Twitter is one of the major players in social media marketing, but what are the best ways to get some of the 320 million monthly active users to engage with your brand?
It is easy to get frustrated when you are producing regular content with little interaction. Whether you’re aiming for mentions, favourites, re-tweets or click-throughs to your website, there are many techniques available to increase your Twitter engagement. Here are our top 5:
1 – KNOW YOUR PEAK HOURS
If you pay close attention to your social media analytics, you will have recognised that – as with other platforms – there are prime times of the days or week when more users are active and are more likely to engage with your content. Most studies are consistent in finding that posting during daytime hours yields the most engagement; however, it is best to tailor your communication to your audience. Test how your content performs at different times and determine what works best for you and your audience, then exploit these peak hours.
2 – VISUAL CONTENT
Visual content is particularly important on Twitter, as communication is limited to 140 characters. High resolution images are more dynamic, whether that’s in the form of an infographic, a data graph, a GIF, or a simple photograph, and studies show that Tweets with images receive 150% more re-tweets. You can share up to four images in a single Tweet- known as a Twitter photo collage - but just a single image can drive engagement.
Don’t underestimate the power of video. It can be a great way to break news stories, offer a behind-the-scenes look, evoke emotion, and give extra life to Twitter posts.
Include subtitles when possible – as users often scroll Twitter without sound - and remember that although maximum length is 2 minutes 20 seconds, you’re likely to lose most viewers after 30 seconds. Keep it short, if possible!
3 – ENGAGE WITH OTHER USERS’ CONTENT
That good old saying: ‘treat people as you would like to be treated’ applies online, too! If you want users to engage with your content, start with interacting with theirs by liking, responding to, and retweeting their content. Not only will this increase engagement, it will also build relationships between your brand and desired users, expanding benefits concretely.
4 – RESPOND AND ASK QUESTIONS
If you are a large brand, responding to large amounts of engagement can be particularly challenging, but taking the time to recognise people’s thoughts and comments can go a long way. It is absolutely paramount when mentions concern criticism or dissatisfied customers, to ensure strong CRM. This not only increases the chance of responding in some way to your reply, but also increases their future engagement.
Tweeting questions is one of the most classic engagement-building tactics, because it works. People like to share experiences and offer opinions – especially if the brand listens, and responds!
5 – MIX UP CONTENT
Although driving traffic to your website may be the main objective, Tweets should be varied in content. Your Twitter account should convey a mixture of original content, along with content curated from other relevant and authoritative sources. Whether found on Twitter or externally, be sure to share information and tag the brand or user that created it. This can establish influencer and industry relationships, as well as providing your followers with interesting and engaging sources.