Twitter is a great tool for business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) marketing, if it is incorporated in your social media campaign correctly.  But, if you’ve never used Twitter before, it can seem quite complex initially. You’re probably thinking hashtag, (what the?), as I initially did when I first started using this platform, so don’t worry, you’re not alone there!

What makes Twitter such an important and innovative social media platform, is its ability to release the latest breaking news, media and innovations, quicker than other channels. If you’re following a sporting event, world crisis or even celebrity gossip, you’ll generally find it first on Twitter.

Personally, I love Twitter. It’s often the platform celebrities use when they decide to have a rant, and because information disseminates quickly through this channel, by the time they decide to delete the offensive tweet, it’s already gone viral!

A couple of my favourite celebrity tweets of all time, by Lindsey Lohan and Mary J Blige:

Mary J Blige, “Why is it that people always try to understand estimate my intelligents?! They should never do that!”

Lindsey Lohan, “Why is everyone in such a panic about hurricane (i’m calling it Sally)..? Stop projecting negativity! Think positive and pray for peace.”

All I’m saying is, lucky Lindsey can act, because the role for rocket scientist is not going to be on offer anytime soon!

I’ve written a simple guide below so you can understand and use Twitter effectively, for your business. In a nutshell, I’m going to teach you how to tweet, so you can avoid looking like a twit! If you’d like further assistance with your social media platforms or campaigns, find a social media specialist to teach you everything you need to know!

WHAT IS A TWEET?

A Twitter message is called a tweet. Tweets are only allowed to have 140 characters of text, but you can also add videos, photos and numerous other media forms to your tweet, to give it more impact.

SO A FEEDS NOT A MEAL?

No, a Twitter feed is where you can find information and updates from other users. You also have your own personal feed, which is where you post your tweets for your followers to see.

ISN’T A HANDLE SOMETHING YOU USE TO OPEN A DOOR?

Not when referring to Twitter. A handle is an alternative for saying your account name. For example, @Twitter, @Lindsey’s latest weather forecast! It’s important to keep your handle the same, so people can use it to track you down through other social media platforms.

SO A RETWEET DOESN’T REFER TO LEAVING THE BATTLE FIELD?

No, unless your commander-in-chief suffers from a lisp! A retweet is a Twitter term used to describe your tweet being shared. This is a major goal in social media marketing campaigns, because it highlights that a tweet is not only popular amongst your audience, it identifies your market reach expanding.

HOW DOES A HASHTAG WORK?

A hashtag is either a word or phrase preceded by “#” symbol. It is a clear way of highlighting topics to help Twitter users identify specific areas of interest that relate to them.

A DIRECT MESSAGE DOESN’T INVOLVE A LETTERBOX?

Ironically not, when it comes to using Twitter.  A direct message allows you to contact one of your followers directly, although they also have to be following you, and vice versa. They can also reply to this message.

For further assistance with social media, contact the experts at Ad On Digital. They can set up your social media accounts, create a campaign, incorporate analytics and track how well your campaign is going. Call now on (07) 5586 1412 or send an email if you have an enquiry.