The Professionals Guide: Making Twitter Work for You
by Morgan Cruz, Marketing Content Coordinator, MHI | @mhi_morgan
Are you a professional that feels, “I don’t get it” or “I don’t have time” to maintain your Twitter account? If so, you are not alone. The busy professional wants to know how to use Twitter effectively without wasting time online. Some Twitter users want to become well connected and have a lot to share. Others use Twitter more as a valuable information resource. Here are some must-know steps to ensure Twitter is working best for you.
Define Your Purpose: Why did you get on Twitter?
What motivated you to create a Twitter account? Do you want to have a personalized list of news in the morning? Are you trying to create awareness about your brand, a cause or are you a thought leader in your field? The reasons professionals join Twitter vary however, the users that get the most out of their Twitter account are the ones that know what they want from the social platform.
Set up a Winning Profile: Represent your Personal Brand
First things first, edit your profile to accurately match your purpose on Twitter. Upload a good quality headshot as your profile picture. Make sure this picture represents your personal brand and supports your purpose well. Add life to your profile with an interesting background picture. This can be abstract or not, but avoid looking generic. The background picture is your chance to visually capture and tell more about your personal brand. Lastly, you have 160 characters to write your bio. This should sound exciting and speak to your niche. For example, if your goal on Twitter is to learn from and connect with supply chain professionals then, your niche is supply chain and your bio must appeal to professionals like yourself.
Find Who to Follow: Who interests you?
Twitter’s mission is to give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers. This is awesome for those who want to know what their favorite blogs, public figures, reporters, companies, experts, etc. have to share – instantly! Twitter allows you to create lists as a way of organizing who you follow. For example, you may have a separate list for news, finance and technology. These lists allow you to focus on what and who you want to follow quickly in one spot. For best results, target who you follow by connecting with users like yourself and organizations that relate to your niche.
Know Your Followers: What interests them?
It is important to know your audience when tweeting. Tweets that offer the most value and speak to your follower’s interest will capture the most engagement. Failing to share relevant content may result in some un-follows or muddle your personal brand. If you don’t have anything to share, that’s fine too! Make Twitter work for you by using it as an information tool. Find relevant, quality content on topics that interest you.
Similar to many companies today, professionals at MHI are becoming more open to the benefits of Twitter. Be sure to connect with MHI and our staff for valuable insights, resources and updates! @poweredbymhi, @mhi_ceo, @stanton_daniel, @GbaerGreg, @LLbarter, @varnerdb, @MHI_DanSasser
