5 Ways You’re Using Twitter Incorrectly

12 Apr 5 Ways You’re Using Twitter Incorrectly

Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms for social marketers. In fact, it is one of social media’s “Big 3”, along with LinkedIn and Facebook. It’s a great way for brands to maintain their customer relations and engage with new potential customers. Unfortunately, many companies are missing the big picture when it comes to using Twitter for reputation management.

• In one week, Twitter users will send a billion tweets.

• An average of 140 million tweets are sent every day.

• Approximately half a million new Twitter accounts are registered each day.

Not only that, but Twitter is growing at a remarkable rate as well. It took three years, two months and one day for the Twitter team to see the first billion tweets. Now, billions of tweets are sent each week.

Obviously, Twitter is a powerful resource that deserves the attention of almost any company looking to leverage social marketing. Most companies, however, get stuck after the initial step of registering an account. How do you get the most from your new or old Twitter presence? The answer is very subjective and dependent upon your social media goals. Fortunately, there are five major Twitter mistakes companies make every day that you can learn from and should avoid.

1. Not using hashtags.

If you are just getting started on Twitter, hashtags might be a new concept. Hashtags were created by Twitter users to organize and categorize tweets. Users can enter hashtags in the search bar and find all of the latest tweets on that topic. For example, the hashtag for WordCamp Toronto is #WORD11.  Users can thus follow the hashtag #WORD11 to find out what’s happening at the event.

Although using hashtags is not required, it is highly recommended. First of all, monitoring hashtags that are relevant to your company lets you know what people are saying about topics you are professionally interested in. Second of all, you can use existing hashtags to connect with people who are interested in topics relevant to your company. Finally, you can create your own hashtag. If you create a hashtag for your company, be sure to make it simple and memorable – and don’t forget to define it (Meaning, when you first create the hashtag make sure to describe what it is and why you are using it).

Warning: Do not fall pray to hashtag overuse.  You can annoy/lose followers.

2. Never posting original content.

If all of your tweets are linked to third parties, you are missing the point of Twitter. Yes, sharing industry news is important and followers appreciate it from time to time. It is important to remember why you are on Twitter in the first place though. You are using Twitter to engage with an audience. Continuously tweeting content that leads away from your branded social media account is counterproductive. Try posting links to original blog posts or pictures of life at your company’s office.

3. Never posting personal tweets.

Posting personal tweets is a great way to connect with your followers. Posting professional tweet after professional tweet makes your brand seem old and boring. You need to recognize that social media is about innovation and interaction. Tweeting about something funny that happened at the office, tweeting personal quotes and even tweeting the office pictures mentioned above are great ways to show that your company is not all business. Personal tweets give your audience a look at the real, transparent you! Connecting with an authentic person is much easier for people than connecting with a no-nonsense business.

4. Mixing topics too often.

While posting personal tweets is important, you cannot go too far. If you represent an affiliate marketing company and consistently post about what you did on Habbo Hotel or Neopets recently, you are using Twitter incorrectly. Just as followers don’t want to see you tweeting the same old things, they don’t want to see you frequently tweeting about something completely unrelated to your brand.

5. Not interacting with followers.

The reply button should be your best friend! Interacting with followers is the fast-track to engagement, so use a recent tweet to spark conversation. Once you have built a sizable following, go a step further and start your own conversations. A great way to do this is to ask questions! In fact, many of your followers are looking for a way to interact with you. Asking a question gives them the perfect opportunity. Remember, you should be both replying and initiating.

So, are you using Twitter correctly? What other common mistakes do brands make with Twitter?