At LPR, one of my main responsibilities is to prepare tweets for the firm’s social handle @lexingtonpr. Let me just say, I have learned an incredible amount about brands, audiences, content and analytics as a result. There truly is a system to Twitter, and becoming familiar with the protocol is essential to making the most out of the platform. With a bit of analysis I caught on quickly and was able to recognize patterns and trends that have worked great for LPR.
As an avid producer and consumer of social media, Twitter has never been my personal platform of choice. Like a lot of people in our society, I am a visual person so Instagram, and now Snapchat, have always appealed to me. It wasn’t until I began my internship here at LPR that I realized how important Twitter is for an individual, and particularly for a brand. You’ve got to get your message out clearly and concisely (in 140 characters or less, to be exact).
Here are a few of the things I found to be helpful when managing a professional Twitter account:
- Be consistent – Generating content on a regular basis is integral to the success of a Twitter account, whether personal or professional. If you’re not tweeting regularly your followers will become uninterested and likely unfollow you.
- Be clear – While consistency is key, quality is also a major factor to consider with Twitter. Make sure it’s easy for people to identify your niche and/or your product based on your tweets. People’s attention spans are becoming increasingly shorter, so make sure your tweets say the most about your brand in an effective way.
- Spread the love – Some of LPR’s most successful tweets have been those that mention other brands and companies. People love it when you spread the love (and the word) and let your followers know who has impressed you. Something as simple as tagging the author in a really good blog post (@sarah_thatssme for those of you who are wondering) can draw people back to your account. Frequently people you mention on Twitter will ‘Favorite’ or ‘Retweet’ your tweet to their followers, increasing your exposure – the circle of life social media style!
- Do your research – Social media is nothing but an acceptable form of stalking (sorry, not sorry) so use that to your advantage. Research people and brands that are similar to yours. Research hot topics in your field. See what other people are talking about and talk about it, too. This doesn’t mean you can go around stealing material, but instead use the resources you have as a basis for your own brand.
- Use hashtags – Hashtags are HUGE on Twitter! You can easily see what’s trending as Twitter shares a snapshot of the most popular topics. Different niches have their own hashtags, for example, the fitness community would use hashtags like “#fitness #health #workout” to attract other people in the fitness community. Adding just one hashtag can make the difference between 20 people and 200 people seeing your tweet.
Don’t underestimate Twitter’s power in building a brand! Happy tweeting!
