subject: Internet Marketing Through the Eyes of Twitter [print this page] At this very moment Twitter is one of the great tools to help any business grow whether it'sfor internet marketing, a bricks and mortar business, or just a simple case of someone working from home. So how would you feel if you had acquired 40,000 followers and established many good customers through Twitter, only to have them freeze your account?
After receiving some in dept training on internet marketing, I thought I might share some important pointers to help you avoid common pitfalls that could have your followers un follow you, or at worst, have Twitter close your account down! If you do work from home you'll need to take heed and watch out forthe rules and regulationswhen using this wonderfulnetworking tool.
1. Don't be a spammer
Don't start following others then bombard them with your adverts. This is a sure way for others to stop following you and have Twitter throw you out on your ear. In other words don't be a spammer! Mix it up a little with the odd inspirational quote, an interesting article that you've perhaps read and feel may be of interest to your followers. If you know of any top internet marketers or someone successfullyworking from homewith an online business that is using Twitter, check out their pageand see what they do. Learn from the experts!
2. Have your 'Welcome' mat ready
Set up an automated 'Thank you for following me' direct message that will be sent to people immediately after they've started following you. It's both courteous and important to acknowledge those who want to follow what you have to say; however, do not include any adverts in this message, and make sure you have at least 4 different 'Thank you' messages, otherwise this will be another reason Twitter will tag you as a spammer. Remember this is a social networking site you're dealing with. It's all about people and building relationships.
3. No sports cars, pets or little blue birds
Resist using the standard Twitter icon for your picture,or for that matter, a picture of your pet or favourite sports car. Instead get a good head and shoulders photo of yourself smiling. It will show that you are a serious and professional entrepreneur. It would also be wise to get a professional looking custom made background for your twitter account. It's so much more inviting and appealing. Again check out what the top internet marketers are doing; there are some really smart backgrounds out there that grab your attention
4. Stalking not allowed!
Whatever you do as a beginner,avoid following as many people as you can possibly cram in! Up until the moment when you get to the point of following 2,000 people, your followers must not be 10% less than this figure. In other words you can have your account suspended if you are following a large amount of people compared with the amount of people that are following you. If in doubt check their terms and conditions.
5. Keep it lively
Try and tweet 10 things every day. It will keep you in the mind of your followers. Make sure your articles are both interesting and informative, mixed in with one or two quotes. For every 10 tweets you do, make at least 3 of them adverts or some sort of promotional toolregarding the nature of your business.However have at least a 1 hour gap in between each tweet.
6. Purge those that are just hanging around
Don't keep following people thatare not following you back. It's not only a waste of time but it will clutter up your account and keep adding to your 'following' number, which as mentioned above you need to be very careful about. Always keep your account tidy and professional.
Remember its not just about the hard sell, (in fact it should never be about the hard sell). Twitteris very strict on this and will stop anyone in their tracks if they feelyou are just on the site to sell and promote.It's about establishing rapport and relationships, and about you giving yourfollowers value.
