Twitter is trending more than ever before, but why are so many businesses using it? Is it really based on the amount of “followers” or the ways you went about getting followers? How do I define Twitter success? Actually, it is more than that, which is why I have created a checklist for you so you can distinguish the difference between Twitter success and Twitter flattery. The most important aspects of Twitter success include: community building, increasing your sales, increasing engagement, increasing attendance at your tweet-up, and also the amount of clicks from Twitter to your website and other links. This is the criteria that you can use to see if you are meeting your goals on the social network. Lets get started!
? Increasing Your Community Building
What does this exactly entail? It means that you are creating lists within your Twitter interface that show your interests. Now within these lists you are adding people who have the same interests as you do. Why are these lists so important? The great thing about lists is that people search for other people through lists and that is how they find them. When you create a list on Twitter, you are basically saying, “I am searching for these people to connect with and build my community around.” Once you have added those people to your list it is time to start giving them the content they want. Start tweeting things that would catch their eye. For example, if it were an “entrepreneur list” that I created, then I would be tweeting items, or sharing items that talked about being a better entrepreneur. Remember, entrepreneurs are all about learning and becoming better leaders than they already are. This is why you need to start thinking from this mind-set so you can build a better community, which will be the domino effect for the rest of your checklist.
? Increasing Your Sales
When it comes to working with Twitter, we want to build a community so we have a group of influencers to promote the product. Remember, they do not necessarily have to be the buyers for the product, but they will be helping you share your message and spread it through the network. That is what we call a powerful message when it comes to content marketing. When these power influencers start sharing your message, then you will be able to see how many people from their audience is purchasing your product or service. This is why you want to build those lists and get involved in content marketing. You will be able to increase your sales just through networking.
?Increasing Engagement
What does increasing engagement really mean? It means you are seeking out people to have a conversation with. You are using the Twitter Search function to get in the loop of different conversations based on the keyword you type in. Once you are able to get in the conversation you can start building relationships and a community around what you stand for. For example, if you type in Chick-Fil-A in the twtiter search you will see a bunch of controversy happening in real-time. All you have to do is pick a side and chime in. This helps expose who you are and what you stand for in the eyes of the people who are able to understand your perspective. This is just one way of prospecting. Other ways include going to different Twitter directories such as: WeFollow, Twellow, or Twibes and searching for people who are within your niche. Then send them an introductory tweet like: How was your weekend? Your dinner looks great, how did you make it? This is where you have to take the first step reach out and make it happen!
?Increase in attendees at your tweet-up
Why are you using Twitter and continuing to have a virtual life, but not pursuing a face-to-face event with your community? This is the ultimate way to build a relationship between your followers. When you hold a tweet-up, make sure you have a hashtag representing your tweet-up. The success of your Twitter is based on how many tweetups you hold and how strong your relationship becomes with your community. The outcome of the tweetup should focus on community building and educating your attendees. You want to increase the interest between your attendees and the people who are just joining your community. Invite them to an event to learn more about what they stand for and they can learn more about what you stand for. Either way you can help each other out. Now that is the power of Twitter and one of the biggest successes of social networking. Mari Smith talks about this concept more in-depth in her book Relationship Marketing.
?Clicks to Your Website and Other Links
Everyone is talking about getting more clicks to their website, but no one is talking about the fact that they can increase their traffic tremendously from Twitter. If you get targeted traffic from Twitter to your website you have passed the line for Twitter success. How can you target people from Twitter to your website? One way you can do this is by creating content that makes them tip over and click. When I was doing marketing for a restaurant I created content like: “Caution! If you click you may instantly get hungry!” This would be a graphic of a food item from their restaurant. Who wouldn’t click that right? Content that catches their attention wins when it comes to Twitter success.
After putting all these different points together, I have realized that Twitter success is more than just gaining followers. The factors that go into Twitter success need to be weighed and balanced for you to see an increase in your ROI. Like I said, one activity leads to another. Community building is the start to the domino effect of Twitter success!
