{"id":1485,"date":"2012-07-18T13:07:09","date_gmt":"2012-07-18T17:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterprisestrategies.com\/?p=1485"},"modified":"2015-07-27T20:04:49","modified_gmt":"2015-07-27T20:04:49","slug":"twitter-followers-how-to-get-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterprisestrategies.com\/2012\/07\/18\/twitter-followers-how-to-get-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Twitter Followers – How to get them"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"iStock_000019031191XSmall\"<\/a>We get this question a lot. Below are a few tips to get those new to the game started. For a more detailed discussion, send us a tweet<\/a> and we\u2019ll set a time to chat.<\/p>\n

What is Twitter?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Well first and foremost Twitter is an information network.\u00a0 According to their website:<\/p>\n

\u201cTwitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news about what you find interesting. Simply find the accounts you find most compelling and follow the conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/span><\/h3>\n

The very fact that you\u2019re sharing messages filled with ideas and information means you\u2019re going to need an audience or you\u2019ll experience nothing more than a great big echo. Developing a strategy for what type of content you\u2019ll be tweeting and what demographic your following will be made up of is one of the first stages you\u2019ll undertake, the next will be growing your following to a level that satisfies your business needs.<\/p>\n

The basics<\/span><\/h3>\n

I\u2019m not going to spend much time here, as most of you should already be familiar with the fact that it takes a professional brand or image to entice people to follow and interact with you. Branding your profile, creating a compelling message and including a link to your website should be your first step toward growing your followers, also don\u2019t forget to ask somewhere prominently on your blog or website.<\/p>\n

Housekeeping<\/span><\/h3>\n

While it would be nice if everyone on Twitter was a legitimate or even appropriate user, this usually isn\u2019t the case. Don\u2019t follow back every single person who follows you out of courtesy, instead take a moment to check out their profile and tweets to see if they even fit with your idea of someone you\u2019d like to follow and listen to.<\/p>\n

Take the time to send a personal message to those followers you value, and introduce yourself. You never know when an intro might turn into collaboration, or perhaps even a client.<\/p>\n

Un-following users who are either no longer active, or perhaps have un-followed you as soon as they saw you reciprocate a follow (It happens) is a good way to keep your ratio of followers\/following in check and will facilitate faster growth.<\/p>\n

Use #hashtags<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you send out a tweet discussing marketing and use the #marketing hashtag you have an opportunity to get your message in front of a whole new audience that already share an interest in your chosen topic, if you\u2019re profile and tweets are compelling you\u2019ll experience added growth that you wouldn\u2019t have otherwise.<\/p>\n

Participate in Twitter chats<\/span><\/h3>\n

Joining in and discussing topics that relate to your market will provide an introduction to both community members (peers), and also potential clients looking for information related to your industry. Don\u2019t be surprised to see your follower count jump after each session as those members who found your contributions to be stimulating and noteworthy follow you looking for even more of a connection.<\/p>\n

For a great list of social media market chats check out Ann Smarty\u2019s list of 15 essentials<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Our Founder is also a big fan of #SWChat<\/a> which tends to focus more on enterprise topics.<\/p>\n

Make a growth plan<\/span><\/h3>\n

While you might one day achieve the magic number you\u2019re looking for with Twitter, why leave things to chance? If it\u2019s important to the growth of your business implement a growth strategy and devote a portion of each day towards things like:<\/p>\n