Step 3. Finding New Audiences
You don’t even have to leave Twitter to find new audiences. In addition to all the usual prompted ways to connect (searching your email accounts, for example), there are third-party sites and apps you can use, as well as searching hashtags and using Advanced Search.
But there are a few key actions that top Twitter users seem to take. Before chasing off after the latest app, make sure you have these set in place:
- Tweet focused, fascinating content.
People are tired of serial retweeters and spammy marketing messages. Make sure that whatever you share – whether or not it is personal or promotional – speaks directly to your target listener, firmly hooking into her areas of interest. Keep your company mission or goal as central to every tweet. Before hitting the button, ask yourself “does this detract from what I want to portray… or is it in alignment?”
Make sure your tweet is unique and personal (in that it doesn’t sound as if it was written by a robot).
And here’s a powerful example of why you should take that extra time to create great tweets.
This tweet was chosen by Twitter as a “Top Tweet” – meaning that out of all the tweets created to promote (in this case) a particular hashtag, this one was the tweet retweeted most – and, if you remember, retweeting increases your Twitter status. You can view your own top tweets at My Top Tweet.
Now you’re ready to find a bigger, targeted audience – and they are ready to find you.…
- Search through authority blogs you regularly read. Look for people who comment or guest-author.
Follow the blog administrator or creator. (Particularly follow the Twitter Advertising Blog, since this tells you what makes money for Twitter – and therefore will be important for your own Twitter research.
- Join Twitter Chats. This is a great way to become known and find quality people to follow. There are several sites like TweetReports displaying the latest TweetChat schedules – both multiple subject and niche-specific.
- Create a Chat. Don’t just wait to find the right one – create a regular, weekly TweetChat specifically for existing subscribers – and ask them to share it.
Put your TweetChat name and hashtag right in your Profile Summary, as Sanah Javani has done, below.
- Join Groups: LinkedIn Groups for strictly business; Facebook for a wide selection of special interests and Yahoo Groups for hobby niches.
Again, Groups allow you to become known – which lead to “follows”. So be sure to include your Twitter handle in your Profile and posts or post signatures (if allowed).
- Join Forums or Membership sites that are built around your niche. Provide quality comments, answers and questions. Be there – daily and regularly.
And – again – include your Twitter handle wherever it’s allowed within those sites.
More in this series:
- Step 1. Twitter as a Business Research Tool
- Step 2. Topic Research
- Step 3. Finding New Audiences
- Step 4. Managing Your Followers
- Step 5. Searching and using Hashtags