Twitter

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Do You Use Your Twitter Account In Your Marketing?

If you’re not part of Twitter, you’re missing out.  Twitter, a free service that anyone can use.  Companies large and small have taken advantage of this free service to reach potential customers that they maybe couldn’t afford to reach before.  You can use it to create a whirlwind of traffic to your blog and open the doors to brand new subscribers and clients.

Twitter is a combination of a microblogging tool and a social networking site.  Twitter is a fantastic way to get more traffic to your blog and build a relationship with your readers.  While you’re building a relationship, you can gradually build a solid reputation as an influencer and expert.  If you’re brand new to Twitter, or even if you’ve been around on the site for some time, you’re in a position to really establish your business as the go-to-guy for those in your target market.

So how is Twitter going to help me and my business?

Twitter and blogging together, as one tool, is a powerful combination.  It has totally changed the way that people communicate online and it should be an indispensable part of your overall marketing plan for your blog and business (yes, your business needs a blog; no questions).  Twitter is free to join and you can set up an account in just a few minutes.

Twitter has two main components.  Just like social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, you can add “followers” and follow other people as well.  They’ll receive your updates and you’ll receive theirs.  However, on Twitter, your messages are limited just to 140 characters, which is why some people call it a “microblogging” tool.  Messages are brief and too the point.  Unlike some other social media networks, you don’t have to bother with posting picture albums to your profile or get sucked into playing all the games.  You can say what you need to say and get on with your day without distraction.

It’s the short messages that make it so easy to find your target market on Twitter.  Everyone has to be brief and to the point, so it makes it easy to drill down the keywords you are looking for in people’s conversations.  This makes it quick to establish relationships with potential clients and customers (your target market).

Here are a few other ways Twitter can help your business:

• Build your expertise and your authority in a niche

• Drive more traffic to your blog

• Brand your business and yourself

• Appear more social with your readers

• Make your blog more of a community experience

How exactly do I use Twitter?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that they just don’t understand Twitter.  Well, if you can send a text message, you can use Twitter.  It’s actually the simplest site to use out of all the other popular social media sites.  It’s like a mix of text messaging and instant messaging.  Let’s explain the three types of Twitter messages (called “tweets”):

1. First, there’s a regular post.  When you type in a message to Twitter and hit “update” it will be viewable by all the people who are follow you’re updates.




2. The next type of post is a reply.  When you type in a post, people may reply to your post. You’ll see your user name with the @ symbol before it when someone replies to your message.  You can respond to other people the same way.  You simply type @ and then their user name (i.e.  @tommylinsley).  Replies are viewable by everyone who is following you or that person you are replying to.




3. Finally, there’ a direct message (DM).  This is a private message to someone that no one else can see except you and that person.  To send a DM, just type the letters dm with the person’s user name (i.e. dm @tommylinsley).  You’ll receive messages from others on your Twitter Direct Message and you can choose to be notified via e-mail when someone direct messages you.

How to be Effective on Twitter

The first step in using Twitter to improve your blog and traffic is to “listen” to other people by reading their updates.

• Share information. You can post links related to your niche, or just interesting things you find around the Internet.

• Ask questions.  You can increase your relationship with your followers by asking questions.   Ask people what their favorite lunch spot is, what they think of the latest news story or their opinion on a topic related to your niche.

• Share links to other people’s sites and share why that link is useful or interesting.  At those times when you post a link to your own site, include why it’s relevant to the conversation.  You could even just include conversation leading up to one of your upcoming blog posts.  Make sure you don’t only post your own links; it will be seen as spam.  Mix it up a little.

• Post tips related to your niche.  You can add a lot of value to your twitter presence by sharing tips that are found on other niche-related blogs.  You’ll be seen as helpful.

• Stay active.  You don’t have to post all day long.  But try to be regular.  At least once a day.

• Don’t spam the same link over and over.  Believe me, some people are very guilty of this.  It is a huge turn off to everyone else.  It kills that person’s reputation and influence.

• Once you build up a few thousand followers, it gets difficult to keep up with replies.  Relax you don’t have to respond to everyone right away.  In fact, it’s okay not to respond; unless it seems important or customer feedback related.  Use your own good sense.

Okay, how’s it going to increase my blog traffic?

1. Connect with your readers – When you blog, you’re speaking to your readers from a distance.  You write your post, edit it and then post it.  During all this, you’re removed from your audience.  But, then you combine Twitter with your blogging and you all become more of a community.  You show more of your personality to your followers and truly communicate with them on a different level.  This can get them more interested in you and your blog, which will build more traffic over time.
2. Build your brand awareness – In order to stand out among all these other blogs and Twitter accounts, you need to develop a persona for people to connect to and identify with.  You can do this through your blog, but you can get bigger, faster results for your branding by including a Twitter account and strategy.  Decide what makes you unique in your niche and then expand on that.  Decide what your persona or approach is, and then make sure your Twitter posts reflect that.

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