There are many marketing professionals who are ready to write Twitter off as yesterday’s social media. And, true, it has lost users while other platforms like Snapchat and Instragram have seen large growth spikes. But, the platform still has more than 100 million daily users which makes it, next to Facebook, among the most used social media platforms. So, how can businesses be successful on Twitter? What works in getting your business’s message noticed? A recent study from Audiense and Hubspot sheds some light on what works on Twitter.
First of all, most businesses use Twitter for:
- Brand Building
- Lead Generation
So, if you are like a lot of businesses that use Twitter, you know how difficult it can be to ensure your tweet gets noticed and distributed to a larger audience. After all, the average life of a tweet is only 17 seconds—the average time it takes for your tweet to move below the fold on a feed. But, there are many tricks to help your tweet stand out and get retweeted.
People Notice Pictures
Like a moth drawn to a light, people are drawn to visuals. The number one thing with a tweet to help it get noticed is to include an image. An image, naturally, takes up more screen space and provides more visual appeal. In fact, with free visual tools such as Canva, you can create sharable images that are custom designed for Twitter.
Important stat: 34 percent of tweets with images get retweeted.
So, if you want to broaden your audience exposure on Twitter, use images in your tweets.
The Science of URL Placement
In your tweet, think about where to place your URL. It is common practice that people put their URL at the end of their tweet.
But…you are 26 percent more likely to get retweeted if you put a URL in the middle of the tweet.
Hash It Out!
Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake are the kings of the hashtag, but there are some interesting stats involving hashtags. While common sense may say that the shorter the hashtag the better, the science says otherwise.
Hashtags containing 11 or more characters get 117 percent more retweets than those that only contain 6 to 10 characters.
And, your tweet is 69 percent more likely to be retweeted if you only use one hashtag versus two hashtags. Sorry Jimmy and Justin.
The Direct Approach Works
We all love email as it is among one the most affordable and effective marketing tactics. But, studies show an even higher click-through rate on Twitter direct message campaigns. In fact, they enjoy a 300% higher click-through rate. So, next time if you are considering an outbound email campaign, test it against a Twitter direct message campaign and compare the results.
Twitter Ads Grow Followers
Advertising on Twitter is relatively new, compared to Facebook. But, those businesses that use Twitter ads have about 13x more followers than those that do not use it. So, if you need to grow followers, Twitter ads is a very strong tactic.
But, it is also a double-edged sword. You have to keep those followers engaged. Businesses that gain users via ads lose about 15 percent within three weeks unless they keep them engaged with new content.
How to Use This Information
When it comes to Twitter, it still has to be the right match for your company and your audience. If it matches your personas, it is still a viable marketing channel. It just needs to be utilized correctly and you have to commit to it. A once-in-a-while tweet will not work. Tweet strategically and with frequency. If you need help, we are here to assist you. Call us at 303-300-2640.
