Four Ways to Leverage Twitter – Social Media Tips for Business

When you have only 140 characters to convey your #brand message, you must strategize carefully and develop engaging #content. #socialmedia #digitalmarketing

If you read nothing further, digest those 136 characters. But if you read on, you’ll understand that when it comes to Twitter, the quotation attributed to Mark Twain, “I would have written less if I had more time” is especially apt.

In this article, you’ll get a few strategies that will help you integrate Twitter within your brand outreach and marketing efforts. But first (for those who have just returned to Earth), a quick Twitter primer:

Twitter is a micro blogging platform which lets you publish messages of less than 140 characters via mediums like IM, cell phones & the web. (138 characters)

Like Second Life years ago, many businesses are embracing Twitter for brand promotion & marketing… w/out a clear strategy & plan. (128 characters)

Twitter IS social: Users “follow” each other’s messages. This content development & digital marketing tool can be public and/or private. (136 characters)

When you start counting characters in your messaging, you begin to understand the preciousness of each character. Instead of just spewing out random Tweets, you can use Twitter as a social media vehicle to push out messages that capitalize on the attention you’re receiving from other users.

Start simple with Twitter. Try these four easy steps:

1. Use Twitter to find potential customers or clients online. Search for keywords related to your product on Twitter Search and then follow users. Tweet only about topics related to your product. Use direct messages or offline communications to direct prospects away from public channels.
2. Tweet your customers when you have new product announcements or news. Invite customers to subscribe via mobile or RSS for instant notification. You can also use Twitter to provide mini-updates for an exclusive group of one-on-one customers you designate and select.
3. Tweet your followers about upcoming events: Tweet participants with the latest event news (Tweet them first, to instill a feeling of exclusivity). It’s a hassle-free way to disseminate information, especially when you can’t establish a direct mobile link between you and your target audience.
4. Tweet a link to stories/articles you’ve submitted in other social news sites like Digg. By encouraging your followers to vote up the stories because they agree with them, you can get more support for your efforts across all your social media campaigns.

Many so-called social media experts want you to believe that you need a lot of followers to be successful on Twitter. On the contrary: It’s not quantity; it’s quality. When you conceive, implement and adhere to a carefully planned and thoughtfully crafted Twitter campaign, followers will come.