For a new business, visibility is very important, as such many businesses have relied on social media to increase and grow their visibility, and ultimately, their business. There are a few easy steps for small businesses to follow to grow their visibility and build their Twitter followers.
Following Twitter basics, and understanding the fundamentals of the medium, can increase the exposure of your tweet.
· Do not start your tweet with @username. This restricts your tweet’s visibility to only you, mutual followers with the person you have tweeted, and the person you tweeting. Your Twitter reach is automatically restricted, and cut short. To increase your tweet’s reach, craft it in such a way that there is text before the first @username.
· Limit your use of hashtags in your tweet. Too many tags make your tweet look “spammy” and harder to share with others. Remember, Twitter has a 140 character limit. As a rule of thumb, limit your hashtags to three, per tweet.
Remember the 80/20 rule? Basically, spend 80% of your time online interacting with, and promoting, others. The remaining 20% of the time can be spend promoting yourself and/or your business.
Increase your visibility by cross-promoting. Use your social platforms to promote each other. On Facebook, promote your Twitter handle; on your Twitter feed promote your Facebook page. Social sharing buttons also serve a very important function, making it simple for your readers to tell their people – who aren’t necessarily aware of your brand/product – about your content. Customisation of sharing options is also a simple way to get your handle in front of hundreds of users.
Cross promotion also works when it comes to giveaways. People love freebies, which is why giveaways drive more traffic, visibility and engagement. Make your giveaways live on more than one platform. Start your promotion on the platform that has the highest number of engagements and then filter it down to all your other social platforms.
These pointers are by no means the be all and end all of improving your Twitter, but mere aids that can help you generate more and more engagement. The point is, regardless of where you are with your Twitter profile, increasing your Twitter reach is possible. Make sure you’ve perfected the basics.
