Small Businesses On Twitter: Social Media Marketing
Posted by Patrick Murphy on Fri, Sep 23, 2011
Twitter is a like a weapon for small businesses. Because everyone on Twitter starts off equal (it’s a free service, and all the accounts are the same) you’re able to compete with the big boys to get your voice heard. Some small businesses have found huge success and a great following from the correct use of Twitter. But does it really affect your bottom line?
The truth is, it absolutely does. Companies who have conquered twitter have seen their profits rise as a result of heightened brand awareness, reputation, and the great customer service medium it offers. Plus, twitter is a lot of fun to use! So, how can you get started? Follow our simple steps:
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Log on to twitter.com, and click “sign up!”
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Pick your username. It can be a max of 15 characters long. If you are tweeting for your organization, use that name, or as close to it as you can get. If possible, use another word in the name that lets the reader know what you’re about. So if you were the owner of Hal’s Hardware Store, you may want to choose @Hals_Hardware. Simple, right?
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Head over to the home page and log in
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Fill out your profile in full. Don’t forget to include your website address. You want people to be able to find out more about your organization when they feel the need.
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Upload your company logo or image, to make you easily identifiable in the timeline
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Using any web based email system? Twitter can search through your address book with your authorization and find people already on twitter. This is useful for connecting with clients. You can also search for users by name, and even send invites. Click “follow” to follow anyone you like.
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Send your first tweet.. direct it at someone you’ve just followed. Say something friendly, like a simple “hello!”.
Now your business is up and running on twitter. But what are the best ways to use it? Stay tuned to find out…
Check out this guide '10 Tips on Monitoring Social Media' to help you understand social media for businesses further.
