4 Easy Steps To Getting Started on Twitter

May 14, 2012 | By Jesse Bouman |

Twitter is a great tool for communication. Companies and organizations of all sizes can utilize Twitter for their own needs. But getting started on Twitter can be daunting, which is why many people don’t get started on Twitter. I’ve found Twitter to be a valuable tool, even with a follower total near 1,000. So here are 4 easy steps to getting started on Twitter.

Getting Started

The first step can sometimes be the hardest. Getting an actual profile on Twitter is not difficult. As you can see below, all you need to get started is a name and an email address. That’s not too hard is it?

Once you’ve gotten past the initial fear of just signing up, picking your username is next. This is the name that people will use when tweeting with you. So it’s important to make it memorable and associated with your brand. So shy away from the ’90s AIM screen name (i.e. @StFrmInsurWeHo7). I know it might be difficult with so many Twitter users out there now (Demeter’s had to be @demeterinteract) but do the best you can. You can always change this in the future, but you’ll lose SEO rankings that you’ll build with your Twitter account. So it’s preferable to keep the same name you started with.

Filling out your profile is the final step to getting started. This is a very crucial step. Your profile is where you tell the world about yourself. Your avatar image is a good place for branding. It’s what the majority of people who tweet with you will see. Custom backgrounds are nice, but with so many third party tools out there, your avatar is the best place for visual branding. Always have a website listed. Users will be inquisitive and click on your link to find out more about you. Don’t leave this out. Your bio is your 3 second pitch. Who are you? Boil your company down to one or two sentences. People will use this bio as a quick way to filter whether or not it’s worth following you. Don’t give them a reason not to follow you.

Listen

Listening is often the most overlooked aspect of Twitter, and social media in general. Many people start a Twitter account and start to blast out tweets left and right. No! I, along with many others, have used the cocktail party analogy in the past when describing Twitter. When you walk into a cocktail party, there is already a stream of conversation happening. It doesn’t make sense to walk into the room and start shouting, “Look at me! I’m wearing a blue blazer!” It’s off putting and people aren’t going to flock to you for conversation. What you do is listen, find like minded people, and join their conversation when appropriate. After which, it’s acceptable for you to guide the conversation.

So instead of tweeting links to your website and asking people to follow you on Facebook, use Twitter’ search function to find out what people are talking about in your industry and with your competitors. From there, you’ll also find specific hashtags people are using, which will further help you understand the current conversation.

Relax and Be Yourself

I’ve found that many new Twitter users get really uptight about what they should be posting. Many think they’re not interesting. This fear can be paralyzing and prevents too many people from actually using Twitter. My advice is to just relax, and be yourself. You have customers already right? Why do they like you? Let that come out in your tweets. Your personality will eventually come out. One thing I like to tell people is, it’s ok to “mess up” in the beginning. I’d rather you break some Twitter etiquette or tweet something banal than nothing at all. (Plus, you won’t have thousands of followers to harp on your mistake.) Twitter doesn’t have to be stressful.

Be Consistent

The fourth step is what will really help build your Twitter following and relationships. Be consistent with your tweeting. I know tweeting can be somewhat time consuming, (Here are some tools that I recommend to make your life easier) but you don’t have to tweet every 15 minutes to be effective. Just make sure you’re tweeting on a daily basis and responding as quickly as possible to @ mentions. Going days between tweets and responses will kill momentum and enthusiasm to tweet with you. People won’t follow a Twitter account that tweets every four days. Get into a routine, figure out what works for you, and follow that everyday. It’s just like working out. Start slow, find your rythme, and keep at it.

Twitter is a fabulous tool for small business, if they’d just make the time to use it! So follow these 4 easy steps to getting started on Twitter and your Twitter experience will start off on the right foot. Please feel free to tweet with me @jessebouman or @demeterinteract for more advice.

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In Case You Missed It: This Week’s Top Links

May 4, 2012 | By Jesse Bouman |

May the fourth be with you

Happy Friday everyone. I hope you had a stellar and productive week. This week’s highlight was purchasing a company Apple TV. Fancy pants! Here are your top links from this week, enjoy!

Social Media Gets Serious

Web 2.0 is Dead. All Hail the Age of Mobile

What Gaming Can Teach Us About Social Apps

Is it a Tech Bubble?

Rock Bands’ Hottest Tour Stop: Ad Agencies

The Big Doubt Over Facebook

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3 Steps for Effective Copywriting

April 30, 2012 | By Jesse Bouman |

Content is king. I still believe this, even in the over saturated world of online content. There is a finite amount of attention and if you don’t provide great content you will be overlooked. If you’re going to invest the time and energy into creating content for your audience, you might as well make it great. Here are 3 Steps to effective copywriting that will help improve the quality of your content.

1. Headline

The headline is the most important piece of your content. It’s what will draw users in to actually read your content. Approximately 80% of an audience will read the headline, and only 20% of those readers will read a story. The article headline is very important and if people aren’t compelled to read past the headline, the content is likely not great either.

Always write the headline first. It’s a promise to the reader of what’s to come. If you write the promise first, your writing will reflect this promise and be sharp. If you write the title after you’ve written the article, you’re just filling in the blank with a marginal summary. Read your title. Does it make you want to read the article or does it make you think you already know what the article is about? Your headline should be useful to the reader and provide a sense of urgency.

2. Keep is Simple

Everyone likes to think that they’re smart. Using big words (“50 cent words” as a college professor once described them to me) is a way to let the world know we’re educated and smart. Well stop it. You’re not writing a master’s thesis for a tenured professor, you’re writing content for your company. Effective copy is written in clear, concise, simple words that get your point across. Keep your copy conversational. Don’t overlook bullet points either. They’re a very simple method to highlight main points.

3. Focus on Your Audience

I wrote a post over a month ago called, “Make Your Content Better By Following the Hero’s Journey”. The main point being that you need to focus on your customer and make them the hero of your story. That means understanding your audience and focusing on them. Knowing their questions and desires will help you create effective copy that will connect you with them.

Writing is an on-going battle. Even the most seasoned writers will tell you that it doesn’t get much easier. But copywriting is essential and if you start by following these three steps, I guarantee you’ll create stronger, more meaningful content in the long-term.

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