Instagram and TikTok may be the current leaders in social media, but did you know that there are still 145 million daily users on Twitter? That's a huge number of people you don't want to miss out on. If you've never made the jump on to Twitter before, we have the basics to get your brand set up on the platform.
Brand Your Profile
When you're creating your brand's twitter account you want to make sure your handle is as close to your brand's name as possible. Also, do your best to pick a handle that is short enough to be mentioned by other accounts, as the platform has a 240 character limit. Make sure your logo is formatted correctly to look good as a profile picture in Twitter's circular form. Use an app like Canva to create your Twitter profile picture and header photo. The dimensions for Twitter header photos are very slim, coming in at only 500 pixels high. Be sure to identify what you do clearly in your bio and show your brand's personality. You have 160 characters - use them wisely. Finally, add the link to your website.
Use Hashtags (Wisely)
Just like Instagram, hashtags are an important way to increase your reach. Unlike Instagram, you should avoid overloading your Tweets with hashtags. Tweets with hashtags get 2x more engagement than tweets without hashtags, but tweets with more than two hashtags, have a 17% drop in engagement. Yikes. Can you imagine if the same was true on Instagram? It's probably best to keep your hashtags to one per tweet.
Hop On What's Trending
Twitter is an "in the moment" platform. When huge events are happening, people look to Twitter to find updates, news, and opinions. Be sure to join in on the conversation during these events, especially if they are in any way connected to your brand’s industry.
Go to Twitter’s “Trending” section every day to find trending hashtags and topics. If the hashtag or topic isn’t completely out of character for your brand, comment on it! And remember that Twitter is more casual than other platforms. You’re allowed to tweet about things that you wouldn’t normally comment on on Instagram. In fact, joining in on the trending conversations is one of the only ways to stay relevant on Twitter. Wendy’s Twitter account (yes - the fast food chain) came to fame by commenting on things that have nothing to do with fast food, and you can do the same with your brand.
Interact With Accounts in Your Industry
When you reply to accounts that are in your industry, your tweets will pop up more as a suggested tweet to followers who are interested in your industry. Even if the account seems way bigger than yours, reply to the tweet! Followers will see your responses and might click on your profile. This is a free way to get in front of more eyes easily. Be sure to like, retweet, and follow these similar accounts as well. Supporting other accounts in your industry will only lead to more engagement for you.
Tweet Links to Your Website
Have you ever felt trapped by Instagram's limiting rules on sharing links? If you aren't verified or have less than 10K followers on Instagram, your only option is saying the words "link in bio" on repeat until you die. Twitter opens the doors to link sharing completely. This lets users skip the step of going to your profile before they reach your website. Minimizing the path from seeing your content to buying your product is essential in online marketing. Twitter allows you to get your followers from your tweet to your website in one simple click.
Schedule Tweets in Advance
Hopping on what's currently trending is essential to reach Twitter users, but consistently tweeting is just as important. If you're already planning content for Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, adding one more platform to your schedule shouldn't be too hard. Repurpose your content into bite size bits for Twitter. A blog post can easily be separated into a week's worth of tweets. Use a platform like Later or Hootsuite to schedule ahead, so you don't have to constantly log into Twitter to Tweet.
Try Promoting Your Tweets
This is one of the most surefire ways to get your tweets and company in front of new eyes on Twitter. Similar to Instagram, the tweets will pop up in a users feed organically, but they will have a small disclaimer letting users know they have been promoted. When buying a Twitter ad, you'll have the choice between a Promoted Tweet or a Conversational Ad. A Promoted Tweet will quickly get your tweet in front of lots of users that don't follow you, but it won't necessarily drive engagement. Conversational Ads drive engagement, but might not have as wide of a reach. Conversational Ads typically include a Twitter poll that when clicked opens up a composed tweet that a user can customize and then share. Conversational Ads on Twitter can turn into some really great UGC.
Think of your transition into Twitter as a way to compliment all the great work you're doing on other social media platforms. Remember, you don't want users to search your company on Twitter and come up empty. You should be easy to find all over the web. Don't drop the ball with Twitter.
