How to Be a Twitter Influencer in 2018
Influencer: The word has infused itself into modern day social media and it is here to stay. A Twitter influencer in 2018 is an evolved species. A influencer at his or her core has the unique ability to set trends, create conversations, drive traffic, and make brands sit up and take notice.
If you want to be a Twitter influencer (and take note: Twitter is actually experiencing a resurgence), read on for what it takes to become and remain a Twitter influencer in 2018:
Engagement on Twitter
Here’s the hottest tip of all the hot tips on Twitter marketing and research for influencers: You must engage on Twitter to grow your platform UNLESS, perhaps, you are a celebrity or public figure who stirs the pot, not pointing the finger at, ahem, anyone in particular.
Anytime you want to grow your influence and presence on a social media platform, the focus must be on the social aspect. If you are not actively engaging with other Twitter users, your tweets are likely falling on deaf ears. Here are a few “get started right away” tips to grow your Twitter influence through engagement:
- Create lists on Twitter in order to keep your segmented audiences in order. If, for example, you follow 10,000 people, it will prove tedious to try and keep up with the tweets of 10,000 users. By creating lists of users, such as cat blogs, dog blogs, pet industry media, etc., you can engage with others. Twitter lists are located near your followers and likes on your Twitter homepage. You can see what lists YOU are on and which lists you are currently subscribing to. To add someone to a Twitter list, visit their Twitter account, click on the options to the right of their account, and add them to a list.
- Get involved with Twitter chats. Every Tuesday night (except the third Tuesday of the month), #BlogPawsChat takes place at 8:30 pm (eastern) on Twitter. Networking, following, growing, engaging, and meeting others is the key. If you think you know everyone, think again: Many attendees of #BlogPawsChat and other Twitter chats come to lurk. You never know who is watching.
- Mention five to 10 people a day in tweets. There is a difference between mentioning and being annoying, the latter of which you must not do. Build connections by mentioning something they did or you read about them. Is there a reporter who you may want to pitch a story to? Start reading their tweets, get to know their content, and get on their radar. After a few months of this, you can approach them with a “I’ve been following your content and…” and you really mean it. The cold pitch is just that: COLD. Social media is all about warmth and relationships.
- Respond to people who LIKE, comment, and re-tweet you. Put the social in social media.
Engaged Followers List
Keep a list of your Twitter account’s most engaged followers. Is someone a great fan of yours? Do they retweet and engage with you? Put them on a Most Engaged Followers List. Mention, engage, and keep on their radar. Loyalists are your biggest piece of the engagement pie, so give back.
Images with Tweets
Tweets with images generally perform better. Be certain you are using properly sized images. Here are Social Media sizes for 2018.
Numbers is Not the Name of the Game
Tweet when you have something meaningful to say. A constant barrage of tweets and retweets about anything and everything is so 2010. Think of it this way: Do you have time to wade through 100 tweets from someone in a day? If this someone is your favorite celebrity, maybe…but for most of us, no.
Have a dedicated plan as to why you want to be on Twitter, what you plan to tweet, when, and then just make it happen. Social media analytics is a science, and you should be following those numbers. Engagement and being real is the magic spice of 2018 (to this I say, hallelujah).
Timed Versus Real Time
Yes, you should absolutely use the services of a virtual assistant or social media scheduling tool or app. No, you should not solely rely on auto pilot for Twitter or any social media platform. Engage in real time. Set time aside every day to respond to and engage with your followers.
Twitter Analytics
Measure engagement and learn how to make your Tweets more successful, so says Twitter. I look at Twitter analytics a few times a month and use social media schedulers to show me other analytics. Twitter analytics is free. Determine what is working and when. See who is engaging with you and what you tweeted to make that happen. Do more of that. In fact, follow your competitors or those who are in your same space. Create a private list for them. What is working for them? Don’t be a copycat, but do learn from the success of others and apply that success to your own Twitter strategy.
Find Your Sweet Spots
Every tweet you send out should not be super promotional. In fact, some social media experts say the percentage of tweets that should contain promotional content is about 10 percent. Be a resource. Gain trust. Curate content and share it. Find a formula for your own Twitter account something like this:
XX % of tweets that you create and contain quotes, original content, images, video
XX % of tweets that you curate, retweet, etc
XX % of tweets that are your content and are promotional
Do you like to read Twitter feeds crammed with “buy this” and “look at me” Tweets? Nope! So don’t do it.
Use Hashtags the Right Way
Yes, there is a wrong way to use hashtags. Don’t overdo it, don’t use too many, and don’t become annoying. Hashtags.org is one of the more quality tools to do hashtag research. Don’t jump on the trending hashtags bandwagon for the sake of doing so. Engage if it makes sense for you and your strategy on Twitter.
Here’s a really good article from Sprout Social on how to find the right hashtags to use on Twitter.
Here are a few sites for hashtag and trend resources:
Live Tweet from Events
At the annual BlogPaws Conference, we use the #BlogPaws hashtag. Attendees can use that hashtag in their own Twitter feed and on all tweets. In doing so, you are part of a big online consortium, all gathered in one place with the same purpose in mind. Those not at the conference can get involved, too. Keep in mind what events you attend and if they make sense to live tweet. If you are a dog blogger and live tweet from a plumbing convention, your followers might be turned off and tune out.
Bio and Profile Focus
One of the most basic and often overlooked pieces of the Twitter influencer pie is that of creating a solid Twitter profile. Upload a properly-sized image that represents you and your brand. Use all of the space allocated for the Twitter bio. You may use hashtags in your bio if desired. Mention what you believe in, any outstanding awards, and of course, your website or blog. Be relatable! Don’t be salesy!
Know the Influencer Types
There are a few different types of influencers, including, but not limited to:
Hub Influencers: These are the celebrities and media outlets that create trends, hashtags, and more. Examples include news media, big television stations, and your A-list celebs.
Bridge Influencers: The bridge influencer continues the conversation started by the hub influencer. The bridge is the conversation that is kept alive from one group (initiated by the hub influencer) with another group, via the bridge influencer. For example, a celebrity may keep a hub conversation going to their followers, and thus the tweet and dialogue continues.
Professional Influencers: Most bloggers, medical professionals, and motivational speakers fall under this section. Their job is to deliver content to their audience as their job. Being an influencer in this category is the person’s job. Professional influencers, according to Devumi.com, can play the role of either the hub, the bridge, or both.
Your Turn
Becoming a Twitter influencer does not happen overnight. Check our your blog’s Google Analytics. Where is your social media traffic coming from? Is Twitter high on the list? Do you want Twitter to be a source of referral traffic? Use the tips above to get on lists, start your own lists, engage with others, time content for sharing but engage in real time, and you are headed down the right path.
Don’t Stop Now
8 Advanced Twitter Tips for Bloggers
FTC Twitter Chat About Disclosures
Learn from the Pros
Go face to face with social media experts this year at the BlogPaws 10th Anniversary Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, April 18-20. We’re a 3-day conference jam-packed with educational sessions led by top professionals, networking with influencers, a busy exhibit hall, exciting brand events, more influencers, and lots of pets. Get your tickets for BlogPaws 2018.
Carol Bryant is the Marketing and Social Media Manager for BlogPaws and runs her own blog, Fidose of Reality and its fundraising arm, Wigglebutt Warriors. When not busy playing with her Cocker Spaniel, Dexter, she stays far away from cooking. Her trademark is her mantra and is tattooed on her arm: My Heart Beats Dog.®
Images: Makistock / golubovystock / Shutterstock.com
