Ever since Twitter entered our lives 15 years ago, we’ve not needed to check the TV for breaking news. It has become the fastest source of information. Twitter itself had made news several times when it got mired in many legal battles.
But despite all this, no younger counterpart has been able to take the sheen off Twitter. The microblogging platform is also seen as the go-to place to look for product insights or engage with brands.
The initially 140-character, but now the 280-character platform has given a lot of power to the commoner.
Numbers Count, A Lot
In 2021 there are 199 million Twitter users, and according to a report, there are 2.4 million social media experts. Most of these people have at least once in their lives mulled if the number of followers matters. We’ll say it does. Not just quantity, quality matters too.
Having a large number of followers on Twitter gives you an identity. But your tweets are visible only to your followers. So, if you don’t have enough followers, you can’t be a thought leader. But at the same time, if your followers are in an inactive lot, big numbers won’t help.
Depending on the number of followers, Twitter influencers can be placed into five categories. Check out the chart below and see where you stand as a Twitter influencer.
Figure 1: Chart showing different categories of Twitter influencers.
Secret Unveiled! 25 Tips To Boost Your Twitter Presence
1. Maintain your profile
Be witty with your bio and handle. If you want some attention, start with a picture instead of being an egghead. Let your personality shine through your bio and your photo. Use keywords in your bio, as a good bio is search engine optimized.
Be specific when writing bio, try to answer these questions, and you are all sorted:
- Who are you?
- What is your focal area?
- What is your credibility?
2. Keep it unique
Develop a unique style that is recognizable and relatable. Do not try to copy anybody; share your perspective on things. But speak only when you have something to add to the conversation, not just for the heck of it.
3. Keep it short
Keep your content to the point. If your tweets are shorter, your followers would have a little space to add something to your post. According to a study, retweets account for 78 percent of user engagement.
4. Use hashtags
Hashtags help you gain followers. With hashtags, you can initiate a conversation, be a part of an ongoing banter, or make a community. All you need to do is make sure you choose industry-specific or relatable hashtags. With Hashtags, you can also target those who don’t follow you. Using one or a maximum of two hashtags per tweet is ideal for gaining attention.
5. Respond to followers
‘Engage, reply, and respond’ should be your mantra as a Twitter influencer. But deal politely with the trolls. Engaging in a Twitter war is a sure-shot way of losing credibility. You’ve worked hard to build relationships, so nourish them with your personal touch.
6. Learn the lingo
Before you dream of becoming a Twitter influencer, you should learn the lingo of Twitterati. To make it big in the Twitterverse, learn how to make Tweeple follow you. If you don’t speak their language, they might not recommend you for #FF. For the uninitiated, FF stands for Follow Friday, where Twitterers recommend users to people on Fridays.
Here are a few Twitter slangs for your reference:
MT or MRT: A retweet modified to add your observation is called a modified tweet or modified retweet.
Subtweet: A tweet written for another person, without directly mentioning them. While being cryptic, it is perfectly intelligible for the person it is targeted at.
#WCW: This is an acronym for Women Crush Wednesday, where people post pictures of women they admire.
7. Stay active
Don’t bombard your followers with your posts but stay active. According to research, the more tweets an account has, the more followers they’re likely to have.
8. Speak your mind
Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, even if it means going against the tide. Back your argument with facts, and logic and you are good to go. Your opinion may kick off a debate which may even help you jumpstart a trending topic. But always be polite. Shine and show what you are passionate about and what you believe.
9. Join/host Twitter chats
When Twitterers meet at a scheduled time and discuss a topic using a specific hashtag, it is a Twitter chat. Generally, the hosts ask questions, and the participants reply. It is a social networking event, where you meet new people with common interests. You can quickly grow your circle if you keep participating in such chats or host your own. Although it takes some preparation, it is worth the effort if you are looking to establish yourself as a Twitter influencer. Chatsalad is a platform to find upcoming chat events.
10. Pin posts to your profile
Use the pin-to-your-profile feature of Twitter to pin your best tweet to your timeline. Being on the top gives it more visibility and your followers a chance to engage with it. You can either use this option for pinning a promotional tweet or one of your best tweets. But always remember to put your best foot – oops! we mean the best tweet forward.
11. Tweak headlines
In the case of sharing news, never use the headline as it is. Tweak it before you share the attachment. Only lazy people tweet it the way it is. And we all know by now, lazy means boring. Who wants to follow boring people on Twitter anyway? Keep trying innovative methods to keep your audience enthralled.
12. Don’t retweet
We know you are shocked, and you have been doing this for ages. But trust us and don’t touch that button ever again. No, it doesn’t mean that you are never going to share someone’s tweet again. You will. But use the simple copy-paste method. Why? Because you can’t change what has been written once you press the retweet button. On top of that, it doesn’t include your profile picture plus many people can turn off retweets. What is the point of being a Twitter influencer if you can’t reach your followers?
13. Tweet live event
According to Twitter research, if you live-tweet from an ongoing event, you can witness 160% growth in followers and 190% in retweets. Moreover, live-tweeting allows you to network with others who share your tastes.
14. Host contests
Nothing drives engagement like a good contest. It creates a buzz, attracts a new audience, and helps retain those already following you. It may sound like fun, but it requires a lot of effort. Choose the right reward that will be incentive enough for users to participate. It may not be expensive, but it must be attractive. You need to set rules from the word go. And for the sake of being fair, you need to select a Twitter giveaway picker. You can choose any of these tools depending upon the type of your contest. Phew! It’s a lot of work, but it holds a lot of potential on the flip side.
15. Use viral words
Use words that connect you to your followers. Be casual and witty. Even the corporate giants also like to have some fun on Twitter. Popular words catch followers’ attention, and your tweets can go viral. You can impact thousands, if not millions, if you strike the right chord with them. Choose your words wisely.
16. Schedule your tweets
Schedule your tweets to keep your followers engaged. It can be a game-changer. Without being online all the time, you can still stay in touch with your followers. This can sort out the issues that can arise if there is a geographical distance between you and your target audience. Whether awake or asleep, free or busy, you will always remain connected with your followers. There are various tools from which you can control your postings. Pick a tool of your choice and breathe easy!
17. Golden ratio
If a user has more followers than the accounts they follow, it is considered worth following since it has the golden ratio. People who share information, instead of promoting themselves, manage to gather a good following. As a rule of thumb:
- Post at least 30% original tweets.
- Have 60% of curated content.
- 10% of your content can be promotional.
18. Use period
Not many understand this, but here’s a secret tool for you. When tweeting to someone, you generally write @username, and only those who follow both you and the person you are tweeting to will be able to see. But if you want all your followers to see your tweet, there is an easy fix – use a period. While tweeting, instead of @username, write .@username. This dot will allow all your followers to see what you have to say. This tweet will then also be visible in the Google search.
19. Tweet images
Remember the saying: A picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe not 1,000 words but 140 characters on Twitter. Tweets with images grab attention quickly. Similarly, tweets with videos and GIFs work better in terms of engagement than plain text. Visual tweets get amplified via retweets and likes quickly.
20. Keep lists
No matter if you are a newbie Twitter influencer or a veteran, Twitter lists are something that comes in handy for everyone. You can form communities among your followers who share interests while keeping others out of it. These lists are a great tool to keep a tab on your competitors.
Just in case you are planning to leave your lists open to the public, be sure to give them a good name as users will get a notification. And you don’t want to land up in an embarrassing situation.
21. Tag people/brands
There’s nothing wrong with mentioning people or brands while tweeting. Brands or celebrities would be happy to know what is being written about them. But don’t cross the line by simply tagging them to garner more attention. Stay relevant and valuable to them, and you will build mutually beneficial relationships.
22. Use analytics
You can use Twitter analytics to get details of your stats. It’s a powerful tool for any influencer. Engagement, reach, impressions, everything is available on your dashboard. You get insights into how your audience reacts to your tweets, and you can certainly modify your social media strategy or keep going strong, keeping their reaction in mind.
But did you know which stat holds more significance for you as an influencer? No, then go ahead and read: Social Reach vs Engagement — Which Is More Important? (We Settle The Debate!)
23. Sync contact list
Sync your contact list with Twitter. It’s such a simple thing, but sometimes we find it unnecessary and skip it. With an updated phonebook synced to your Twitter account, you may find many followers within your network without having to do any extra grunt work.
24. Poach them
You can bring in your existing followers on other platforms to Twitter. All you need to do is share your handle on other platforms. This will encourage users of other social media to follow you on Twitter.
25. Be real, be human
Reveal your real self if you want people to like you as a Twitter influencer. Share your personal stories, get real – that is what connects you with the audience. Instead of being a jerk and picking up fights, show your humane side and share things that affect you!
Not just on Twitter, as an influencer, you can create your niche anywhere. Read this: 10 Steps To Building Your Online Tribe
If you are curious how it works for brands, read our blog: Getting Started on Twitter For Business? Do These 9 Things First.
So, what’s the secret sauce to cutting through the chatter and getting noticed on Twitter? Luckily for you, the secret sauce doesn’t have to be such a secret!
A good idea at the right time is the recipe for a viral tweet. Manage your Twitter presence with atisfyre. We connect you with the right brands in your niche, allow you to create, and monitor your efforts. Try it for free. All you need to do is sign up!
