10 tips for effective Twitter marketing

Follow these quick tips to promote your start-up better on the social networking site.

Twitter has long since moved away from the days when it was used to broadcast to people what one had for dinner.

For instance, Stephen Colbert tweeted a link on 'the steps to clean the mess' created by the oil spill in 2010 and it amassed 37,000 retweets!

This is the power of twitter. Spreading the word; far and quickly.

Twitter is now considered as one of the best tools for marketing online if used properly.

But using twitter to promote your start-up can be a wee bit daunting and frustrating initially; here are some quick tips that will make it much easier to amplify your twitter efforts.

1. Decide what you want to convey

Abstract tweets are often booed with, so decide what you want to convey to your followers, and don't beat around the bush.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

Courtesy: YourStory.in

Linking your tweets to an external URL always tickles the curious tweet surfer.

Tweets with links have more probability of being checked out than those with just a couple of sentences.

Twitter offers just 140 characters of information for you to say out loud, it's called the 'micro-blogging website' for the same.

It's up to you to use those 140 characters in a smart, funny and intuitive way.

RT mentions often go without a compliment, say thanks to the mention, it helps build a network of passionate and enthusiastic followers, and it makes sure they're assured of your interactions, increasing your brand value.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier

Use hash tags, they are a fun way to promote what you have to say, when people follow a particular hash tag; your hash tag powered tweet can grab their attention!

It is unnecessary to just tweet sporadically about your business, you have to create an action plan, decide on what you want to tweet about.

For example, you may want to tweet about offers and subsidies if you are into retailing.

Chalk it out. It gives you a clearer picture of who you'll be targeting and helps promote your venture better.

Nobody likes a constant stream of boring updates about your venture.

You have to time your tweets in a way such that they are not tired of looking up at your tweets.

But don't be too rare as well, maintain a schedule for tweeting.

You could probably hire a person good at this and put him to manage and organise twitter marketing.

Often small businesses make a mistake of not getting back to @mentions.

Take some time to address your followers queries, it may be regarding a product or some event, make sure you answer them back.

This will instil a strong fan base for your business. It will make them like you better, if you take time and respond.

Another mistake that businesses do is spam their products onto followers, don't obsess over a product you're trying to sell, people don't like when they're forced.

Try being genuine in your tweets by giving them something to ponder about, feed them with interesting customer experiences or stories with illustrations, don't blindly ask them to buy something.

If an interested peer follows you, follow the person back, this builds you a network of people, following back a person will often make friends of friends follow you.

But you have to do it moderately, if the person following you seems like a spam or if the person is inactive then don't.

You can filter out people who remain inactive now and then.

This ensures a good following/followers ratio.

You'll seem less desperate if you have more followers than you following them.