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Hashtags are a Twitter staple. In fact, people with various backgrounds and interests rely on these to get and share information. However, there are still basic errors committed by individuals when using hashtags. Learn more about why your hashtags may not be working or why you may not be generating as many people as you like. Basic Rules on Hashtags 1. The # symbol only appears before the keywords Some people use hashtags before and after, or similar to how they use quotations, which will render the hashtag ineffective. The ?#? symbol will categorize the topics accordingly so any Twitter user who uses the same hashtag can be guided to the conversation. 2. Using punctuations Punctuations in the hashtags or after will also render the hashtag in error. Do not use apostrophes in the middle or punctuation marks in the end, including a period, comma or colon. The hashtag will end where you place the punctuation. Examples of mistakes are #ThankGodIt?sFriday and #WhyMe? 3. ...

It’s November, which means it’s time to get into holiday marketing mode if you have not started already. In a former life I worked in print advertising. This time of year was our busiest (still is) and most profitable for the newspapers I worked at. Businesses crammed to get as many ads as possible into the paper and spent more money than they did the rest of the year. It seemed they saved all their marketing dollars for the last 2 months of the year. Enter social media marketing and the whole holiday marketing game has changed. Newspaper advertising (and pretty much all print advertising) is on the decline due to advances in technology, aka social media. Do I think you should completely scrap your traditional marketing plan and advertising? No, for this one reason: not all of your market is online. I know I typically recommend not advertising via traditional methods, however during the holiday season, more people will look at newspapers and such to find the best deal. This is...

When someone follows you on Twitter, they not only opt in to see your Tweets — they also take actions that benefit your business. The findings from our   ”Small Business Customer Insights Study”  (2014) show that your show that followers feel more positively about your business, and can help you expand your reach, and increase sales. 70% of people who follow SMBs Retweet content from that business. 60% of respondents have purchased from an SMB after following them on Twitter. 73% feel better about an SMB after following and reading its Tweets.  Ready to build a community of engaged and valuable Twitter followers? Here are five steps to get started. Promote your username everywhere!  Add a follow button to your website, include a link to your profile in your email signature, and promote it on offline collateral such as business cards, or store signage. Tap into your existing customer base.  Upload your email contacts and let ...

Twitter has evolved from being a mere social networking platform to share interesting tidbits and make friends into a venue for businesses to promote brands, establish thought leadership in various industries and make important policy announcements. However, with the around 500 million tweets being sent out worldwide in a day, it is easier to get lost than build a niche. Abiding by the Twitter rules of engagement the moment you create your account ?will prevent your followers and potential clients from feeling alienated and clicking that ' unfollow ' button. Twitter may be a highly-public domain, but there still are basic rules ?that you must follow if you want to maximize your micro-blogging experience. The simplest rule is this: be nice and you'll get nice in return. Here are 5 guidelines to help make your Twitter experience fruitful. Twitter Etiquette In 5 Ways 1. Cherish your relationships. When another user retweets ?your post or @mentions ?y...

Twitter Polls allow you to weigh in on questions posed by other people on Twitter. You can also easily create your own poll and see the results instantly. Vote in a Twitter Poll To vote in a poll: When you see a poll in a Tweet, simply click or tap your preferred option. The results are instantly displayed after you vote. Your vote is indicated with a checkmark next to the choice.  You can vote in a poll one time. The current total vote count and the amount of time remaining in the poll are displayed under the poll choices. To view final results: A Twitter Poll ends between 5 minutes and 7 days after it has been posted, depending on the duration set by the person who Tweeted it. The winning choice is shown in bold. If you vote in a poll, you may receive a push notification alerting you to the final results. Vote in private When you vote in a poll, your participation is not shown to others: neither the poll creator nor other participants can see who has voted...

Compelling content will help you attract new followers and keep them engaged over time. There’s no right or wrong number of times you should Tweet each day, or when. Instead, focus on creating a regular cadence of content that’s relevant to your target audience and authentic to your business. Need some inspiration? Here are five best practices to help you create Tweets that spark conversations and keep your audience engaged. Keep it short A concise Tweet makes an impact. Keep each Tweet focused on one specific message rather than trying to communicate multiple things. You can include a link to a blog post or website if you have a longer message to convey. Use visuals in your Tweets Adding a bold image, video, or GIF to your Tweets adds a touch of personality, and leads to higher Tweet engagement rates. In fact, people are three times more likely to engage with Tweets that contain videos and photos.* Can’t decide which photo to use? You can attach up to four photos to a s...

Twitter is where people connect with their passions, share their opinions, and find out what’s happening in the world right now. Because people are in a discovery mindset when they’re on Twitter, they’re open to interacting with new businesses. Businesses can tap into Twitter to expand their reach and connect with new and existing customers. Here are some ways your business can leverage Twitter. Discover what’s happening right now Twitter gives you access to what’s going on in your industry, community, and around the world. Use Twitter search to listen to the relevant conversations that are happening and jump in where you can add value. Increase your brand awareness Raise the profile of your business and increase the impact of your marketing by using Twitter to regularly communicate with your followers. Extend your reach even further with Twitter Ads . Provide timely customer service People often talk about the products they use on Twitter, so it’s a natural place to provide cu...