Many changes have occurred on (Twitter) in recent years, so you are not alone if you are looking for tips to improve your use of (Twitter) to make it more effective for social marketing. Like the rest of the world, I have been paying close attention to how people use (Twitter) since Elon Musk bought the platform and rebranded it as (Twitter).
Here’s the truth – despite many concerns about the future of (Twitter), it remains a popular social media platform with over 95 million users in the United States and 528 million global users in 2023. Thus, it is a valuable channel for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to increase sales, if you know how to optimize your profile and posts.
So today, I will share with you what you need to know about optimizing your use of (Twitter) to help you present a credible image and knowledge to your audience. I will share tips for optimizing (Twitter) from experts who currently use it for social marketing – and achieving great results – so you can learn how to implement the most effective strategies in your business.
How (Twitter) Can Boost Your Sales
Like most social media platforms, (Twitter) offers advertising and promotional programs. However, my focus today is on presenting best practices for using (Twitter) as a sales tool.
First and foremost, (Twitter) is more than just a social media platform – I often go to (Twitter) to find the latest news that has not yet been published in most media. Or, I’ll go for opinions from people with firsthand knowledge. And I’m not alone – your audience likely does this too – along with 48% of (Twitter) users in 2023.
But who is the audience on (Twitter)?
According to Search Logistics in September 2023, (Twitter) users are significantly skewed towards males – 68.1% compared to 31.9% females.
According to Statista statistics in 2022, the largest age group of (Twitter) users falls in the 25-34 age range.
Here’s the thing – from my experience as a marketer, knowing the most likely segments of your audience to be on a specific platform is helpful when it comes to deciding to show up and post content there.
But be careful, you should also ensure that you’re not limited to just promoting and selling. As with everything, sales on (Twitter) usually come from relationships, so you should start slowly.
Drivon McConville, CEO of Klipboard (@klipboard_io), beautifully illustrates this:
“When you come across a tweet from a potential customer, don’t go straight for the hard sell. Start with a friendly question or a meaningful comment. Share information that speaks to their interests and needs to engage them. Your followers will appreciate the authenticity of your timeline, which showcases your industry knowledge and the value your products offer. Remember that selling is about relationship building, and (Twitter) can help you do that on a global scale.”
Posting Varied Types of Content
Even if I go to (Twitter) for something specific, I usually spend a lot of time scrolling through my feed to see what’s new within my network. What’s interesting is that the posts I engage with are often a mix of hot and spicy posts and deep-thinking posts.
I’ve been following Brooklyn Nash from Beam Content (@realBrookNash) for several years now, and I love seeing his posts – so I wanted to make sure to use his insights in this article. Here’s what he said about the kinds of posts:
“Here’s the tough truth: there’s no surefire strategy for going viral on LinkedIn or (Twitter). The silly picture that takes me 30 seconds to create might get 100,000 views. The deep post that takes me 30 minutes might get 5,000 views.
“You need to…
To both; even if the latest post does not receive the same amount of interaction, it will speak to the people I’m looking to work with.
For me, this is one of the most important ideas – you might grab people’s attention at first with a sarcastic post, but they will continue to follow you because of the value you provide.
My colleague Francis Nayan (@francis_nayan) has had a lot of success with Twitter, having filled his group training program for freelancing almost entirely through the platform. He is a big fan of the unconventional use of Twitter – sharing long-form content:
“Twitter was once a place where users could write up to 280 characters. Nowadays, we have a long-form writing feature that gives you more space to share content. I encourage you to take advantage of it. Make use of the increased character count by delving into your authority and personality content. You can present your long-form authority content like a researched case study and personal pieces like an online diary.”
Offering Exclusives for Twitter and Promoting Deals
In a world where most people are on multiple social media platforms, it can be good to “reward” the people who stay on Twitter, and this may mean creating exclusive offers for your audience. Even if your deals aren’t exclusive to Twitter, you can effectively use it to promote all your sales.
Take Captain Creps for example (@captaincreps). They use Twitter to share relevant information as well as tips and tricks. Manager Josh Herbert says:
“Twitter is a great tool when communicating sales messages or additional news like ‘in stock’ or ‘new release’. By building an audience of people who are interested in the items your company sells, these quick promotional tweets on Twitter can succinctly convey your point.”
What’s also interesting about Captain Creps is that they optimize each account for a specific audience, creating multiple Twitter accounts specifically for different subcategories, like ladies’ shoes and clothing, so they can tailor messages and products.
Using Twitter to Build Relationships
Draven McConville touched upon this above, but while part of Twitter is about grabbing people’s attention, it’s not the most important part.
In fact, something I say repeatedly is “the most important part of social media doesn’t happen on social media.”
Here’s the thing – people buy from those they like. This is true whether you’re in B2B or B2C relationships. Sales are about relationships. So yes, use Twitter as a marketing tool to reach your audience and build authority. But don’t sacrifice potential relationships for “engagement.”
While engagement does stimulate the algorithm, in my opinion, it is often a vanity metric that doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t lead to sales.
My advice is this – focus on all the best practices for visibility, but connect with people, whether by inviting them to a Zoom call, commenting on their content, or asking them thoughtful questions.
This is something @realBrookNash also agrees with, as he says: “For me, social posts are often just a gateway to some great conversations via direct messages and Zoom calls with freelancers, marketing pioneers, agency owners, and other tech professionals. Sure, I may be less protective of my evaluation than others, but I truly feel that through these private conversations, referrals, sales, exposure, and trust have resulted.”
Finding Influential Accounts to Follow
Following any of the people I’ve already mentioned is a great way to see how people use Twitter for sales. Besides following people who are influential in your circles or industry, here are some other accounts I think are worth following.
Elon
Musk
Account: @elonmusk
Why I recommend following: Look, Musk can be controversial. But whether you love him or hate him, he’s often one of the best sources of information on what’s happening on (Twitter). So staying updated on what’s going on with him is very important.
Kim Garst
Account: @kimgarst
Why I recommend following: As one of the top social media influencers teaching others how to build, grow, and monetize, Kim consistently shares valuable tips and content that make you feel great.
Gary Vaynerchuk
Account: @garyvee
Why I recommend following: Gary is one of those marketing personalities that seems to be everywhere – a powerhouse in content creation. He’s active on (Twitter) and with 3.1 million followers, you’ll get advice on various ways you can use to grow your audience on (Twitter).
15 Tips to Improve Your Use of (Twitter) and Increase Sales
1. Update your profile picture.
Like LinkedIn, your (Twitter) profile should include a recent, professional-looking picture with good lighting that draws people in to interact. Or, if your account represents a brand, use your logo.
2. Create a good cover photo.
Take advantage of the ad space to clarify what you do, using clear, concise, professional graphics that are easy to read.
3. Add your title to your name.
My friend Grace Baldwin @heygracebaldwin does a great job of using characters in her name to distinguish herself – using an emoji for distinction in the feed and including her title in the character count of the name.
4. Use your bio to stand out.
Listing your title alone isn’t particularly interesting. Use the first line of your (Twitter) bio to spotlight what you do.
You can take a cue from @realBrookNash as a conversation starter – who wouldn’t want to connect with a Chief of Police?
Alternatively, you might use it to showcase your value proposition. Who do you help and how do you help them? This is more informative and appealing to potential customers than “Sales Rep at Company X.”
5. Add your company’s (Twitter) handle.
Whether you’re in sales or simply have multiple (Twitter) accounts for your company, be sure to link the main account handle in your bio.
I chose this example from HubSpot Developers because it shows how the sub-account connects well to the main account – meaning your profile will show up when people search for your organization.
6. Share a quick tip.
Today’s best sales reps don’t just wait for inquiries from prospects – they teach them something new. I love this bio from Collin Frances (@EngageColleen), which plants the idea that her audience needs to redraw their sales maps – and she’s going to show us how to do it.
Since there’s not much space to work with, the tendency leans toward simple, attention-grabbing matters.
7. A sprinkle of hashtags.
I love Mike Kunkle’s (@Mike_Kunkle) (Twitter) profile. In addition to linking his company (tip #5), he uses hashtags that his target audience can search or track. Ultimately, I want you to remember – (Twitter) is a search engine, so you should make your profile easily discoverable.
8. Share a personal detail.
Finding space for a non-work interest helps your audience connect with you on a personal level. This is precisely why Ian Brody’s profile makes me smile every time. In addition to very fun illustrations (tip #2), his profile showcases his love for peppers in his name (tip #3) and bio.
9. Share your website.
Your (Twitter) bio should link to your website – that way, everyone who visits your profile can access your site where they can take the action you desire.
10. Post regularly.
(Twitter’s) algorithm rewards those who post regularly – and consistently. So if you post 15 updates in one week and nothing for several months, there’s a good chance people won’t see you as much as if you posted once a day. And when I look at people, if they haven’t posted in the past few weeks or only post sporadically, it feels like they are using (Twitter) just as a secondary thought.
11.
Retweeting audience content.
This isn’t a huge deal for building your personal authority, but it’s about showing your audience – the people you want to build relationships with – that you care. So sure, you can hit that retweet button to help spread the word.
However, one of the things I’m seeing more and more in every algorithm is that more people see – and engage with – posts where you add your comments. Thought leadership and opinions gain traction.
12. Use hashtags.
Now, I know you’ve seen posts that contain only hashtags. You’ve also seen posts that contain only fun hashtags #IKnowWhatYouMean. Fun hashtags can be used sporadically for fun, or to tie to a specific event – like a wedding between Ashley Doe and John Nottingham where their hashtag could be #NottinghamTie.
However, the most important thing to know about hashtags is that you should use hashtags that your audience finds valuable and searchable. Twitter analytics can be useful when it comes to choosing hashtags.
13. Get verified.
One of the biggest criticisms I’ve seen of Twitter Blue is that it’s available to anyone. While that is true, the blue verification checkmark still gives you added credibility. There are certain procedures you have to follow to ensure that you meet eligibility criteria.
14. Build followers by following your target accounts.
There are many ways to build followers, but one of the best ways is to find potential client and peer accounts and start following them and engaging with them. They’re more likely to follow you back – and then when you share great content, they’re more likely to see it. The algorithm is more likely to suggest your content to their followers.
One of the most important aspects of using Twitter to build relationships is that you never know who’s watching or interested – and who might become a good referral partner even if they’re not a potential client.
15. Use images and visuals.
When I scroll through my Twitter feed, I’m more likely to click on posts that contain images. We all are. So while not every post needs a photo or meme or image, know that posts with these elements are likely to attract more people to your account.
And don’t underestimate video. According to Twitter in 2023, there are 2 billion daily video views, and “video tweets receive 10 times the engagement than tweets without video.”
No matter how you attract followers – do your best to create engaging content so that people follow you and look forward to the value you offer – ultimately becoming clients or referral partners.
Conclusion
Twitter – or X – is still alive and kicking – and it’s a great place for you to make sales! By using the tips and enhancements I’ve shared, you can increase engagement and connect with your target audience. If you use your Twitter account to build relationships with your audience, the sales will follow.
Topics:
Social Marketing
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/the-anatomy-of-a-twitter-profile-optimized-for-social-selling
Leave a Reply