Twitter For Beginners

CREATING AND USING LISTS – TWITTER FOR BEGINNERS PART 5

MOMENTUM Business Support Digital Marketing, Twitter For Beginners
Tablet laying on a table displaying a blue Welcome to Twitter Login Page

Welcome to the fifth part of our Twitter For Beginners series! In this blog, we’re talking about Twitter Lists – how you can create them and use them to your advantage. Let’s get started!

Two questions we see quite often are ‘What are Twitter Lists?’ and ‘What is the point of a Twitter List?’

Well, put simply, Twitter Lists are little time saving heroes that will enable you to interact and engage with content that you want to see in a much more effective way.

Here’s Twitter’s official definition: 

“Twitter Lists allow you to customize, organize and prioritize the Tweets you see in your timeline. You can choose to join Lists created by others on Twitter, or from your own account you can choose to create Lists of other accounts by group, topic or interest.”

There’s so many ways that you can use Twitter Lists to help your business. Whether it’s creating one for influential people and accounts in your industry to make it easier for you to engage with them, dedicating one to keeping track of your main clients or prospects, or setting up a private one to monitor users you don’t necessarily want to follow, like your competition for example. Twitter Lists will help you see what you want to see, when you want to see it!

We heavily utilise Twitter Lists across both our own and client Twitter accounts, and would highly recommend you try them out, if you haven’t already! Here’s how you can get started and create your very own lists:

  1. Click on Lists in the navigation bar.
  2. Click the Create new List icon at the top.
  3. Choose a name for your List, and a short description of the List. List names cannot exceed 25 characters, nor can they begin with a number. Then select if you want the List to be private (only accessible to you) or public (anyone can see or follow the List).
  4. Click Next.
  5. You can then search for people and add people to your List.
  6. Click Done.

Need help getting started with Twitter Lists? We’d love to help you out. Get in touch and make it happen.. 

E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com  |  T: 01903 688789

CATCH UP ON OUR OTHER BLOGS IN THIS SERIES:

CHOOSING YOUR NAME AND SETTING UP YOUR PROFILE – TWITTER FOR BEGINNERS PART 1

FOLLOWING & FOLLOWERS – TWITTER FOR BEGINNERS PART 2

WHAT DO I INCLUDE IN A TWEET? – TWITTER FOR BEGINNERS PART 3

HASHTAGS – TWITTER FOR BEGINNERS PART 4

Hashtags – Twitter for Beginners Part 4

MOMENTUM Business Support Digital Marketing, Twitter For Beginners
Hashtag symbol curved out in some wet sand

CHECK OUT PART 1 HERE:  https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/2016/03/choosing-your-name-and-setting-up-your-profile-twitter-for-beginners-part-1/

CHECK OUT PART 2 HERE:  https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/2018/07/twitter-for-beginners-part-2-following-followers/

CHECK OUT PART 3 HERE:   https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/2019/02/twitter-for-beginners-part-3-what-do-i-include-in-a-tweet/

Being new to Twitter, you may be wondering what all the hashtag fuss is about – What are they? How are they used? Why should I use them? When should I use them?  

Well… you’ve come to the right place – read on to find out exactly what hashtags are, and more importantly – how to use them!  

What Is A Hashtag and Why Should I Be Using Them? 

Definition: hash·tag: A word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), used within a message to identify a keyword or topic of interest and facilitate a search for it. 

Hashtags are used on Twitter as an easy way to create and find conversations to get involved in. They are small but powerful tools – when you insert a hashtag into your tweet, it becomes searchable and discoverable by many other Twitter users.  

When someone clicks on, or searches for a certain hashtag, it allows them to discover a whole page of results, all linking to that one topic. 

For example, if you search for #Marketing, the results will show a list of tweets, most of which will all be related to the world of Marketing. 

You can also use hashtags that include key words in your tweets, which will help to broaden your discoverability and engagements on your tweet, such as #Content, #SocialMedia, #Strategy #Tools #Analytics, for example. 

When and How Should I Use Hashtags? 

Using a hashtag couldn’t be simpler – all you need to do is add the # sign before your word that you would like to make discoverable e.g (#Marketing). You can also include numbers in your hashtags if needed, but make sure you don’t use spaces or punctuation in your hashtag, as this won’t work. 

However, there are many things that you need to consider to ensure that you get the most out of using hashtags on Twitter, including; 

Don’t Overuse Hashtags – Make sure that you avoid over using hashtags and spamming your tweet with them E.g. (#Check #out #this #latest #blog #on #how #to #make #the #most #out #of #Twitter…). Not only does this look like it could annoy your followers, but it also won’t do you any favors hash-tagging every single word in your tweet.  

Choose Your Hashtags Wisely – Use hashtags only on the words in your Tweet that are relevant to the topic you are talking about. If you include a variety of different hashtags in your tweet that aren’t connected to your topic, to try and gain further interaction and engagement, it can become confusing and off-putting for your followers E.g. (Visit our #website for more information… #WorldCup #ENGvsGER). 

Avoid Collating Hashtags – Don’t collate too many words together in one single hashtag E.g. (#TwitterSocialMediaMarketingBlog or #HappyValentinesDayEveryone2019), as not many people will find your tweets when you use hashtags in this way. 

Capitalise Each Word In Your Hashtag – It’s a good idea to capitalise each word when using more than one in your hashtag, to avoid doubt about what you’re hash tagging! Eg. #SocialMediaMarketing rather than #socialmediamarketing. Capitalising each word in your hashtag will make them easier to read and understand at a glance, and also look a lot neater. 

Keep An Eye On The Current Trending Hashtags – It’s a great idea to keep a close eye on the what hashtags are trending on Twitter (You can find them on the left hand side of the screen via desktop, or by clicking on the magnifying glass icon on the Twitter app.)  

You can include some of these trending hashtags in your tweets and link them back to what you’re talking about. This will see you to be getting involved in what’s happening and gain further interest and reach by being discovered using these trends. Here are some examples to help you out: 

  • Popular Daily Hashtags (#MondayMotivation, #TuesdayThoughts, #WednesdayWisdom #ThrowbackThursday, #FridayFeeling, #SaturdayMorning #SundayFunday) 

Happy Monday everyone. We hope you have a wonderful week. What are your goals this week? #MondayMotivation 

  • Events (#RoyalWedding, #WorldCup #NationalApprenticeshipWeek) 

If your #socialmedia strategy could do with a royal spruce up – get in touch with us. We’d be more than happy to help you out. #RoyalWedding 

  • Celebrations and Key Holiday Dates (#ValentinesDay, #ChristmasDay, #InternationalDayOfHappiness) 

We Love our #customers! Celebrate the month of love with an exclusive 10% off all products this month. #ValentinesDay 

  • Popular Entertainment (#Eastenders, #TheBodyguard, #TheApprentice) 

Don’t make the candidates #interview mistakes! Contact us to find out how to ace your interview. #TheApprentice 

  • General Topics Of Interest (#Blogging, #SocialMedia, #Finance, #Admin) 

Check out the week ahead in the latest #business news this week. #Finance  

We hope that you have found this blog useful and now understand Hashtags a little bit more! Keep an eye out for our next instalment of Twitter for Beginners.  

If you’d like any help, support or advice with getting started on Twitter, we’d be happy to chat through this with you. Email makeithappen@mbsmih.com or call us 01903 688789. 

What Do I Include In A Tweet? – Twitter For Beginners Part 3

MOMENTUM Business Support Digital Marketing, Twitter For Beginners
White laptop on a desk next to a plant and phone displaying the Twitter landing page

CHECK OUT PART 1 HERE:  https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/2016/03/choosing-your-name-and-setting-up-your-profile-twitter-for-beginners-part-1/

CHECK OUT PART 2 HERE:  https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/2018/07/twitter-for-beginners-part-2-following-followers/

Now your Twitter account is looking great and you’re starting to gain some followers, it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to tweet! As social media management experts, we’ve pulled together some simple pieces of advice that you need to know as a Twitter newbie. 

Keep It Short and Sweet 

Top tip: A short, concise tweet makes the most amount of impact.  

Knowing what to Tweet for the first time can be overwhelming, but it needn’t be. Here’s just a few of our ideas to get you started: 

  • Your Services / Products – What do you offer? Showcase your services and products to the world of Twitter. Be careful not to over-sell though, as it can be a real turn off for your followers. 
  • Your Own Useful Content – Tweet about any blogs, vlogs, podcasts or newsletters that you have produced. Useful content like this is greatly appreciated by other SMEs. 
  • Ask Questions – Why not run a poll to get to know your followers? This can be easily created in seconds within Twitter itself and can generate beneficial results. 
  • Industry News – What’s trending in your industry? Sharing latest trending news will keep your followers up to date and may generate an interesting conversation. 
  • Employee Recognition / Testimonials – Sharing a success story from one of your employees is always warmly welcomed and promotes a good image for your brand. 
  • Tap Into The Trends – How about an inspiring #MondayMotivation quote to start off the week? Keep an eye on the latest trends within Twitter – be sure to get involved and link them in them where you can, especially during calendar events such as #ChristmasDay, #EasterSunday, #GoodFriday, etc. 

It’s important to note that on Twitter you have a character limit of 280. Because of this, you need to make sure that you keep each of your tweets focused on one particular subject, rather than trying to talk about multiple subjects in one tweet, as this can become confusing for your followers. If you need to expand on the message you are trying to communicate, you can always expand by including links. 

Add Visuals 

Top tip: Using images, videos and GIFs doesn’t take up any of your 280 character allowance. 

As well as your written message, it’s great to include visuals to your tweet. Using visuals such as images, videos and GIFs in your Tweets adds a ‘human touch’ and has been proven to lead to you creating higher engagement rates to your tweets. For example, you could share: 

  • Testimonial Videos From Your Clients – An interactive way of sharing your testimonials. Just make sure the video is 30 seconds or less.  
  • Photos Of Your Staff Working Hard On Your Latest Project – As well as celebrating your hard-working staff, this again adds a real ‘human touch’ to your brand’s Twitter presence.  
  • A Relevant GIF Linking To Your Message – this displays a lovely touch of personality to your brand and also is likely to make your followers stop and look rather than scroll straight past! 

Use Hashtags 

Top tip: Don’t go overboard using hashtags. (E.g. #Check #out #our #latest #blog.) Instead, add hashtags on the words that you think will generate most traffic (E.g. Check out our latest #blog) – people may search the term #blog to read up on some insightful topics. 

You may have heard of hashtags before – they are a real powerful tool in the world of social media, especially Twitter. Hashtags can allow you to dramatically expand your reach, potentially reaching thousands across the globe. As well as this, you can also search hashtags to get involved in relevant conversations.  

As well as including hashtags within your message, it’s also a good idea to add them in at the bottom of your tweet to try and push your tweet engagement levels further.  

For example, why not try something like this? 

Check out our latest #blog on how to make the most out of #Twitter for your #Business. 

#Advice #TopTips #SmallBusiness #SMEs 

Keep an eye out for our next instalment of Twitter for Beginners. Let us know how you get on by tweeting us @mbsmih. 

If you’d like any help, support or advice with getting started on Twitter, we’d be happy to chat through this with you. Email makeithappen@mbsmih.com or call us 01903 688789. 

Following & Followers – Twitter for Beginners Part 2

MOMENTUM Business Support Digital Marketing, Twitter For Beginners
A mobile phone displaying Twitter sign in page next to a cup of coffee

CHECK OUT PART 1 HERE:  https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/2016/03/choosing-your-name-and-setting-up-your-profile-twitter-for-beginners-part-1/

So, your Twitter account is officially up and running. Now, you need to start following some accounts and gaining some followers of your own.

First of all, let’s take an overview of the difference between “Following” and “Followers” on Twitter.

Following: This connects you to other users on Twitter, but it doesn’t necessarily connect them back to you, (unless they follow back). When you follow someone, their account appears in your following list. You’ll be able to see their Tweets, Retweets, Likes and updates on your feed, and they can send you direct messages.

You can learn a lot from following other accounts that are similar to yours. This will help you gain inspiration, ideas and advice. It’s also good to look at your competitors to see what they’re up to when you feel like you’re lacking inspiration.

Followers: When a user follows you, their username appears in your list of followers, adding to your overall number of followers. They will see your Tweets, Retweets, Likes and updates, and you can send direct messages to them.

Reach out and welcome your new followers by sending them a direct message or tweet, introduce what you do, don’t be shy! Who knows… they could be your next big client.

In order to get followed, you have to follow. Following other users is a great way to get noticed and you will likely get followed back by some of the accounts you have hit follow on.

But remember – just because someone follows you, doesn’t mean you have to follow them back. Some people follow back everyone who follows them; others are more selective and careful about who they follow. It’s down to your personal preference and what type of content you want to be seeing when you look at your Twitter timeline.

But bear in mind, following a lot of accounts without having many of your own followers doesn’t look great. For example… Following: 4,529 Followers: 60.

To avoid this, keep an eye on your Following numbers. Regularly go through your ‘Following’ list and keep it fresh and up to date. Unfollow any that you’re not getting any value from and any accounts that aren’t following / interacting back with you.

If you’d like any help, support or advice with getting started on Twitter, we’d be happy to chat through this with you. Email makeithappen@mbsmih.com or call us 01903 688789.

Choosing Your Name And Setting Up Your Profile – Twitter For Beginners Part 1

MOMENTUM Business Support Digital Marketing, Twitter For Beginners
A group of people gathered at the end of a boardwalk on the coast

The first thing to tackle when coming into the world of Twitter is choosing your username (twitter handle @xxxxxx) and setting up your profile.

Ideally your username will be the same as your business name. If the name you want has already been taken, consider a relevant variation. For example, if @janessalon is unavailable you could try @janesbeauty or @janeshair. Other examples to consider are any recognized ‘handles’ or straplines you have on your email or website; if your email is styleme@example.com, you could use @styleme as your Twitter username. Be careful though, don’t get too creative as your Twitter presence can influence your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). A relevant keyword or your business name will have a positive impact, something completely random such as @jshab (Janes Salon Hair and Beauty) will only hinder!

A couple of other things to consider when choosing your Twitter name: Be sure to make it as short as possible. Twitter currently only uses 140 characters, so if you want others to respond and network with you, don’t take up half of their content space with your name; Be professional. Don’t choose rude, offensive or questionable names. They might seem clever at the time, but if you want others to interact with you, keep it clean!

Once you’ve got your name, you need to get the rest of your profile set up. Select the ‘Edit profile’ button on the right hand side – just below your header photo.

You’ll need to choose a profile picture and a header photo. Obviously, one is much smaller than the other, so we recommend using the profile photo space for your logo or other distinguishable brand image, and the header photo (much larger) to visually convey what your business does. For example, if you’re a restaurant you might consider using a good quality (visually appealing) image of your kitchen / counter / tables / patrons.

Next, on the left hand side, you will need to choose your name. You have 20 characters, so if your business name is less than this, great. If not, it’s time to get creative again. But remember, don’t make it too ‘clever’, otherwise you run the risk of not being found when others search for you.

Then, complete your bio – this is really important. You need to concisely show what your business does in 160 characters or less. Keep it simple, look at similar companies for inspiration and use hashtags (we’ll talk about these in a bit more detail in the next blog) for any key service or product offerings. Just below, you can also populate your location and your website address. Finally, don’t forget to choose a theme colour that links to your brand and business colours.

Now you’re ready to go! If you’d like any help, support or advice with getting started on Twitter, we’d love to hear from you. Email makeithappen@mbsmih.com or call us 01903 688789.