How to Engage and Maintain a Loyal Twitter Following

Build your Profile

If you are just starting out on Twitter, you will have to build your profile. However, if you have had a Twitter account for a while, then it is time for a profile makeover. Make sure you use your real name, picture and location. For your image use what people will recognize your company by. You want people to recognize you so they know that you are a real person. Next, change your description, slogan or caption, so that people know what your company is about. This also allows you to make sure that your profile is keeping with the the fast changing trends. Once your profile has been created or updated, you have to find the right people to follow. It is best to follow people who will follow you back and people that have something in common with your company. While you are following people who will help your business grow, it is best to listen and learn while you try and create your company presence.

Use #’s

Use hash tags so that people can search related content to your tweet. This is how you can help spread your presence throughout the Twitter community because people will be able to take notice in you when you hash tag the same content. Hash tags help you participate in Twitter chats. You can either join an ongoing chat through the hash tag or you can start your own hash tag to get a conversation going. It is beneficial to participate in Twitter chats. You learn new things, meet new users, interact with interested people, gain followers and create buzz for your business.

Engage

The best way to engage and maintain a loyal Twitter following is by making them want to read your tweets. Tweet a few times a day to stay visible, constant and to increase engagement. Offer exclusive content on only one social media platform so then people are forced to go to that specific network. Be intentional with each tweet. Ensure that the content shared has a purpose, meets the needs of your followers, offers new information and is supportive of others. Try to make your tweets exciting, inspiring, funny, useful, and creative with a unique tone to emotionally connect to your audience. However, remember to keep the tweet professional and relevant because people like to relate.  It is always nice to provide special exclusive offers to people who follow you. However, it is also a good strategy to engage potential followers by offering a type of discount for a future purchase if lets say as an example your hundredth follower. Show your audience that you are kept up to date with the new trends and technology. In your tweets, try to include one of these strategies; provide updates, contests, links, question and answers, pictures, videos, Follow Friday, polls, or even surveys. You could also try and plan a campaign weeks in advance to spread the word about something new that is coming. Make sure all information shared is based on fact and research. Also, try to write tweets like you are having a conversation, talk with them, not at them. Consider, spreading your tweets out, it will benefit your account. In the end, you should convey the industries message, not the businesses.

Connect

One of the concepts of Twitter is to connect with your targeted audience, which is your followers. You have to regularly connect to your audience to maintain their loyalty to your account. You must value the content they share with you. Use @mentions, retweet and reply to your audience. Retweet what you find interesting and favourite what you like. The tweets you post should contain customer support, both positive and negative. If there are concerns you can always suggest direct messaging or email for privacy reasons to the customer as well. Although, for the most part, ask questions, provide answers, share knowledge and collect feedback. At least once daily try to respond to mentions and retweets. It is also beneficial to respond and thank everyone. People will either respond or retweet your response to show their friends that you have engaged with them. Fortunately for you, you are not just engaging a single follower, you are engaging a much wider audience. Another way to connect with your targeted audience is by pitching new products and business ideas. Not only does it make you excited for the future products, it makes your customers excited as well. Your tweets should never over connect with your community. Do not include empty promises or try and offer more than what your company or product can do. To maintain a loyalty between followers look for allies in the industry whom you exchange information with regularly and support each other. Maintaining a connection through your tweets is the best way to maintain a loyal twitter following.

Prime Tweeting

The times that you tweet benefits your Twitter following. You have to find the best time to tweet for your business. Tweet when people are available to go on Twitter. However, tweet during work hours because that is usually when people will be coming to your business. Try to avoid tweeting on weekends or late at night because the feed moves too fast then. Post most of your tweets in real time too. Try not to automate. Also, avoid tweeting in a consistent row unless you are at a live event. People usually skip over the next couple of tweets if they are written by the same account. Consider writing your tweets at the same time each day so that people who are trying to get in contact with you on Twitter notice that you are online at consistent times. This assists your account when you are not online all the time so you are not expected to tweet or respond to tweets 24/7.