Twitter is a mandatory business asset, whether you use it to promote your business or to justify your expertise. It’s a key piece of the puzzle when you want to be recognized and to establish connections. However, it is important not to ignore the rules of Twitter, otherwise it may happen to you that you do not get the most of this popular social networking platform.
1. Pay attention to manners
It is simply a question of common sense. Marketing proffesionals like to say: “The new tool, the old rules”. If someone mention you or retweet your post, if possible, thank him. Not only do people love to receive recognition for their efforts, but it is a useful procedure, so it would be rude not to thank them. This is also a good way to start building relationships on Twitter. This small gesture can initiate communication between you and a potential client or business partner. Show them your appreciation and people will probably retweet your offer, again and again. You can return favor by retweet their posts.
2. Proper use of hashtags
They are a great way to kick someone’s participation, not to mention how it help in tracking and searching for information. Nevertheless, important note is that you do not use them too much. Using them too often or putting hashtags in front of each word of your post, you will not do anything except that it will annoy people who follow you.
3. Resist the urge to tweet too much
Studies have shown that fine line is between enough and too much sharing. Often companies that are new to Twitter still do not understand this principle. Do not overfill feeds with undesirable tweets. The best way to engage your audience is to post the important, interesting, useful and original content. Before you post, ask yourself, “Does this make me curious if I was a reader? ‘ Tip: If you have a lot of ideas, use a program such as Hotsuit to program your tweets so that they are well spaced.
4. Warn your readers when you will tweet more often
If you want to tweet live from the event in your business, conferences or meetings with charity, you will need to tweet a lot! While this is a good idea, you can lose your readers, who will feel attacked by a bunch of tweets. A little fair warning will come to an understanding and your readers will probably have more understanding that day.
5. Be careful what you tweet
We have witnessed several famous and embarrassing mistakes on social media that have gotten individuals and even entire company in a lot of trouble. Never use Twitter account of your brand to discuss controversial topics, send inappropriate photos or use explicit vocabulary. If you are on a personal account, sky is the limit and you can discuss whatever you want. However, in a business environment, if it is not directly related to your product or service, it would be best to leave certain delicate topics such as religion and politics alone.
6. Do not be too personal
Developing relationships with customers is one of the primary goals of Twitter, but you should try to keep your posts on the important business information. Your readers do not need to know your private affairs. We admit that it may be useful to giving personal touch from time to time, especially in small enterprises. If you are getting married or your favorite worker just got a baby, you’ll want to share the news with your brand supporters to celebrate with you. Just be careful while deciding what is appropriate.
7. Write professionally
Your presence on social media is an extension of your business personality. Always follow the grammar and spelling. This will help you maintain a professional image. Nobody wants to see a law firm or an accounting office to tweets: “OMG or LOL.”
8. Be aware of your audience
Bearing in mind the sixth rule, try to customize the content to your audience. If your brand is focused on teenagers use their jargon. If you are a distributor, you should definitely use industrial dictionary. Be sure that you follow the information that is important and timely to those who follow you, and those who want to follow you.
9. Communicate timely
When you start a conversation with someone on Twitter, it is important that your answers are delivered within a reasonable period of time. More importantly, if someone asks a question, answer! Social media enables an excellent opportunity to immediately and directly connect with the customer base. There’s nothing worse than asking questions to the company and to wait three days for a response.
10. Let the customer service be private
Each client that allows tweets with the complaint or concerns wants to be heard, but not everyone wants to be involved in the public dialogue. Speak to customers with direct message, not in public. Tip: You can even ask for their phone number to invite them and thereby show how you really care about their problem.
Bonus: Do not fall for personal attacks
There are always those people who will complain no matter what you say, will never be satisfied. What is worse, Twitter is the medium of textual communication, which may lead to some misunderstanding, because there is no possibility that you understand the tone of someone’s voice or observe body language. One’s the joke could be interpreted as something negative. So be careful.
Twitter has become one of the most effective ways to promote your business in the last decade. By following these rules, be sure that you will have many happy tweets in the future. Below you can check infographic about how to properly response to your customers on Twitter.
