Want Better Results On Twitter in Less Time?

Finding relevant Twitter users for your niche is just the first step to a great social media marketing plan. Next you will need to build an engaging conversation around your tweets. But how can your business or brand establish this right away? It is easier than you might think through the use of the right hashtags, a focused search, and a strategy that combines real-time communication and focus.
With knowledge of the best practices on Twitter and then becoming actively involved with your network each day, you can quickly build your brand in as little as five minutes a day. It just takes some common sense, great planning, and management through top social media strategies. Here are several steps to help you get started:

1. Narrow your keyword search

One of the best ways to find the right audience for your niche is through search.There is a precise method that will produce great results in a short amount of time. Just use Twitter’s search bar at the top of the page, and for more advanced search you can go to their Advanced Search page here. The more focused your topic the better, such as the hashtag phrase, #socialselling, which provides all tweets related to selling through social media. Another example is to find tweets sent a Twitter user, such as to:techcrunch, or to conduct a specific geographical search for your topic like, “farmers market” near:”seattle” within:20mi.

2. Get organized with Twitter Lists

Now that you have found a good number of relevant users for your niche, it’s a great idea to organize them into public lists. You can also join other lists, and categorize yours into various topics for users to follow. Lists are not only a good way to quickly find the tweets from those you are following, but also create an awareness of your brand. Start by going to the settings icon on your Twitter profile, then select Lists from the menu:

Here’s an example of what I have created, and the best part is that Twitter allows for unlimited lists:

Keep in mind that your Twitter lists will change over time, and can be edited as your brand’s network becomes more focused. It’s best to keep these as short as possible, with a brief description, which makes it easier for others to navigate your lists.

3. It’s all about people

The most important factor when engaging on any social network, and especially on Twitter, is to be authentic and build trust with your community. As the leading marketing expert, Jeff Bullas, puts it, “Show through your actions that you respect their work, business, time, and privacy.”
Take some time and learn what your audience is interested in. What articles do they like to read and share? Do images or video attract retweets and mentions from them? Then determine how your brand can help meet their needs or provide an answer or assistance to them.
There are several way to build authentic engagement with your Twitter audience:

• Retweets and promotion of their content
• Positive feedback on their tweets
• Asking questions of your audience, such as feedback on an image, service or product idea
• Referencing users that you have mentioned online
• Be quick to respond to notifications and Direct Messages
• Introduce your audience to other Twitter users who could be helpful to them

The main goal of your business or brand’s Twitter strategy is to remain honest and trustworthy with your audience. As you grow your network and become active each day it won’t be long before your followers see you as a valuable resource with an opportunity for lead generation and traffic to your website.
Share this article with these Tweetables:
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• @SusanGilbert gives you these Twitter tips on finding the right users for your niche – Click to Tweet