Recently, I shared an article detailing helpful advice for setting up a company page on Facebook. Now that you’ve gotten a handle on your business’ Facebook page, why not tackle another social media platform like Twitter? Although it’s important to only take on the social media channels you have time to maintain, it can also give your company’s SEO (search engine optimization) a boost to have a solid presence on multiple platforms. Read on for tips, tricks and strategies for your company’s Twitter profile.
Has your company set up a Twitter page yet?
Why Twitter? A Look at User Demographics
Why should your company even consider setting up a company page on Twitter? First let’s take a look at Twitter’s user demographics from Business Insider, Social Caffeine and Craig Smith at DMR.
- 19% of the entire adult population is on Twitter
- Twitter’s active user base totals 310 million
- By 2018, 24.2 % of internet users are expected to have an account
- The majority of Twitter users are college-educated and under 50 years of age
- Since 2013, Twitter has seen a significant increase among men and those over age 65
- According to the Pew Research Center, 22% of men and 15% of women use Twitter
- Twitter receives 120 million unique monthly visits
- 34% of users log on more than once per day
In addition to reaching key demographics, an active Twitter presence can help businesses generate new sales leads and gain wider brand recognition. Consider the following three Twitter facts from the Pew Research Center:
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Twitter is Global:
Nearly 23% of the entire global adult population has a Twitter account, and that number has steadily increased. Although Twitter’s growth may have begun to plateau, it still averages 320 million monthly active users; it’s a fantastic place to invest your social media marketing efforts.
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It’s Where Users Get the News:
A recent report found that 63% of U.S. Twitter users get their news and react to social trends on the site. Although this social network is a vehicle for spreading industry commentary, it’s important to note that audience reactions on the site differed from general public opinion.
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Twitter is Used for Emergency Response:
Since Twitter has such a large, active following, it is also a great tool for emergency response. A research study of Twitter responses conducted after Hurricane Sandy showed that the wide range of reactions “makes social media a viable platform for preliminary rapid damage assessment in the chaotic time immediately after a disaster.”
Hopefully you won’t need to use Twitter to report a natural disaster, but it may be a great outlet for you to reach customers in case of unavoidable business downtime, like with Comcast’s recent phone outage. While phone systems were out of service across the country, businesses took to Twitter to share how they could be reached by email to resolve customer support issues.
Anatomy of a Business Twitter Page
A Twitter business profile has several key items.
Convinced that Twitter is a good outlet for your company’s social media marketing efforts? The first step is to visit Twitter and open an account. Here’s an overview of what your page will include:
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The Twitter Handle:
Your Twitter handle, or username, is how followers will mention and reply to you during Twitter conversations, so make sure it accurately represents your company, is close to your official name and is easy to remember. Try searching multiple options on Twitter to see what’s available and which handles are already taken before you lock down your choice. Here are some tips for choosing yours:
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Don’t Use Numbers:
Avoid using numbers in your handle, as it can seem like spam to Twitter users. You should also steer clear from years or dates because they can be hard for followers to remember.
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Claim Your Name Early:
The longer you wait, the more likely it is that someone will take the name you intend to use. It may also help to claim a second Twitter handle like @XXCompanySupport so you can use Twitter for customer care.
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Be Memorable:
If you can’t have your company name as your Twitter handle as it’s too long or already taken, choose something memorable. A good example is musician $kinny, whose handle is @IHateSkinny.
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Focus on Your Mission:
If your company has multiple missions or products, it can be helpful to have focused accounts on particular aspects of your company. For example, one of our clients, the Peterson Family Foundation, uses @HealingNotesPFF because they are currently focusing on their music therapy program.
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The Header Image:
Like making a first impression, header images are an opportunity for companies to showcase their product, show a bit of their personality or create a tagline and call to action. Photos that are 1500 pixels by 500 pixels work best.
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The Profile Image:
Ideally your logo, your profile image should represent your brand or product. It will appear as a thumbnail across Twitter, so make sure it is easily recognizable and looks good on every browser; photos that are 400 pixels by 500 pixels work best. Just like with personal profile images, you should pay attention to your image quality, size, dimensions and colors; see more here.
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The Biography:
This is your chance to show your Twitter following what your company is all about. You only have 160 characters, so make it short, sweet and searchable. You can also include relevant links like your blog or website, and common hashtags.
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Pinned Tweets:
Twitter offers a unique opportunity to share a particular message with your page visitors right away via Pinned Tweets. Here you can pin a tweet, such as a link to your blog or to purchase your product, directly to the top of your page so it’s the first thing users see and all other tweets appear below it. Switch your Pinned Tweet up often so your page doesn’t begin to look stale, too.
3 Tips for Business Twitter Pages
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Maintain Your Page Often
To boost your SEO, it’s essential to regularly maintain your page and update it often. According to Moz, the lifespan of a tweet is only 18 minutes, but that doesn’t mean you should spam your followers. Three tweets per day is a good benchmark; AdWeek found engagement slightly decreases if you post more than that.
How can you extend the life of your messages? Try:
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Aiming for the Retweet:
One of the best ways to make your tweets last longer is to encourage your users to retweet you. This will ensure your message is viewed by their followers in addition to yours.
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Using a Scheduling Tool:
Instead of posting updates at random, schedule posts in advance using a tool like Hootsuite or Sprout Social; it will look more consistent and polished.
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Sharing Links:
Even if you aren’t linking to an article, include a link to your blog or product page every time you post a new update.
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Using Hashtags:
A way of categorizing your updates so they reach more eyes, hashtags can help your tweets get more engagement and extend their organic lifespan.
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Post at the Right Times
You should stay current on the best times to post and which days of the week have the most user engagement. The latest insight from HubSpot says to publish content between 12:00pm and 3:00pm Mondays-Fridays and 5:00pm to 6:00pm on Wednesdays; most people are scrolling through Twitter during work breaks or their commute.
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Optimize for Mobile
Did you know Twitter started as a mobile platform?
Twitter began as a mobile experience; it was inspired by the tight character restrictions of SMS text messages. Since more users are using Twitter on the go, make sure to test your profile page on a variety of devices, like a tablet, iPhone, Android and desktop. Look to see if the images are stretched or distorted.
Tweet Tweet! Conversing on Twitter
Knowing who your audience is can help you target your messages to be the most effective possible. According to the Pew Research Center, there are six main types of conversations taking place on Twitter, and every interaction fits into one of six common “archetypes”:
- Polarized Crowds: Groups talk about a topic, but generally to other members of the same group
- Tight Crowds: Groups of users interested in a common topic
- Brand Clusters: Large groups of users talking about brands or products
- Community Clusters: Groups that form about news events and trends
- Broadcast Networks: Where users don’t interact with each other, but all follow or interact with a news source or industry influencer
- Support Networks: Groups created by companies or organizations that help with customer complaints and questions
Despite the benefits of this social media platform, three in 10 companies are not yet on Twitter. If you’d like to get started, we’d love to help! Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn more about how Twitter can help boost your company’s visibility. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about successfully using Twitter for business, be sure to check out these articles:
The Twitter-Savvy Business: Tips for Increased Engagement
4 Twitter Changes You Won’t Want to Miss!
Gaining Twitter Followers: A Dr. Seuss Guide
Twitter Followers: How to Lose Them in 10 Days
Make it Personal: 6 Ways to Put a Face Behind Twitter
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