6 Tips for Getting Started on Twitter

Most people have probably heard how valuable Twitter can be in marketing their business, but will never take advantage of it. Why? For many, Twitter looks too confusing. They don’t know where to start!

While it can take some getting used to, getting started on Twitter is actually quite easy. There is no reason to know all the ins and outs in the beginning. You can always try out some of the more advanced techniques and tools along the way.

Here are six simple steps for getting started:

• Set up a complete profile. This consists of a username, a short bio and a picture. Make sure your bio gives a clear message of what you do. Give people a reason to visit your Website and learn more. A personal picture works well too, people tend to be more trusting when they know exactly who they are dealing with.
• Tell others where to find you. If you have a profile on a different social network or a blog, let those friends and readers know that they now have another way to get your great information.
• Find people to follow. The easiest thing to do is start with people you already know. You can look at who they are following, as well as their followers, to find people you would like to network with. You can also search keywords in order to find other people who are interested in the same topics as you.
• Contribute. Join a conversation, post an interesting link, give advice, the list goes on! Just remember, Twitter is an outlet for relationship building. You want your followers to get to know, like and trust you. Twitter is not a direct sales tool. Posting a bunch of tweets promoting your business will only cause people to stop following you. You can still promote yourself; just make sure that’s not all your doing.
• Always reply. If someone asks you a question or comments on something you have said, be sure to reply in a timely manner. Show your followers that you value them. After all, this is the first impression they will get of your customer service!
• Be consistent. If you want to keep your followers happy, make sure you are posting consistently. Decide how often to post, whether every day or every few days, and keep doing it. If you stop posting for days or weeks when they are used to hearing from you more often, they will get bored and stop following you.

By following these six easy steps, you can not only get started on Twitter, but accumulate a nice following as well. Now see how far your message can go!