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Five Ways To Grow Your Twitter Followers
- By Jim Larranaga
- Published 02/20/2010
- Entrepreneurial Success
- Unrated
Jim Larranaga
Jim Larranaga is President and CEO of Priority Integrated Marketing based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He consults with marketers nationwide on effective communication strategies. Visit http://www.priorityresults.com or you can follow him on Twitter, http://twitter.com/Jlarranaga
View all articles by Jim Larranaga
Most integrated marketing campaigns include social media, and by now you’ve probably launched a Twitter account for your company. Do you have a growing list of followers? If not, try these proven tips to grow your followers and extend your brand presence online.
1. Follow Others:
You’re promoting your Twitter account on your web site, in your email and print media, encouraging others to follow you, but remember that your brand can follow others as well. By following other Twitter users, you’re more likely to get them to follow you and your list will grow. Just make sure you’re following relevant consumers because quality is ultimately more important than quantity. You don’t want to follow 1,000 random people to only gain 300 of your own followers. Try to keep an equal ratio of Followers to Following.
2. Create Lists:
You can group your followers into unique lists which makes it easier for others using Twitter to find them. For example, you can create lists such as “Health Experts” or “Smart Bloggers” and by including people in lists, you are complimenting them on their expertise. The great thing about lists is you don’t have to follow somebody to include them on your unique lists. And once included in your list, those people are more likely to follow you. Plus, organizing the Web this way benefits everybody, right?
3. Use Hash-tags (#) in Your Updates:
Hash-tags such has, #cancer make it easier for people searching Twitter to find tweets about that specific topic, such as “cancer”. By including hash-tags in your tweets you are exposing your tweets to an entirely new audience that is searching Twitter for that topic. If your tweets are good and relevant, you’ll pick-up good follower by hash-tagging.
4. Tweet Good Content (good enough to re-Tweet)
Imitation is the highest form of flattery and so is re-Tweeting. If somebody re-Tweets your content to their network of followers, that’s an endorsement and exposure to more potential followers for your brand. In my experience, good content is either very timely or helpful(a link). For example, if you’re announcing a grand opening, that’s timely but if you also mention free wine and cheese, that’s something Twitter followers are more likely to re-Tweet to their followers.
5. Tweet Regularly (and re-Tweet as necessary)
According to a study presented by the Harvard Business Review, the top 10% of prolific Twitter users accounted for 90% of all Tweets. This gives you some insight into how many Twitter accounts are launched but not supported with content regularly. Tweet on a regular basis that makes sense for your brand followers. If you run out of ideas on what to Tweet, then re-Tweet other relevant content from your followers.
Bonus Tip: Create Multiple Twitter Accounts
If you‘re a Twarketer (Twitter marketer), you’ve probably been tempted to set-up alternative Twitter accounts to test social media and marketing campaigns. Or on a personal level, maybe your 200 business contacts doesn’t mix well with your 750 close friends. When you attempt to create a new Twitter ID, you’re required to use a unique email address --- which is a hassle. If you use Gmail, you’re in luck!
Gmail allows you to add a period anywhere in your email address. For example:
FrodoBagginsMail@gmail.com (your main gmail address, for Twitter ID #1)
Frodo.BagginsMail@gmail.com (alternative address for Twitter ID #2)
F.rodoBagginsMail@gmail.com (alternative address for Twitter ID #3)
Frodo.Baggins.Mail@gmail.com (alternative address for Twitter ID #4)
Each unique email address delivers email or Twitter updates to your main email account (FrodoBaggins@gmail.com in this example).
1. Follow Others:
You’re promoting your Twitter account on your web site, in your email and print media, encouraging others to follow you, but remember that your brand can follow others as well. By following other Twitter users, you’re more likely to get them to follow you and your list will grow. Just make sure you’re following relevant consumers because quality is ultimately more important than quantity. You don’t want to follow 1,000 random people to only gain 300 of your own followers. Try to keep an equal ratio of Followers to Following.
2. Create Lists:
You can group your followers into unique lists which makes it easier for others using Twitter to find them. For example, you can create lists such as “Health Experts” or “Smart Bloggers” and by including people in lists, you are complimenting them on their expertise. The great thing about lists is you don’t have to follow somebody to include them on your unique lists. And once included in your list, those people are more likely to follow you. Plus, organizing the Web this way benefits everybody, right?
3. Use Hash-tags (#) in Your Updates:
Hash-tags such has, #cancer make it easier for people searching Twitter to find tweets about that specific topic, such as “cancer”. By including hash-tags in your tweets you are exposing your tweets to an entirely new audience that is searching Twitter for that topic. If your tweets are good and relevant, you’ll pick-up good follower by hash-tagging.
4. Tweet Good Content (good enough to re-Tweet)
Imitation is the highest form of flattery and so is re-Tweeting. If somebody re-Tweets your content to their network of followers, that’s an endorsement and exposure to more potential followers for your brand. In my experience, good content is either very timely or helpful(a link). For example, if you’re announcing a grand opening, that’s timely but if you also mention free wine and cheese, that’s something Twitter followers are more likely to re-Tweet to their followers.
5. Tweet Regularly (and re-Tweet as necessary)
According to a study presented by the Harvard Business Review, the top 10% of prolific Twitter users accounted for 90% of all Tweets. This gives you some insight into how many Twitter accounts are launched but not supported with content regularly. Tweet on a regular basis that makes sense for your brand followers. If you run out of ideas on what to Tweet, then re-Tweet other relevant content from your followers.
Bonus Tip: Create Multiple Twitter Accounts
If you‘re a Twarketer (Twitter marketer), you’ve probably been tempted to set-up alternative Twitter accounts to test social media and marketing campaigns. Or on a personal level, maybe your 200 business contacts doesn’t mix well with your 750 close friends. When you attempt to create a new Twitter ID, you’re required to use a unique email address --- which is a hassle. If you use Gmail, you’re in luck!
Gmail allows you to add a period anywhere in your email address. For example:
FrodoBagginsMail@gmail.com (your main gmail address, for Twitter ID #1)
Frodo.BagginsMail@gmail.com (alternative address for Twitter ID #2)
F.rodoBagginsMail@gmail.com (alternative address for Twitter ID #3)
Frodo.Baggins.Mail@gmail.com (alternative address for Twitter ID #4)
Each unique email address delivers email or Twitter updates to your main email account (FrodoBaggins@gmail.com in this example).
