How to Get More Twitter Followers – 83 Tips for Marketers

Ever feel like unsure of yourself when it comes to marketing on Twitter?

Twitter’s got a different personality than other social channels, and if you’re not sure how to interact on the platform, it can feel a bit …awkward.

We’ve got you covered.

This article will help you lose the “awkward” and become a Twitter pro in under 15 minutes.

We’ve got 83 quick-tips to help you grow a massive Twitter following by understanding the ins-and-outs of the platform’s unique personality.

Find out what to share, how to share it, and how to show off your brand on Twitter with the type personality and professionalism that drives new followers to your account.

Bookmark this article before you go, so you can return for ideas and facts that help you get more followers on Twitter!

Twitter Helps Businesses Build Community

Twitter is an excellent social media platform  for small businesses wanting to:

• Build brand reputation, awareness, and reach
• Generate leads and sales
• Provide customer service
• Create an engaged social media community

Nearly half of Twitter’s 330 million active users (46%) use the platform daily.

Why is Twitter so special?

Twitter lets brands connect with their audiences in real time, and Twitter users are used to coming to the platform for live interaction.

When a major website such as Facebook or Google goes down, the whole world turns to Twitter.

During natural disasters or national emergencies, people turn to Twitter for real-time personal updates.

For example, when Hurricane Harvey flooded Houston, TX in 2017, many people who couldn’t reach 911 turned to Twitter for real-time help. #sosHarvey and #helphouston hashtags were used to reach out to volunteer citizen rescue boats, and accounts such as @HarveyRescue compiled databases of addresses and names of people in critical need of help.

“I have 2 children with me and tge [sic] water is swallowing us up. Please send help,” tweeted Maritza Ritz Willis, who shared her home address with her 450+ followers. Within an hour of her tweet, Maritza and her family were saved by fire rescue.

While Twitter is just the 4th most-popular social media app in the U.S., its users are highly engaged and the rest of the world relies on it for real-time updates during breaking news events.

Twitter is the 4th most-popular social media app in the United States.

For businesses, Twitter provides the chance to form a strong community, enhanced by real-time moments such as:

• Events
• Customer service
• Daily news
• Viral moments
• Humor

In this article, you’ll discover how to build an audience on Twitter with tips that help you format your profile, engage with your audience, market your account, and create Twitter-worthy content.

Get More Twitter Followers with These Profile Tips

Your brand’s profile makes a first impression that prompts people to follow you – or not. Creating a professional, inviting Twitter profile is the first step toward growing your audience.

Tip #1: Choose a simple, memorable Twitter handle that represents your brand well.

Tip #2: Use your brand colors across all social media channels, including your Twitter profile.

For example, JetBlue demonstrates consistent branding across Twitter and Facebook by using the same colors and graphics.

Tip #3: Create an inviting, keyword-driven Twitter bio that speaks to your niche audience, so people who are looking for content like yours can find it.

Tip #4: Include a “Follow us” prompt in your Twitter bio.

Tip #5: Add a location to your Twitter bio to encourage locals to follow your brand.

Tip #6: Optimize your profile photo with the face of your brand by sharing a personal photo or business logo.

For example, General Electric uses its logo as a Twitter image, but Bill Gates uses a personal photo.

Tip #7: Go all-in on your wall photo by using high-quality photography that’s unique and inviting.

Tip #8: Consider adding a CTA to your Twitter wall photo, for example:  Follow us for breaking-news in the [your industry here] industry.”

Tip #9: Fill out your profile completely, including adding a link that supports your Twitter marketing goals.

Tip #10: Update your profile frequently.

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Tip #11: Pin your most-popular Tweet, a breaking news tweet, or a favorite tweet to the top of your brand’s Twitter feed.

Tip #12: Keep your profile message similar to those on your other social media platforms, so people recognize your brand across the web.

Tip #13: Research your competitors’ Twitter accounts to learn what bios and profiles are working for their audience, and try to create an even-better version.

Get More Twitter Followers with These Content Tips

Sharing the right content at the right time helps your brand earn a good reputation on Twitter. In this section, we help you understand how to post content that expands your reach and grows your following.

Tip #14: Define your niche audience, and plan content around their interests and needs.

Tip #15: Learn the personality of your audience and speak to them in their own style.

For example, IHOP restaurant is well-known for relating to its Twitter audience in a unique voice.

Tip #16: Develop a personality for your brand – whether it’s humor, positivity, or quirkiness – keep it interesting and aligned with your brand image.

For example, Wendy’s restaurant frequently takes on its competitors with tweets targeted at their products. Not all brands can pull this off, but you should try to develop a unique and interesting personality for your business.

Tip #17: Publish content that people want to share, so you gain exposure to new audiences.

Tip #18: Follow Twitters’ trending topics (available on the Twitter for iOS app, the Twitter for Android app, and twitter.com) for topic and hashtag ideas.

Tip #19: Tweet at strategic times, when most of your audience is on Twitter.

Tip #20: Schedule your Tweets at strategic intervals on a consistent basis, and don’t post multiple tweets at one time.

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Find out how to schedule your tweets in advance.

Tip #21: Tweet frequently with valuable content – yours or retweeted posts.

Tip #22: Share a variety of content types such as images, videos, quotes, statistics, and blog posts.

Tip #23: Pack your blog posts with tweetable quotes and statistics.

Tip #24: Don’t talk about yourself too much! Don’t be “that guy” that’s constantly promoting himself without providing value to his followers – include plenty of resources and helpful tips, along with shared content.

Tip #25: When sharing blog posts, sum them up with a catchy quote from your articles.

Tip #26: Twitter’s video limit is 30 seconds max, so use brief videos to tease your long-form video content.

Get More Twitter Followers with These Marketing Tips

Twitter doesn’t end on Twitter! Understanding your audience and promoting your account can help you gain new followers rapidly. In this section, we share tips for marketers that will help grow your Twitter following.

Tip #27: Promote your Twitter account on other social media channels by embedding tweets or adding Twitter-follow CTAs.

Tip #28: Add a Twitter share button to your website so people can share your content with their Twitter following.

Tip #29: Add the Twitter “Follow Us” button on your site so people can follow you without leaving your website.

Tip #30: Get to know your Twitter Analytics and check them weekly to better understand your audience.

Tip #31: Repost your most-popular tweets from time to time.

Tip #32: Use Twitter Analytics to identify your most-popular tweets, and create similar (but new!) content.

Tip #33: Use Twitter Analytics to discover what your audience likes to share and engage with – and create more of it.

Tip #34: Use Twitter cards.

Tip #35: Embed Tweets into your blog posts.

Tip #36: Embed your Twitter feed on your website’s home page, blog, or social page.

Tip #37: Promote your Twitter account in your printed materials.

Tip #38: Use paid advertising on Twitter and other social networks to promote your Twitter account.

Engagement with paid Twitter Ads increases by 50% year over year as cost per engagement drops by 14% over the same time (Twitter).

Tip #39: Add a “follow us on Twitter” link to your YouTube, Facebook, and website videos.

Tip #40: Include your Twitter account link in your email signature.

Tip #41: Highlight your best tweets in your email newsletters.

Tip #42: Promote your Twitter account at in-person events with a social media photo booth.

Tip #43: Network in-person and in professional forums, and ask your colleagues to follow you on Twitter.

Tip #44: Place “Follow us on Twitter” signs or posters at your physical location.

Tip #45: Include your Twitter handle on your business card.

Tip #46: Add your Twitter link to your website’s contact page.

Tip #47: Consider providing customer service on Twitter, which will drive more people to your account.

Get More Twitter Followers with These Formatting Tips

Sometimes it’s not what you say – but how you say it.

In this section, we provide tips that help your tweets get more visibility and shares.

Tip #48: Learn how to use hashtags and always include them – but don’t go overboard. One or two well-researched, relevant hashtags should help you reach your niche audience.

Tip #49: Use emojis to brighten up your posts.

Tip #50: Use emojis to organize lists in your tweets.

Tip #51: Use emojis to draw attention to your tweet’s CTAs.

Tip #52: Include mentions, especially when you’ve mentioned someone else in the blog article you’re sharing!

Tip #53: Hold contests or sweepstakes that encourage user-generated content on Twitter, such as people sharing testimonials, recommending your brand, or sharing your product in a photo.

Tip #54: Follow recommendations for Twitter media sizes.

Tip #55: Share videos, because it’s 2020 and people love videos!

Tip #56: Use Bit.ly to shorten URLs so your tweets looks more professional.

Tip #57: Keep most tweets between 71 – 100 characters, since they get about 17% more engagement than other-size tweets.

Tip #58: Keep your hashtags short and memorable to make the most of them – when possible, keep them to a single word containing 6 characters or less.

Tip #59: Upload your email contacts to Twitter to connect with people you already know.

Tip #60: Follow your competitors’ followers.

Get More Twitter Followers with These Engagement Tips

Twitter engagement is your key to getting new followers, since each time someone retweets your post, it shows to their audience. Each retweet expands your reach and increases the likelihood that you’ll gain new followers.

Tip #61: Reply to people who engage with you!

Tip #62: Support your followers – engage with their content by liking, retweeting, or commenting on their tweets.

Tip #63: Numbers aren’t everything – delete spam and scam-like accounts that you follow or that follow you.

Tip #64: Open your tweets with a question that captures attention or encourages engagement.

For example, Netflix begins a tweet with the question “What happened to Jesse Pinkman?” to capture reader’s attention.

Tip #65: Take polls and compose other types of tweets that prompt engagement.

Tip #66: Conduct hashtag searches to find people looking for content or businesses like yours, then follow them and join in their conversations.

Tip #67: Host or participate in Twitter Chats.

Tip #68: Retweet your followers’ content with a comment.

Tip #69: Reply to private messages when people take the time to send you a personal, non-promotional, message.

Tip #70: Retweet other people’s tweets with a mention, so they know you retweeted.

Tip #71: Learn your industry’s Twitter influencers so you can follow and engage with them.

Tip #72: Ask followers to retweet your content from time to time.

Tip #73: Give a shout out to your new followers each week with a “thank you” followed by a mention.

Tip #74: Ask followers to bookmark your tweets when you’re sharing valuable content.

Tip #75: Bookmark your followers’ most relevant tweets.

Tip #76: Thank followers for retweets with a “thank you” followed by a mention.

Tip #77: Never send automatic direct messages, bulk messages, or overly-promotional messages.

Tip #78: Find new followers frequently. Look for people in your industry that are: thought leaders, up-and-coming new leaders, entertaining, and valuable to your followers.

Tip #79: Curate valuable content from other sites and Twitter accounts.

Tip #80: Never pay for followers or participate in black-hat or dishonest avenues to building a following.

Tip #81: #FF Follow Friday – join in and share other brands that you support, and be authentic!

Tip #82: Ask your employees to retweet a few company tweets each week.

Tip #83: Ask employees to mention your brand in their bio.

Twitter provides a great deal of potential for small businesses wishing to build a community environment.

Businesses that share valuable, authentic content and follow the tips above can achieve great success generating leads, sales, and a sense of community on Twitter.

What are your Twitter secrets? Share your tips with us in the comments below!