The Best Practices for Small Businesses on Twitter

As you post on Twitter, keep in mind other best practices to be successful.

1. Be relatable, not Salesy

People don’t want to be sold to on social media. Posting on Twitter is less about promoting your product and more about relating to your customers.

If you are posting about your new products, it should be in the mix with a lot of other non-salesy content. You can get away with some direct product promotion by also posting enough funny or thought-provoking non-sales content to make your account worth following.

2. Post media directly on Twitter instead of linking out

All social media websites prioritize media that’s posted directly on the platform over something that’s linked out. By posting a photo or video right on Twitter, you make sure it gets seen by as many eyes as possible.

Plus, if people are on Twitter, it’s because they want to be there, not on YouTube. So limit how frequently you link out to other websites, including your own website.

3. Don’t copy-paste content from your other channels

If someone follows you in multiple places, you need to provide a unique experience on each platform. If you send out an email and then use the subject line as a tweet, there’s nothing new for them to interact with. There’s no reason for people to follow you in both places. So adapt your content for different platforms.

4. Interact with your followers

Having a great social media presence is more than posting great content. You need to engage with the people who are engaging with your content on Twitter.

Follow people back, like their posts, and respond to comments to keep the conversation going and build relationships with your fans. It will encourage people to keep interacting with you on Twitter.

5. Supplement your scheduled posts with real-time tweets

Responding to what’s going on in the world right now makes you relevant to your fans.

When the power went out at the 2013 Super Bowl, this tweet from Oreo went live within minutes. It was simple, relevant, and funny.

6. Earn followers, don’t buy them

It can be tempting to buy Twitter followers to boost your metrics, but it won’t do anything for your business. Those bought followers aren’t going to read or interact with your posts. And if people find out, it’s not a good look.

Instead, focus on creating engaging content to draw in new fans. Consider encouraging your existing customers to follow you on Twitter. Put your Twitter handle at the bottom of emails or on a board by your cash register. You could even consider a limited-time incentive, such as entering a giveaway raffle or earning a discount for following your brand’s Twitter.

7. Post consistently

It’s going to take time to build your following. It might seem like nobody’s listening at the beginning, and that’s okay!

Be patient and keep posting consistently. Once a week is plenty to get your fans in the habit of interacting with you on Twitter.