The social network that started the hashtag craze, Twitter is one of the virtual communities that every techie should be a part of. Whether you want to stay in-the-know in regard to the latest viral trends or want to get your brand noticed, Twitter is one of the best ways to connect to people worldwide.
Not only is it a great way to connect with like-minded, interesting people, potential customers, or even celebrities, Twitter also is a great platform for breaking news. It has become a go-to source to find or tell a story.
The platform also is perfect for those with short attention spans, who don't want to scroll through long text posts about what their friends are doing. Instead, Twitter's 140 character policy forces users to get creative, making them keep tweets short, sweet and to the point.
With 284 million active monthly users, chances are you already have a Twitter account. But what's the point of having an account when you barely have any followers? In celebration of Twitter's ninth birthday on March 21, here are the best ways to get more followers.
Tweet Often
The more you tweet, the higher the chance your tweets will be seen, meaning the more chances you'll gain followers. Studies found that users who have posted more than 10,000 times tend to have anywhere between 1,000 to 5,000 followers. You want to make sure you establish your social presence, sending out a few tweets per day. However, don't got crazy and tweet non-stop. This will cause you to lose followers since many may see this as spam or get annoyed by seeing you in their timelines one too many times.
Tweet At The Right Time
Since you want to tweet often, but without overdoing it, you should aim to tweet at peak times so that the maximum amount of users are exposed to your posts. However, the times vary depending on your targeted audience. According to Quick Sprout, Wednesday through Sunday are the best days to tweet, with the highest engagement on Saturdays and Sundays.
Mornings during commute hours are a good time to tweet, but the prime retweet time is 5 p.m. when most people are on their smartphones after work or school. Retweets are when users pass on things they find interesting to others, meaning your tweet is shared with their followers. There are tools like Hootsuite that allow you to schedule posts so you don't miss out on peak social activity times.
Tweet Top Twitter Users
A great way to get noticed on Twitter is to mention users with large amounts of followers in your tweets. You can send an "@message" to anyone on Twitter whether they follow you are not. That means you can mention a celebrity in your tweet and they (and their followers) will be able to read the post.
Now chances are Kim K won't be following you back, but top Twitter users could favor or retweet your post. Still, the main point is that other people looking at the top user's page may see the mentioned tweet, like what you said, and start to follow you.
#Hashtags
(Photo : justintimberlakesbut/Tumblr)
Twitter is all about the hashtags. Hashtags link what you have to say with its corresponding topic, such as your feelings on a news story like #OdinsBirthday or an event like #SXSW. Use trending, campaign or just everyday hashtags in your tweets. Participate in these conversations and you can gain more like-minded followers. Make a hashtag for your business or brand like #TLounge, or think of creative, random hashtags that can also help get you or your brand noticed.
Pillows, couch, catnip, butter, sardines, sushi. #6WordLifeGoal
— Cat Food Breath (@CatFoodBreath) March 25, 2015
Another way to engage with the Twitter community is by participating in a Twitter chat. These chats - like #blogchat, #runchat, #mediachat, #tchat - let you connect with others who are talking about this specific topic. This is a great way to ask questions, learn, and speak to your followers.
Promote Yourself
You may connect with most of your friends on Facebook, but make sure they also know you are on Twitter. Add your Twitter handle in the bio of all your social media sites like Facebook, Google +, and LinkedIn. You can also add your Twitter handle into the signature of your email or use it to sign into forum sites. If you have a blog or a website, make your Twitter presence known by adding your handle somewhere where your readers will easily spot it.
Mix It Up
People will want to follow you if your account looks appealing. Just like people like to see images and video on Facebook and other social platforms, they also want to see these types of posts on Twitter. Instead of tweeting about what you are eating, upload a photo with it, including hashtags like #foodie or #nomnom. Found a new favorite song? Mention the artist and include the video so your followers can listen with you.
Even when you are almost 30 yrs old, you enjoy Captain Crunch Berries. #breakfastclub #nomnom pic.twitter.com/owEevz453g — Karen Worthington (@KarenAshley007) March 21, 2015
Post interesting articles you just read, ask questions to your followers, or comment on breaking news. Mix up your posts so your followers are never bored.
Since technology today is at our fingertips, make sure to download the free Twitter app on your iPhone or Android so your can tweet, respond to followers, and follow back the user's who follow you. Happy tweeting!
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
Photo: Andreas Eldh | Flickr
