How Does a Business Gain Followers on Its Twitter Account?

You may read a great deal on the internet explaining why businesses need to be active on social media sites. You might have even sought out advice regarding which social media sites are best to use and how to set up an account. Now you’ve caught on and developed your own Twitter account, complete with a custom background. And yet…there are no waves of followers.

This leaves many smaller businesses, those who don’t have the advantage of being globally established brands, at a disadvantage. The smaller and lesser-known a business is, the harder that business will have to work to build a base of followers and generate “word of mouth” advertising. Harder work doesn’t mean this task is impossible. Here are some tips for businesses to increase their number of Twitter followers.

Celebrity Endorsement

It never hurts to be aware of what famous names are also local names. And if that celebrity is also on Twitter, you may be able to get a helping hand in building your follower base. Contact the celebrity or their representative about the possibility of a couple of tweets. Remember, if you’re opting for local celebrities, it might be advantageous to put more emphasis on local than celebrity. Even if a person is widely known within a region rather than around the world, a few relatable tweets may still draw a great deal of views and followers to your business’s Twitter account.

If you happen to have a celebrity who frequents your business or often uses your service, perhaps you can get them to make a “word of mouth” tweet on your behalf. For instance, let’s say you’re a financing solution business like UB Solutions, and a celebrity who was interested in commercial real estate received helpful advice and service from your organization. If they tweeted their thanks for it and referenced the company’s Twitter account, attention and follows will inevitably be drawn.

Stay on top of Twitter Trends

A business should aim to have a Twitter account that isn’t just witty or funny, but is also clearly interested in what their potential followers are interested in. This is true even if those interests are not directly related to whatever service or product the business is selling.

Staying up to speed with what the millions of Twitter users are concerned with is a great way to be aware of the real time interests of potential customers and twitter followers. There are, in fact, certain businesses that have become very good at pouncing on trends with well-timed humorous tweets. Tweets that are funny, witty or unique are likely to be highly “retweetable.” Retweets result in your business’s name and account being passed along to hundreds, thousands and perhaps even millions of potential followers. This is especially likely should a tweet go “viral”.

A word of caution: Though humor is almost always a sure bet for a memorable business account, you must never forget that your account represents a business, and your aim is to attract followers and attention…not participate in “shock humor” that offends to the point of damaging your brand. You should also be careful to ensure well-meaning tweets aren’t poorly timed and to avoid tasteless commentaries on serious tragedies. There is no wit in low brow humor or in being blatantly exploitative.

Work It in Everywhere

Some of the best places to advertise your Twitter account are actually away from Twitter. If your business has a website, feature embedded tweets or a tweet button that allows the article to be tweeted. If your business runs commercials or ads, include references to a hashtag or to your twitter account.

Put your Twitter account on posters, products, etc. Don’t think your attempts to gain followers on Twitter have to be limited to that site or even the internet. The more you talk about your Twitter account and the more places you mention it, the better you’re able to spread the word about your business’s Twitter account.

It’s also crucial to encourage your followers to share your tweets or their experiences so you can retweet them. The more visible and interactive your Twitter, the more likely it is potential followers and customers will want to follow and tweet your account.

 

About The Author: 

Scott Huntington is a writer, blogger, and social media expert. He lives in Pennsylvania and with his wife and son. Follow Scott at @SMHuntington or check out his blog, blogspike.com