17/04/2013

7 Great Ways to Network on Twitter Effectively


Whether you want to grow your business or connect with people to land a job, Twitter is a great site that every professional should be using. However, it should never be used just to push you. Remember that “people buy from people” so take time to enhance the Twitter experience of other users and engage with them through conversation.
Here are seven great ways to use Twitter effectively.
1.     Account for Your Actions
One mistake people make when using social networking sites is to share opinions that should be kept to themselves. Use Twitter to connect with others without Tweeting about difficult topics, such as politics. What you say on Twitter should be something you’re not afraid to say anywhere else. Of course, Twitter can also be a place to explain your actions. For example, if your business got into the news for something less savoury, use a Tweet to apologize or explain what went wrong.
2.     Make it Clear What You Want to Talk About
A Tweet shouldn't be a short grouping of words and Hashtags  Your post should be meaningful and capture the attention of readers. A Tweet should never make readers question what the post is about. Think before you Tweet. Does your post make sense to you without further explanation? Consider what users who know nothing about your business would get from the Tweet. If it wouldn't  make sense, you need to tweak your Tweet.
3.     Retweet With a Purpose
People make the mistake of simply retweeting others posts simply because the person shared one their tweets. Instead, you only want to retweet posts that will be of interest to your followers. For example, if you own a business that deals in books, retweet posts about books, reading devices, and other book-related material. Retweeting is a great way to gain more followers and easily share information that is related to your field.
4.     Go the Extra Mile- Show People You Care
It’s important that you show how grateful you are to those that connect with you and retweet your posts. Take the time to send a direct message that isn’t automatic. Automatic direct messages seem impersonal and are a bit annoying. Another great tip is to give a shout-out to new followers by tagging them in a post.
5.     Engage Conversation
Comment on Tweets that interest you and ask questions through your Twitter account. This will cause more people to pay attention to your Tweets and be interested in what you’re going to Tweet next. Twitter should never be a one-sided conversation in which you simply share your links. A great tip is to start conversations about news articles that are related to your business. Ask followers what they think about the story and reply to their comments.
6.     Introduce People- Be a Connector
If you know others that are in the same career field, introduce them to your followers. Tag these people in Tweets and say something about them. For example, let’s say you have an interior design website and have connected with a number of designers. Let your followers know about their work by connecting them.

7.     Be Friendly and Approachable
Don’t be too stiff when using Twitter. Let your personality shine through so that you appear friendly and approachable. This will encourage more people to follow you. For example, share a clean joke every now and then, share a link to your favourite music video, or talk about the book you just read. You want to be seen as a real person, rather than monotonously sharing links. People want to know that the people they do business with are more than just business-oriented. People want to deal with the real you.
If you want to network with professionals in your field and those that would find your services useful, you need to use Twitter and do so professionally. Consider how you can get the most out of Twitter, while also improving the Twitter experience for others.
What can you share that they will find interesting? Who should you connect so that other users have more followers?
If you’re using Twitter for the sole purpose of sharing links for your own benefit, you’re not using the platform properly. Take the time to enhance your Twitter experience and the experience of others.

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