“Keep it short, sweet and interesting.”
1. Do not automate. While it is tempting to use a service such as TwitterFeed to directly channel new blog posts into Twitter posts, the convenience may not be worth it. Posting automated links makes your account seem like a faceless promotion. Remember, social media is about engaging customers and building a relationship. While it is okay to link posts from your blog, choose only the best and try posting plain messages that don’t contain any links at all.
2. Follow only people who are relevant. Remember the adage “You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep”? Well, it applies perfectly to Twitter. Follow your colleagues, relevant names, and companies in your industry, even competitors. You can also follow journalists and other business personalities. In this way, you are creating a healthy business ecosystem for your Twitter account. It also shows your followers that you mean serious business.
3. Use Twitter to find out what people are saying about you. Twitter has powerful search features that will help you track references to your account. By doing so, you are able to harness the power of Twitter to deliver fast and effective customer service. Check out TweetDeck or Tweetie.
4. Be a good Twitter citizen. Use social media responsibly. While social media marketing is free, a small mistake can ruin an entire campaign so in a way, it can be quite costly too. Having lots of followers is great but it is not the sole measure of success, especially if you resort to tacky ways such as encouraging spamming. At the end of day, always go back to the essence of social media which is building relationships with your customers.
