Any Ideas for gaining Followers on Twitter for businesses?

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   Magiclogixposted 14 years ago

   What are the most effective ways off gaining more followers on Twitter? I would like to build my network, make my Company known in my community, and offer articles and resources that are helpful for businsses. How do I properly go about gaining a larger audience? Does anyone have any helpful tips that you would not mind sharing?
   
   
   
   Thanks for your help!
   
   Bethany Davidson
   PR/Marketing Consultant
   twitter.com/magiclogix

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      Arthur Fontesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The easiest way not neccasarily the most ethical way to gain followers on Twitter.
      
      Follow as many people in your niche that twitter will allow.  Do not do this with a new account as you will be suspended.
      
      A week after you do the numerous follows go through your followers unfollowing the ones who did not return the follow.
      
      Add more followers and repeat.

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   2. 71

      sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      well, i have a 5k following on Twitter, decent for putting no effort into my twitter account:
      
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Twitter-Make-Mo … ze-twitter
      
      
      But for a business, relevance is usually more important. Since I write and promote a myriad of subjects, I dont feel my "following" needs to be that targetted.

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      siva_shivaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes way is there to earn your tweets. If you have 100 status and 100 visitor , you have chance for the same.

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   4. 61

      GreatContentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Magic,
      
      What you can do is search under different categories that you like, such as "internet marketing" or "network marketing", and start to follow people. In return, people will find you, and begin to follow YOU. Also, start posting valuable posts on twitter.

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   Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

   Well, if you are a plumber and looking for related pro's, he would go to search and type in plumber-supplies, repair, pipes, tools, etc. then a list is generated and he can choose who to follow and hope they may follow back. Just a thought. Welcome to HubPages.

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   bella2009111posted 14 years ago

   I have only a few following in twitter.

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      Arthur Fontesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Do you enjoy twitter?

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   our thoughtsposted 14 years ago

   Bethany ,
   
   Here is how you can achieve a better following on twitter.
   
   1) Post a well written ( 600-1500 word ) blog post on your site a day. This should take you about 1 - 1.5 hours to write and research. This is single handily the #1 social media tactic for gaining a "meaningful" following on any platform.
   
   2) Post ten meaningful twitter posts a day. This should take about an hour of your time. One of these tweets will be a post back to your latest blog post. Notice i said meaningful.
   
   3) Keep your twitter posts to 1/3's.
   
   1/3 of the posts can be about general company info
   
   1/3 of the posts about general industry news and tips ( reaching out to your followers with RT ( retweets ))
   
   1/3 of your posts about company sales info.
   
   Remember to never "sell" anyone anything. You are just trying to inform. The idea is to keep your twitter stream balanced.
   
   4)When people follow you , reach out with a Direct Message and let them know you care and are there to help should they need anything.
   
   5) Pay attention to what your followers/community is talking about. Try to find ways to " add to the conversation " , filling in any informational holes as you see fit.
   
   6) Subscribe to k.w. rss twitter feeds and comment when a user creates makes a comment that you can add to.
   
   Conclusion
   
   The common mistake with twitter is that people think they need to have hordes of followers. This thinking is all wrong. The idea is to have a meaningful following that interacts with one another and values the information and experiences you provide for them .
   
   I hope the above helps.

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      Magiclogixposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      This is very helpful. I am not concerned about high numbers but more so to connect to the right people. I really think it is an awesome tool! Thanks for the helpful tips!

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      sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Lol, sounds like a full time job! ..I think this would be a massive time waste..its a friggin micro-blogging platform - a "tweet" in time ...of so little consequence its laughable, most things you release into twitter world are never seen, if their ever was a numbers game, twitter is it.
      
      Smart Twitter use is about automation - every footstep you make in your publishing or marketing platform can be sent out in your feeds automatically.
      
      It is good advice to not be just a sales machine but that doesnt mean a sales message is inappropriate if your following knows thats part of your offering. 'Unfollow" is an easy button to hit.

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      Stan Kposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      This post was very very helpful.  Worth taking notice of this advice.  Twitter does generate traffic if tweets are linked to informative pieces.  I use a free program called socialoomph to schedule tweets and drive traffic to my article links.

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5. 57

   buzzybloggerposted 14 years ago

   I've come to the conclusion that Twitter is a useless piece of ______. Did you know Twitter came from a previously failed startup. I don't know anyone who uses Twitter in real life. I only see the media promoting it along with every two bit internet marketer. I really see it as a tool for the old rule media to keep control of the their audience. However, that will back fire just like the internet has back fired on the establishment.

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      beinghappy4everposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The best idea is to follow too many and unfollow too many. But this is against twitter TOS. if you get caught they will remove your account.

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6. 71

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   I think this thread is hilarious, the original poster requests info on twitter and suggests they dont "care about high numbers"...Good Luck in PR and marketing!
   
   Than out of nowhere, for the very first post ever very nice ethical (but pointless) advice is given by someone who writes exclusively about social networking, google buzz, marketing etc..
   
   Yet has managed to attract 4 followers?..and your giving advice on how to attain followers? granted hubpages isnt twitter ...but the very nice advice you gave is actually very appropriate for Hubpages (an actual publishing platform) ..as I said laughably bad for generating any reach or following in the twitter world. And only 2 points above spammer? Im thinking these two are in cahoots!..if not they should be
   
   before i get bitten for mentioning a follower count...its very relevant in this thread...you would expect if one took ther own advice wrote "79" articles that took anhour to write a piece..they would attract some sort of following

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   fdoleacposted 14 years ago

   Great question and very helpful answers.  I do find that I gain two or three followers with every post.

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   LeoDimiloposted 14 years ago

   I'll jump in here.  From case studies I have read that were successes, most are giving something away.  You have to assume that those that are following your business are truly interested in you and your business.
   
   From an offline to online perspective, offering better deals to your followers would be a strong offer, especially if you have a rabid fan base.
   
   Another idea I have seen is to use twitter for support and announcements for your business.  This gives you a very viable way to interact with your clients publicly; perfect for credibility and it kind of humanizes your business more

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   lender3212000posted 14 years ago

   Be entertaining and be original. You will notice that the majority of Twitter folks with very large followings have an extra large dose of personality. If you don't have anything interesting to say, forget about it or hire someone who does.

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    RickyRobiposted 14 years ago

    Actually tweeting with your followers and those you follow will let others get to know you on that platform. Some people won't follow if you don't appear to be a real person, but only automate tweets and tweet to and not with others. Use twitter search to find out if others are tweeting about you, your service or product. If they are, you will know to respond. Don't act like an advertisement, or you will really turn off most people.

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    psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

    I tweet both for work and for my freelance side-career.  Twitter *can* work.  I have used it to alert people to my work, build my brand, and network.  The basic rules of writing apply.  Write things people want to read, tell them things they want to know, and be entertaining. 
    
    Specific to twitter--work the hashtags, always reply when tweeted directly, integrate twitter with your blog or website.

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    lrohnerposted 13 years ago

    Ditto what Psycheskinner said--particularly about working the hashtags.
    
    I don't think you have to go around following people at all. I have about 2K followers between all of my accounts, and I have never followed any of my followers.
    
    I also found that it helps tremendously to have a twitter name that makes it evident what you're all about. "AcmeCompany" isn't going to help, but "widgets4sale" will. That's why I have different accounts built around the different topics that I write about.

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    Chaotic Chicaposted 13 years ago

    I actually have yet to even type the word "twitter" into my web search engine but I clicked on this forum piece to see what information y'all have out there regarding using it for a business.  There have been interesting posts both pro and con but I think the  bottom line for me is just to stay the course and stay away.  It would be great if this would really help us but the truth of it is that I personally do not know of anyone that does twitter.  We live in a very rural area and I just don't think it would help us.  Either way, I'm glad this topic was posted and I, for one, appreciate what everyone has added to it.

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    liljen23posted 13 years ago

    Hello Magic, there are plenty of ways to gain followers on Twitter.. Thankfully, I wrote a hub about it

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