When developing your social media marketing strategy, Twitter can be an invaluable tool. It can effectively enable you to share information about your company and yourself off the clock. There is no need for third-party content or time-management concerns you are probably getting when using Facebook.
In order to get the most of your Twitter account, you have to be productive. This means becoming an active member of online conversations.  Here are eight tips on how to use Twitter to its fullest potential.

1. Tweet regularly. If you are going to capture their attention, and hopefully gain loyal followers, you need to establish yourself on Twitter. Regular tweets mean an active business. If your Twitter account looks inactive it may send the message to potential followers that you are not in business. If you don’t always have original content to share, remember to re tweet others on Twitter and look for tweets that would be of interest to your followers.
2. Being active on Twitter isn’t a one-sided effort. Go beyond re-tweeting and tweeting and look for others within your industry to “follow”. Yes, this will mean seeking out your competition but that will only make you better in the long run. Those other companies could have a solid Twitter following that would translate well into your follower base. There are common interests at hand.
3. Now that you’re following other industries on Twitter, look for your current customers and follow them, too. This is taking the first step toward establishing those loyal followers. They will most likely become your biggest supporters and do a lot of  re-tweeting for you. It will become first circle as their followers might also re-tweet you, and if you’re lucky, start following on Twitter.
4. You should use Twitter as a way to building brand awareness and increase your social media profile. Instead of using that boring head shot of yourself from 10 years ago, or the snapshot from the office Christmas party as your Twitter profile picture, upload your logo.
5. While you’re at it, get creative with your Twitter background and theme. Your company is unique so showcase that. Twitter is easy to customize and can often have options that would reflect your industry and specifically your business.
6. A big part of your social media marketing strategy is engaging customers at all fronts. But don’t get preoccupied with any particular one. Connect your Twitter account to your company’s homepage by placing a link somewhere on the website. Incorporate your Twitter account into your blog, any other Internet sites, and even your signature at the bottom of all emails. This will increase traffic from every angle.
7. It is easy to get distracted and social media gives many opportunities to confuse your message. In order to deliver the right message every time, designate an employee to tweet for the business and ensure that all other employee tweets are looked over before being posted.
8. Remember to complete your Twitter profile section. Don’t leave anything blank, including the “bio” section. This is a great opportunity to tell a little about yourself and link back to your company’s website.

Twitter is an essential way to build relationships with current and potential customers. Contact us for a complete social marketing strategy that incorporates Twitter into your everyday operations without the headache of maintaining every aspect.