| This article will briefly describe what Twitter is, and | | | | As stated above, you don't want to be tweeting every |
| how to use it. The remainder of the article is geared | | | | ten minutes about something. Even if it's useful stuff it |
| towards the Twitter user who is looking to network or | | | | can get irritation for people following you. I can't give |
| promote their business. Twitter can be an incredibly | | | | any exact number on this, but try to make a few |
| powerful free internet marketing tool if you use it | | | | interesting tweets a day. Don't just say stuff like "I'm |
| properly. | | | | going to take a walk" or something, try to put useful or |
| WHAT IS TWITTER | | | | interesting information out there. One, it will get people |
| Twitter is a "micro blogging" site. Essentially you use it | | | | interested in you, and two, it won't look like all you're |
| as you would a blog, however, Twitter limits you to 140 | | | | trying to do is sell people. You're limited to 140 |
| characters whenever you write something. When you | | | | characters per post, so it really is not difficult to make |
| post something on Twitter, it's called a "tweet". In | | | | an interesting tweet. Link to a cool YouTube video or |
| Twitter you will have people "following" you (people | | | | to an interesting news story. If you're in marketing, link |
| who will have your tweets appear on their Twitter | | | | to some great marketing advice. Do not constantly |
| home page), and you will "follow" people (you will see | | | | self-promote, it will just turn people off (or at the least |
| their tweets appear on your Twitter homepage). You | | | | out number your self-promoting tweets with tweets on |
| can follow anyone you like. This could be friends or | | | | other topics). |
| family, or it could be a celebrity or idol of yours. I've | | | | GETTING FOLLOWERS |
| found that there are actually a lot of celebrities, | | | | If you want to be getting leads, you're going to have to |
| authors, musicians etc on Twitter, and it can be kind of | | | | have people following you, and you're going to want |
| cool to see what they Tweet about. | | | | lots of people following you. An easy way to do this is |
| You can tweet about whatever you like. If you're only | | | | to use something called "Tweet Later". Go to and |
| connecting with friends and family, you can simply | | | | register your Twitter account. Next go to Accounts, |
| update people about what you're doing at the moment, | | | | then Edit Account, then Edit. Scroll down and select |
| or you can post links to cool videos or any other | | | | "Auto Follow". With this option selected, you are going |
| interesting information you want to share with people. I | | | | to follow anyone who decides to follow you. Most |
| would highly recommend not over-tweeting, i.e. | | | | people on Twitter actually use this function, and this is |
| updating people every ten minutes on what you're | | | | how you're going to get followers. I personally follow |
| doing. This can be very annoying to people who are | | | | about 200 new people a day on Twitter. If most of |
| following you, because then their entire home page is | | | | those people are using auto follow, that's around 200 |
| taken up by your Tweets, and it's hard to follow what | | | | new followers a day that I will get. If you have the time |
| other people are doing. If you're using Twitter to | | | | and patience, you can double that. The numbers add |
| network and grow your business, the following | | | | up, and you can quickly have a few thousand |
| sections are dedicated to you. | | | | followers. That's a few thousand people who will |
| HOW TO USE TWITTER | | | | potentially be reading what you have to say. Just be |
| If you haven't already, sign up for an account at Once | | | | careful not to go overboard (no more than following |
| you're in, go to your "settings" tab and enter your | | | | say 400 new people a day), because the Twitter |
| information. I would definitely recommend adding a | | | | people don't want people abusing the system. |
| personal photo of yourself to help people identify you. | | | | It can be useful to target other marketers. Some may |
| You can also spice up your home page by changing | | | | be frustrated in their businesses and may want to join |
| the background. Twitter has some decent | | | | you. To find like-minded people, simply follow a big |
| backgrounds that are easy to use, but you can also | | | | name marketer or business person. For example, Mike |
| use custom images as your background. If you want | | | | Dillard, Jay Kubassek, Donald Trump, Aaron Parkinson, |
| to do so, click "change background image", then | | | | and so on. Click on these people's followers, and then |
| "browse", and you can choose any image off your | | | | follow the next few pages of their followers. These |
| computer. Google "twitter backgrounds" and you'll get | | | | will generally be people interested in internet marketing. |
| tons of results for cool backgrounds you can use for | | | | It actually doesn't take too long to add a couple |
| Twitter. | | | | hundred people, it only takes one click to follow |
| OPTIMIZING TWITTER FOR YOUR BUSINESS | | | | someone. |
| The following sections are dedicated to those looking | | | | In the Tweet Later Edit Account section, you're also |
| to network and promote their businesses. | | | | going to want to select "Auto Welcome". This will send |
| OPTIMIZING YOUR PROFILE | | | | whatever message you specify to your new |
| You want to make your profile memorable and | | | | followers. I would highly recommend NOT doing any |
| eye-catching to people, otherwise they're just going to | | | | advertising here, it will simply turn most people off, and |
| pass you by and forget you. If you're marketing your | | | | it's incredibly transparent. My personal message is "Hey |
| business, it's 100% necessary you get a profile picture | | | | how's it going? Thanks for following! Where are you |
| up there. The default Twitter profile picture is | | | | located?". You're not going to get anywhere close to |
| completely boring and forgettable, and it just doesn't | | | | having everyone actually answer you, but I do get a lot |
| bring anything to the table. Ideally, have a nice picture | | | | of interested people telling me they're great and where |
| of yourself for people to see. I would also suggest | | | | they're from. This is a great way to start a |
| getting a custom background image as I did before. | | | | conversation. Any of these people may turn into leads. |
| Simply Google "twitter backgrounds" and you'll get a | | | | If they don't, then no big deal. I've personally found it |
| ton of different sites with some great background | | | | interesting to simply meet and talk to new people from |
| images. It not only makes your profile look interesting | | | | all over the world. |
| and unique, but it makes it look like you're a serious | | | | Finally, you will also want to unfollow anyone who isn't |
| Twitter user. Additionally, it acts as a point to strike up | | | | following you. Try to do this every 24 hours. You need |
| conversation with strangers (i.e. prospects for your | | | | to do this because once you are following 2000 |
| business). I get comments about my background | | | | people, the amount of people following you needs to |
| frequently from people who are following me. | | | | be within 10% of the number of people you follow, i.e. if |
| Add a link to your Web page of course in the "web" | | | | you're following 2000, you need to have 1800 |
| section of your profile. Also, I would recommend not | | | | followers. These are Twitter's rules, and if your |
| adding a generic bio like "I'm an internet marketer etc...". | | | | numbers aren't right, you won't be able to follow any |
| First, it makes it look like the only reason you're on | | | | more people. To unfollow people, click on "Following" to |
| Twitter is to sell people. Second, putting up other | | | | see everyone that you're following. If someone is |
| information acts as a conversation starter with | | | | following you back, you'll be able to send them a direct |
| strangers. As soon as I changed my bio from | | | | message, i.e. there will be a "direct message" button |
| something generic I had people commenting on my | | | | right under their name. If there isn't, they're not following |
| interests and asking questions about them. | | | | you back. To unfollow them just click the "remove" |
| OPTIMIZING YOUR TWEETS | | | | button on the right. |