Benefit Your Business with Twitter Marketing

Benefit Your Business with Twitter Marketing

Are you an online business owner?  Whether you sell a product, a service, or generate income through affiliate links, internet marketing is a must.  To generate a sale, you must first drive traffic to your website or blog.  There are many ways for you to do so, including the social networking website Twitter.

Before highlighting the benefits of marketing your business with Twitter, understand what Twitter is.  As previously stated, it is a social networking website that also acts as a micro-blog.  After signing up for a Twitter account, you develop a list of contacts.  These are individuals you want to follow or receive updates from.  Many will return the favor, becoming followers of your updates.  There are no limits on how many messages you can send; however, there is a 140 character limit.  Updates, otherwise known as Tweets, are sent through instant messaging, mobile web applications, RSS feeds, Facebook, and the Twitter website.

By performing a search on Search.Twitter.com, you will see updates contain varying information.  Some may ask questions on a new way to make money online, others may highlight their day, and so forth.  The key to using Twitter as a marketing tool is to advertise without really advertising.  Respond to Tweets found on Search.Twitter.com that are applicable to your website, blog, product or service.  Occasionally send updates to your friends. Highlight your new blog post, summarize a product you are selling, or provide a discount code.  You can also reply to members that you follow.

As for the benefits of marketing your business with Twitter:

You can generate traffic.  As previously stated, whether you sell a product or service, either directly or indirectly, you need to drive traffic to your business website.  You can easily do so with Twitter.  Did you recently update your blog?  If so, share a summary of your post on Twitter and then provide a link.

You can generate interest.  In addition to generating traffic to your website or blog, you can also generate internet.  There are a number of ways to do so.  First, create catchy Tweets.  For example, do you sell a new eco-friendly product?  If so, don’t just instruct people to buy your product, but ask for their feedback.  Ask how it can help the environment.  Then, ask your followers to forward information on your product to their contacts.  When you have a catchy message and product or service, it is easy to generate interest on Twitter.

You can make a sale.  Regardless of whether you sell a product or a service, a sale will generate income.  By increasing visitors to your website, you increase your chances of making a sale.  You can go a step farther by making contacts that are within your targeted market.  For example, do you sell children’s clothes?  If so, your target market is parents.  Perform a search on Search.Twitter.com to find posts that focus on parenting.  You can offer a response that leads to your website, increasing your chances of making a sale.

You can get feedback.  As previously stated, a great way to subtly increase traffic to your website or blog is to ask for feedback.  By providing a link, you will not only get website traffic, but you will also get what you asked for, feedback.  For example, do you sell great products, but are your prices too high?  Twitter members will let you know.

You can update customers.  When connecting with customers, may opt for newsletters.  Yes, you can take this approach, but you can also do Twitter updates.  Give your customers the opt in for Twitter updates.  You can share promotional codes, new product releases, and so forth.  If you take this approach, create a separate account for business and personal use.

Finally, you can use Twitter to hire help.  Whether you want to hire a full-time employee or outsource a writing project or two, you can use Twitter to find qualified individuals looking for work.

5 Twitter Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Do you want to use Twitter as an internet marketing tool?  If so, congratulations.  You are taking a step in the right direction.  Once people realize that Twitter is more than just a way to stay in contact with friends and family, they start to see success.  Depending on how you earn income, that success could include website or blog traffic and increased sales for products or services.

Twitter is a great way to market yourself and your business online.  With that said, many new members make costly mistakes.  These mistakes, five of which are outlined below, are ones you want to avoid making.

1 – Spam

Spam is defined as unsolicited bulk advertisements.  To prevent your Twitter messages from sounding spammy, limit the number you send.  For example, five Tweets a week that direct readers to your blog is not considered spam, but five hundred messages are.

As previously stated, spam is defined as unsolicited bulk advertisements.  It is okay to send updates to your followers asking them to view your website, blog, or see a product you are selling, but also rely on replies.  If someone asks a question that you can answer by directing traffic to your website or blog do so.  This is unsolicited, as an applicable question was asked.

2 – Outright Advertisements

Another easy way to avoid the spam factor is to make your Tweet messages not appear as advertisements.  Yes, your mail goal is to advertise your website, blog, product, or service, but take the roundabout approach.  Many use Twitter to communicate with friends and to network online.  Most users do not want to spend hours reading and sifting through advertisements.

For example, do you work as a freelance web designer?  If so, you should have a website.  Direct people to your website through a Tweet message, but don’t say “buy my service,” or “become a customer.”  Instead, ask for feedback.  See if others think your rates are fair or ask to have your samples reviewed.  This still gets people to your website and if they want your service, they will buy it.

3 – Too Many Messages

As previously stated, avoid sending too many messages on Twitter.  These messages, also known as updates and Tweets, will be sent to your followers.  You can send private messages, otherwise they will automatically be sent to each of your followers.  Unless your account is private, your messages will also be searchable. 

For private conversations between friends and family, keep your messages private.  In fact, create a separate Twitter account.  For business use, do not send multiple messages an hour.  This is can be considered spam, especially if your updates are outright advertisements.

4 – Late Night Twitters

A cell phone is not required to use Twitter, although many members do.  It is not uncommon for mobile phone users to receive alerts when they get a Twitter message.  For that reason, Twitter during normal business hours.  Remember your goal is to market and make a name for your business, not disrupt potential customers during sleep.

5 – Not Taking Full Advantage of Twitter

This is the biggest mistake an internet marketer can do.  First, if you have a Twitter account, make sure you are using it for business, not just personal use.  Not realizing Twitter’s potential as an internet marketing tool can cost you money.

Next, rely on Twitter’s tools.  You can find contacts by searching by email address, name, and location.  Perform a search on Search.Twitter.com.  Look for those who need a product or service you are selling.  For example, do you sell eco-friendly products online?  If so, reply and follow those with Tweets concerning the environment.  You can advertise your product or website through @replies.

In short, Twitter is a great way to market your website, blog, products, or services online.  With that said, use your best judgment.  Never send late night Tweets, search for contacts online, do not spam users, and cleverly disguise your advertisements as helpful updates and replies.