Let’s face it. The proportion of truly amazing Twitter handles to mediocre (or worse) Twitter handles is quite small. Most people and brands just don’t know how to leverage this social media platform effectively.
That’s a shame, because Twitter can be incredibly effective in the right hands, guided by the right strategy. Yes, even your Twitter, the one that you’ve barely logged into this year.
It’ll take some work, to be sure. You’ll need to put in some hours on the front end and find ways to make the ongoing effort easier on the back end. But it can be done. So, let’s get started — with 10 things you can do right away to improve your company’s Twitter game.
- Make Sure Your Contact Information Is Up to Date (And Your Website Is Clearly Visible in Your Profile)
This is a basic step you can take to improve your Twitter presence on your next break from “real” work. Seriously — do it. It’ll take you five minutes and, combined with the other ideas on this list, will increase traffic to your website.
- Use a High-Quality Cover Photo and Logo
Update your cover photo and logo with images that capture the essence of your brand. The Twitter profile for Remedium Pharmacy, an independent New England pharmacy, is a good example that simultaneously conveys professionalism and competence while putting the “theme” of the business front and center.
- Post About What You Know, Leave What You Don’t
Believe it or not, Twitter is dominated by subject matter experts. Recognize this and work to cultivate your own reputation for expertise by posting only about what you know well. Leave the topics in which you’re interested but have no formal training to those who do; feel free to quietly follow them if you wish.
- Share One Piece of Original Content (That You Produced) Every Week
An active Twitter presence needs a regular pipeline of original content. To that end, share at least one piece of content you or your team creates on Twitter each week. This could be a blog post, infographic, how-to video — the format isn’t as important as the frequency.
- Share Four Pieces of Content From Other Twitter Users Every Week
“Promote others more than you promote yourself” is a good rule of thumb for successful Twitter use. The non-original content you share should come from reputable sources, complement your own subject matter expertise, and be clearly attributed to the original poster or creator.
- Retweet Industry Influencers With More Followers Than You
Use your retweet function to promote industry influencers in a good position to raise your profile by association. Don’t be too blunt about it; there’s no need to send them a message letting them know you retweeted them. They’ll notice.
- Reply in Threads Where You Can Add Insight (But Don’t Be Spammy About It)
In keeping with your focus on subject matter expertise, you should feel free to reply in threads about topics you know well. This is another way to get noticed by influential people and brands in your industry, provided you keep the conversation civil and actionable.
- Take Advantage of Twitter’s Video-Sharing and Livestreaming Tools
Twitter videos are under-utilized; Twitter livestreams even more so. Take a few moments to review Twitter’s guide to creating live videos and begin thinking about how to leverage this potentially powerful tool to boost your visibility and reputation for excellence.
- Poll Your Followers Regularly
Twitter’s polling feature is a fun way to engage your followers. Just don’t expect the results to carry any real statistical weight.
- Don’t Get Sucked Into Unproductive Conversations
This is a variant of the “post about what you know” doctrine. We all know Twitter is full of low-quality chatter and borderline abusive behavior; you’d be well served to steer clear of all that and focus on creating value for your followers.
How Are You Upping Your Twitter Game in 2021?
It should be clear by now that creating a Twitter presence you can be proud of doesn’t require a full-time social media manager or some sort of once-in-a-generation talent for self-promotion. It merely requires attention to the fundamentals of good social media practice and a basic familiarity with how Twitter works as a platform.
Once you realize this, you’ll find it difficult to argue for continued inaction. A Twitter presence is easy enough to build and improve. Why not get it done sooner rather than later?
Why not, indeed. As we turn the corner into 2021, let’s make it a priority to improve Twitter games near and far. You have plenty of ideas to get started at your fingertips here.
