Twitter remains one of the best social networks for online marketing because of its accessibility, immediacy, and interactive nature. However, many businesses using Twitter struggle to get more followers. While having a large Twitter following isn’t everything, it does expand your influence and maximize your sales potential.

If you’re finding it hard to get noticed on Twitter, there are various things you can do to grow your Twitter following and reach more potential customers. The following 11 techniques are a good place to start.

Create a Memorable Header Image

Your header image is one of the first things people see when landing on your profile page, so make sure it’s appealing. Whether it’s a team shot, product collage, seasonal message, or inspirational photo, a strong header image will capture the attention of visitors and encourage further browsing. Free design tools such as Canva or PhotoScape X offer ready-made templates, so you can design an attractive header in no time.

Write a Compelling Bio

Your biography is also one of the first things visitors will see, so you need to make it count. Cover the following, briefly:

•   Explain who you are, what you do, and where you’re located.

•   Mention what people will learn from you on Twitter.

•   Highlight how customers benefit from your products or services.

By clarifying all of these things, you’re more likely to spark the interest of potential followers. Your bio is also searchable, so include keywords that relate to your business and one or two industry hashtags.

Pin Your Most Valuable Content

As pinned tweets remain static at the top of your Twitter feed, pin your most valuable piece of content so that it’s always visible to anyone who visits your profile. Include an image to make it stand out and a clear link to the content.

Tweet More Useful Content

It might sound obvious, but people will only follow you on Twitter if they feel like they’re going to get something valuable in return. This is why it’s crucial to regularly tweet out useful information that aligns with the needs of your target audience. Always think about your audience, and avoid too much self-promotion. In short, educate, inform, and entertain.

Additionally, include more visuals. According to Buffer, visual content is 40 times more likely to get shared on social media (1). Use GIFs, memes, infographics, videos, and photos to make your updates more engaging.

Tweet More Often

Potential followers won’t see every tweet you post, so you need to tweet several times a day to reach a wider audience. For most businesses four to eight tweets per day is enough, but there’s no magic number. If you’re getting good feedback, posting more than 20 times a day can work. However, avoid too much self-promotion. Posting retweets, helpful articles, news updates, and entertaining content will make your Twitter account more attractive.

Post at the Right Times

As well as knowing how often to tweet, it’s also important to figure out when to tweet. Optimal posting times vary from one industry to the next, but research points toward some broadly successful strategies. According to SproutSocial, tweets posted at 9 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday received the most engagement, and generally speaking, tweets posted from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on any weekday had the highest engagement rates (2).

If you can engage more of your current followers, your content is more likely to get shared, which will hopefully result in new followers. Free analytics tools like Tweriod will help you discover when your followers are most active on Twitter. You can then use a scheduling tool like Buffer or Hootsuite to automatically post tweets at the right times.

Offer Discounts

You can also use FOMO (fear of missing out) to attract more Twitter followers. Regularly offering discounts and coupons to followers is a simple technique that many businesses use. Consider holding a regular discount day and use a custom hashtag such as #[company name]SaturdaySale. It’s more likely to get noticed by your followers and shared with their friends.

Insert One or Two Hashtags 

Following on from the last point, don’t forget the power that hashtags have on social media. In every update, include one or two hashtags to make your account more visible to potential followers. According to Postcron, tweets with hashtags are 33 percent more likely to be retweeted than those without(3). However, avoid using more than two hashtags; research has shown that Twitter posts with three or more hashtags get less engagement.

To make hashtags come across as more authentic, use them within the text of a post, not just at the end. Consider using industry-related hashtags, holiday-themed hashtags, trending news hashtags, and weekly hashtags such as #MondayMotivation.

Retweet and Tag More

Regularly tag other Twitter users and retweet interesting posts. This helps to humanize your business and shows that you’re here to listen, not just to promote your business. Tagging other users and sharing their content is an important part of building relationships on Twitter and in return, they might tag you back. Always remember that some other users have large audiences that you can tap into. If you publish a useful blog post, reach out to these influencers on Twitter and let them know about it. Some users will be happy to share your content.

Connect with People You Know

You already have a number of people who know you, including friends, colleagues, and contacts from other businesses. Use this network to expand your reach on Twitter. First, make sure they know you’re on Twitter by updating your account settings. Simply go to the “Privacy and Safety” menu, and then “Discoverability and Contacts.” Here, you can check the boxes to make sure people who already have your email address or phone number can find you on Twitter. Next, find as many of these people as you can and follow them.

Publicize Your Twitter Account

There are a few basic steps you should take to promote your Twitter account. First, make sure you include a link to your Twitter account on your website and in emails. On other social media channels, place links to your Twitter account in your profile. Finally, at the end of blog posts, include a Twitter follow button and share button. You can find out how to add these buttons on the “Twitter Publish” website.

The Bottom Line

Growing your following on Twitter can increase the visibility, credibility, and sales potential of your business. However, it’s a gradual process that takes a little time and effort. This involves a combination of content planning, engaging with other Twitter users, optimizing your profile, and promoting your account on other channels.

Ultimately, the best way to increase your Twitter following is to provide authentic content that informs, educates, and entertains your audience. While there are many other techniques you can use to get more Twitter followers, hopefully, this guide gives you a solid foundation to get started. For more tips on how to bring your social media to the next level, check out our blog!

Twitter Following FAQ