Brand exposure and development can be as easy as getting “retweeted” from the right company or person. A retweet, or RT for short, is an action used on Twitter that takes someone else’s post and re-posts it to your personal Twitter feed. This can be awesome for you if someone with a bunch of followers (also known as an influencer) RT’s you. All of their followers then can see your post.
Great right? Why aren’t you getting any RT’s? Here are some ways that’ll help:
Using Links, Photos, and GIFs
Having photos or links along with your post makes your posts stand out. People see thousands of posts a day, but using the right photo or linking to the right article can make them stop scrolling in their tracks. A great feature of twitter is the ability to add GIFs. These short animated videos increase engagement and make it more likely for someone to hit the button.
Catching the reader’s attention is the first step. Once these links catch their attention, you have to make sure that the link is something that the reader is going to want to see and will find RT worthy.
Find Popular Tweets’s
If you are not already following your competition online, you should open a new browser tab and go do it. Not only is it important for knowing what they are up to (from my experience, some companies have a tendency to over-share), you can gain valuable insight into what they are doing and what is popular.
For example, if others in your industry are tweeting about the color green and they are getting tons of interaction, you should also be tweeting about the color green. It is important to stay true to yourself, but it is also important to join what could be a popular conversation.
To Get you Must Give
Talk to other companies. Tell them how much you like their posts by retweeting and following them. It is only right that they return the favor someday.
If you have clients, comment on their posts as well. Be interactive and once other people see that you are friendly, they are going to start talking to you as well. Every time you retweet someone, They get a little blast of excitement that could make them a loyal customer. It’s a great way to start virtual conversations.
Using Hashtags Correctly
Using hashtags is awesome for making your tweets seen and getting interaction. But you can’t just throw any hashtag in any post. The hashtags you use in your post should most importantly, be relevant to your business or what you do (As should all of your posts for that matter). It helps if your hashtags are currently trending or are very popular ones to use. It will be tempting to load your posts with tons of hashtags, but for Twitter, best practice is to only use 2-3 per post.
It should be obvious that hashtags are important for your business. Being able to join conversations both locally and nationally lets you reach people that are like-minded and might be interested in your products and services. The hashtag is an underrated strategy that with a little time and effort, could more than double the reach of your posts.
1) How many hashtags should I use?
This is a very important question to ask. Every social media network has a best practice when it comes to the number of hashtags you should be using. For places like Facebook and LinkedIn, hashtags are fairly new and are not widely used. On these channels, it is perfectly acceptable to not include any hashtags in a post. If you do want to add hashtags to a post, keep the number low (1-4). For Twitter, hashtags are much more important, but you only have 140 characters to get your point across. A good rule to follow is to stay around 2-3 hashtags. Last, but definitely not least, is Instagram. Anyone who uses Instagram knows that hashtags are extremely important. The maximum number of hashtags you can have on a post is 30, and while you don’t need to use all of them, you should be using at least 20 per post.
2) How do I determine what hashtags to use?
Research. It is actually really easy to find good hashtags to use in your industry, and by spending an hour researching your hashtags, you will be set up for long-term success. Let’s say that you are a dog groomer. Start by typing words that are related to your business like dogs, dog groomers, and beautiful dog into the search bar of whatever network you are using. Look for popular posts that have a lot of engagement and take a look at what hashtags they are using. Some of them might not work for you, but others might be perfect for the community you are trying to reach. For small businesses, it is also important to look for trending hashtags in your area by using features like near me (twitter) and location tags (Instagram). Find popular posts in your area and see if there are any area-specific hashtags that people are using. This will help you reach people who are more local and can actually make purchases from your local business.
3) What kind of things should I avoid when adding hashtags to posts?
First, be sure to pay attention to the length of the hashtags you are using. #Havingahashtagthatisthislongisconfusingandhardforpeopletoreadanddoesnotdoanythingforyourbusiness.
I think I proved my point! Next, when you are adding your hashtags, make sure to double-check them for spelling. Since hashtags are often multiple words combined together, the autocorrect on your phone or other devices can get tricked and cause your hashtag to go haywire. Finally, remember, hashtags are a way for you to join a conversation. Be sure your messages are to the point, make sense for the conversation that is taking place, and are the types of messages you want other people to see. The wrong message with the wrong hashtag could turn into a nightmare.
BONUS TIP: Brand with your own hashtag!
Have a good social following and are looking for a way to engage with more people? Think about starting your own hashtag! This allows you to drive a conversation on your own and create a community on your social accounts. Just make sure that your hashtag is not heavily used already, is easy it understand and remember, and is consistent with your brand.
Find out what works for you and your company. Keep trying new posts until you find out the perfect social media strategy. It is social media, so try and be as social and friendly as possible. You aren’t going to get results overnight, so continue to be social and the results will come to you. The more time you put into it, the sooner the results come.