Twitter for Small Business Marketing

For best results, learn how to use Twitter for marketing your small business.

Facebook may still be the most effective social media platform out there but Twitter is coming in as a very close contender for the top spot. In fact, some people believe that Twitter is even better than Facebook. Consider the following facts:

The Twitter community is extremely active. 100 million Twitter users post 500 million tweets a day, or an average of five tweets per user. On the other hand, Facebook have more users but they contribute less than one post per day.
Twitter delivers better results. Based on a news report published online by The Wall Street Journal, Twitter delivers more clicks and routinely outperforms Facebook ads. Numerous sources also indicated that 74% of users follow businesses on Twitter to get product updates while 72% of Twitter users are more likely to purchase a product after they begin following the brand.
Twitter allows deeper engagement. Survey shows that 85% of Twitter users feel more connected to a brand.

Marketing with Twitter: Some Best Practices to Consider

Start with a plan. Do your research and come up with a viable plan before taking the leap. Start following the best marketers and major influencers in your niche since this can help you understand what your own audience would love to know about, and build a content strategy that would attract more people to your brand.
Build your followers. Rather than focusing on the number of followers, concentrate on building a base of followers who are interested in your brand since these are the people who are most likely to buy from you. Put a follow button on your blog, website, marketing materials and other social media accounts to encourage your audience to follow you on Twitter.
Tweet regularly. People follow your page to be informed so commit to sending tweets on a regular basis. According to a survey conducted by Vertical Response, an American company that specializes in providing email marketing software, 21% of marketers on Twitter tweet several times per day, 8% tweet once per day, and 21% tweet several times during the week.
Give something special. Offering exclusive promos and special deals can boost the number of people who are following you, and allow you to foster a deeper engagement with your followers.
Get visual. Studies show that complimenting your tweets with photos of your products effectively doubles your response rates.
Host Twitter chats. Providing an online venue where your followers can give inputs and provide feedback about your brand can help you build your authority in your niche, promote your brand and develop a more meaningful relationship with your followers.
Respond in a timely manner. This can add a more personal touch to your social media campaigns and help you show that you care about your followers.