There’s no doubt that Twitter is one of the most important channels for content marketing. However, most companies do not use it well. A small misstep on Twitter can turn into a huge disaster. Unlike other social networking sites that allow people to post long form content, people can post only about two or three lines per tweet and optimizing such small pieces of content can be difficult. Also, there are many features like hashtags, Twitter handles, etc. that must be used properly to market content effectively. This social media site is a public forum and you need to mind what you say in 140 characters.
Not identifying modified tweets
Re-tweeting is extremely common and companies must use this feature judiciously. Although, it is not an official Twitter command it is best to use the letters “RT” at the beginning of the tweet to signify that you are re-tweeting or re-posting another user’s content. While re-tweeting, most times the content can be re-tweeted as it is. Sometimes you may have to or want to modify the original tweet a little bit. If you are modifying the original tweet, make sure you use the letters “MT” at the beginning of the tweet to indicate that you have changed the original tweet.
Don’t call yourself a “guru”
This is a common mistake. In order to attract more followers many individuals and companies mention the word “guru” or “expert” in their bios and profiles. Naming yourself an expert in any field comes across as juvenile and annoying. Titling yourself a “guru” may put-off other Twitter users and cost you followers.
Mentioning incorrectly
Most people use “@” to mention another user on Twitter. However, most people don’t know that using just “@” for mentions ensures that the tweet can be seen only by your followers who are following you and the user you have mentioned. This effectively hides the content from your other followers as twitter is coded this way. This can only be a bad social media marketing move. To overcome this barrier – place a period (.) before the “@” symbol. So instead of mentioning someone this way – “@example”, use this – “.@example”. The latter method ensures that the tweet can be seen by all your followers.
Following Twitter Ratio
Twitter users often believe that the right way to use Twitter is to have a following to follower ratio of 1:2. This leads them to not follow back. The only valid reason to not follow back a follower is if the user is not at all compatible with the company ideals. Do not use the Twitter ratio excuse to not follow someone who is genuinely inspiring and useful. Instead of trying to keep the number of followers more than the number of people you are following, follow relevant Twitter users and watch your account flourish.
Carelessly using #FF
#FF is used to signify the Twitter event known as Follow Friday. This hashtag is often seen on tweets with other users screen names before it. People use this tag on Fridays urging their followers to follow the user they have mentioned in the tweet with a #FF hashtag. However, many users have misused this feature to tag random users to get more followers. If you are using this feature, mention in the tweet why exactly this account should be followed and why you approve of its content. This will help you build better relationships with your followers and the users you have named in the Follow Friday event.