickly become an extension of your team if used correctly, amplifying your message and bringing your products to an ever-wider audience by digital word-of-mouth.

How to use paid posts on Twitter

Whether it's creating brand awareness, gaining new followers, prompting consideration, or increasing conversions, Twitter Ads could be a good way to help grow your presence on the platform.

There's no minimum spend required - just launch your tweet and reach potential customers with Twitter’s Quick Promote, Follower, or Reach campaigns.

With the Quick Promote feature, all you have to do is select one of your Tweets and press the 'Promote' button.

Twitter will then automatically generate an ad campaign around that Tweet, so you can reach audiences all around Twitter in minutes.

If you want to take your Twitter marketing further and benefit from more customisations and targeted features, you could look at Twitter Follower and Reach Campaigns.

These campaigns enable you to get more creative while reaching the right people with your message at just the right time.

A Follower campaign can be an effective strategy for getting the attention of Twitter users and encouraging them to follow your Twitter profile.

It's an easy and fast way to spread the word about your business while also engaging with Twitter users: when people see your advertisement, they may be more likely to give your page a chance.

Finally, Twitter Reach campaigns are one of the best solutions for brands looking to increase public awareness.

All Twitter formats can be used within a Reach campaign but, in terms of performance, visuals like images or videos stand out the most.