Business professionals all over the world use Twitter
- To express their opinions and find those who share them
- To catch the latest news headlines
- To scan for ideas and content inspiration
- To rally passionate people to a cause they support
- To test new content and gauge the response before taking it further
Even those who’ve been on the platform for years may not know everything Twitter can do for their business. And no one likes to leave money on the table.
But with Elon Musk’s takeover, Twitter has been making headlines daily. Adding the social platform to your content strategy while it’s trending is a great way to reach a new audience.
Twitter’s Guide for Businesses & Professionals dives into data and audience insights that show how you can use the platform to make your business stand out.
Does this mean Twitter is nervous about brands leaving the platform after being all over the headlines? Maybe.
Or maybe they’re just in the giving mood.
Either way, here’s a breakdown of the report.
The Benefits of Having a Twitter Presence
If you’re wondering whether it even makes sense to market your services on Twitter, 76% of people surveyed agree that conversations they’ve had on the platform have motivated them to make a purchase.
Even if you don’t market your property listings on Twitter, you can still share helpful resources:
- A free downloadable guide to buying a home in the current market
- A detailed guide to renting out a property (instead of selling it)
- A pro’s guide to staging your home for potential buyers or renters
Your target audience on Twitter could also be other agents or industry professionals. The more ways you find to add value and make their lives easier in some way, the more your brand is likely to stand out in their mind.
How to Use Twitter for Business
If you’ve gotten this far, and you’re thinking, “Yes, I know Twitter is brilliant for having conversations on social media, but how do I use it to grow my business?”
Here’s where that checklist comes in. Starting on page 3 of the Twitter guide, it takes you through the following steps to set up your account:
- Create a Twitter profile for your business account. Be sure to click ‘Switch to professional.’
- Build a memorable bio. Upload a high-quality 400×400 profile picture and a 1500×500 header photo, select an easy-to-read @name, and introduce yourself in 160 words.
- Post your first Tweet. Introduce yourself and your business to Twitter! And pin this Tweet to the top of your page, so people know who you are.
After you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to connect with your audience through organic and paid posts. The guide shares:
- When and what to Tweet. With organic posts, it’s important to create a regular cadence of posts—whether that’s a few times a week or daily. As a business account, you can share your brand story, your observations about the industry, your thoughts on the market, forecasts for buyers and sellers, and more. Keep your Tweets short and to the point, throw in a couple of relevant hashtags, and respond to comments to engage conversation.
- Who to follow. Follow (and interact) with clients, industry thought leaders, and accounts you find inspirational to connect with users and build brand awareness.
- Measuring the success of your Twitter marketing. Before starting an ad campaign, define a goal and set parameters to determine when you’ve reached your goal.
3 Ways to Advertise on Twitter
There’s no minimum ad spend on Twitter, which means you can test out different promotional content depending on your goals.
Here are the three types of ad campaigns on Twitter:
1. Quick Promote — perfect for advertising beginners.
Source: Twitter
Quick Promote allows you to build a simple ad campaign from a single Tweet. This is the quickest way to get an ad going, but it doesn’t allow for much customization or targeting.
2. Follower — for those who want to grow their followers.
Source: Twitter
A Follower ad campaign is a text-only Tweet and encourages people to follow your business profile.
3. Reach — to build brand awareness
Source: Twitter
The Reach campaign on Twitter allows all Tweet formats to be used and is all about building brand awareness. Unlike other platforms, Tweets with images are the highest-performing ads, followed by Tweets with video.
Dos and Don’ts of Twitter for Business
Not all the things you’ll see Twitter users doing with the platform are ideal for business owners. For example, as The Broke Agent has said more than once, it’s never a good idea to make fun of your clients on social media. The reasons why are pretty obvious.
So, that’s an obvious DON’T. What are some useful DOs?
- DO use photos, videos, and graphics to make your brand story more engaging
- DO pin a welcoming and non-generic Tweet to the top of your profile page
- DO create a regular cadence of posting Tweets, based on what works for you
- DO hop in during busy moments on Twitter to start and join conversations
- DO keep your Tweets to the point and use 1-2 relevant hashtags when appropriate
- DO research other industry professional and get inspired by their content
- DO start today!
Download and read the full Twitter guide for more.
