Twitter is recognized as one of the top social media platforms available today. It supports a high volume of small messages that are communicated real time. A very wide audience can be reached through Twitter and it can be a very powerful tool for building brand name recognition and attracting business. By building a following and following others a sizeable network can be established. Following are key steps to setting up and using Twitter:
- Setting up a Twitter Profile – The first part of a Twitter profile is the name. It starts with an @ and must be unique. The most common use would be to follow this with the name of the business. The second part is the profile photo which most of the time is the shop logo. This is used as the icon every time a Tweet is sent. The third component is the bio. This can be up to 160 characters and should tell people why they should follow you. It’s also good to include a link to your website. Fourth is the header image which can be changed periodically. This should highlight your business. And finally there is the pinned Tweet. This is usually the latest most important Tweet you’ve sent.
- Building a Twitter Following – To invite Twitter followers add a follow button to the company website and include one in your email signature. You can also invite followers by uploading your email contact list. Followers can also be gained by searching by keyword or hashtag and engaging in conversations or following other Twitter users.
- Sending Tweet Messages – A tweet should be short and should focus on one message. As in all social media – images will improve effectiveness. Include hashtags that are relevant to automotive repair. This will allow tweets to be found when others search.
- Using Retweets and Replies – Retweeting and replying help to increase twitter activity and visibility. Retweeting makes use of a message of value tweeted by another user to share value with followers. Replies build engagement in important and relevant discussion topics.
