If you are reading this, then you are probably not a stranger to exactly what the microblogging site “Twitter” does. It wants its’ users to scribble stuff and share it around and have followers or “tweeps” reverting to these tweets. So you can have a tweet saying, “Just saw XYZ at the Plaza” and you will have a hundred people replying to that tweet. That’s how brisk and efficient Twitter is. So how do you get people to follow you on Twitter? There are some popular ways practised by most. Some of these are:
Posting frequently : So if you contemplate having one tweet a week, then probably Twitter is not the right site for you. Having followers on Twitter requires commitment and this requires sharing interesting tweets regularly. Go beyond your usual boundaries and share information on various subjects like sports, travel, food and so on. You will gradually discover like minded people following you. In fact you can even repost something you have posted previously or alternatively use “Buffer.” You can add photographs, videos, “hashtags” to and share links with your posts.
Follow and get followed : Though it is important to be followed, it is also important to “follow.” Find people who have similar tastes and follow them. It’s likely that like-minded individuals from their list will find your tweets interesting and start following you. Additionally if you find that certain members are inactive, “unfollow” them. Moreover, like other social networking sites, Twitter too has a limit to these numbers. It is always better to have quality than quantity. You can also choose to follow certain brands or write about them in your tweets/blogs (which have to be shared obviously). Often these brands share your tweets to show your patronage. In this way people who follow those brands may even start following you.
Retweet and Reply : So you think you have shared something informative that others should also be aware of? Like dates for college admissions or SALE information! So ask followers to retweet this. Also, make it a point to reply to direct tweets. So if a follower has tweeted about you, make sure you reply to that tweet. Also if you find an interesting tweet, be social enough to post a reply in public. In that way more people would get to know of you.
Knowing you : Make sure you have an updated and filled profile with a photograph of you and not Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie. If you want people to follow you, then it is your image that they should be introduced to. Additionally, make sure to keep your info/fact sheets updated. Serious users of Twitter often follow people based on their fact sheets. Moreover the 160 character bio is more or less mandatory as your name will not be displayed in Twitter search results if this field is missing.
What to tweet : You can actually tweet about almost anything. You will be surprised to know how even insignificant things get noticed. For instance, if you are travelling to Cuba and have tweeted about a restaurant there, you are sure to have several followers almost instantly- from enthusiasts who are travelling to Cuba in the future, from restaurant owners in Cuba inviting you to their restaurants, and even magazines asking for photographs/info!
