An Essential Twitter Checklist for 2014

140 Characters?

If you're a busy go-getting entrepreneur or small business owner, you might think you don't have any time for social media. You'd be wrong. Dead wrong. In this day and age of hyperconnectivity, it has never been more important to be on at least one of the plethora of social media platforms available. In fact, it's almost expected of you. Over the next series of posts we will outline how to get the most out of the top six social media platforms on the market, including a handy checklist to help you get things set up and running effectively. To start the ball rolling we'll have a look at Twitter. Founded back in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass, Twitter now has over 271 million active users, and sends out an eye-watering average of 500 million tweets per day! It acts as a type of microblogging service, which allows you to write up to 140 character messages called 'tweets'. Via this platform you also have the opportunity to follow people, and ideally, for them to follow you back. This in turn will increase your audience and brand awareness. The main points of focus should be your content, consistency and timing.

Pro Tip #1

Using Twitter Cards will allow you to attach photos, videos and media to your Tweets to help drive traffic to your website. Take this Business Insider article we recently tweeted about: https://twitter.com/ThisIsParachute/status/493708658283671552 We get to see a nice preview of the article with an image, rather than just a link. Make sure what you post is relevant to your brand and audience. Remember Twitter allows you to participate in two way conversations, so take advantage of this! Don't just talk at your followers. Encourage interaction and build that relationship.

Pro Tip #2

Follow trends and tap into real time events such as the Commonwealth games by using the hashtag #Glasgow2014. This can act as a good conversation starter and keeps your tweets fresh and interesting. https://twitter.com/ThisIsParachute/status/494403820332806144 It's also important to know your market, and when/how best to interact with them. Vary your posts to start with. Test what works best for you and receives the greatest engagement with your audience.

Twitter Checklist

Perfect for: Short, timely messages and sharing company news & offers. Profile picture: 400 x 400 Cover photo: 1500 x 500 What should I post?: Be conversational in tone. Don't take yourself too seriously. Engage with followers. Ask and answer questions. How often should I post?: Several times a day! Vary it and test when you get the most engagement. The 'half-life' of a Tweet is around 18 minutes, so make sure you're posting enough to make an impact.

Happy tweeting, and be sure to follow Parachute on Twitter!