The following post is the first in a series on how to build an effective and profitable Twitter following – the right way. My Follow Build Pro™ blog post series will show you how to build a proactive, engaged, vibrant and profitable Twitter following. In my opinion, there is a right way to build a following and a wrong way. My Follow Build Pro™ blog post series will show you how to build your following the right way — responsibly, ethically AND profitably.
First things first… we’ll start by showing brand new users how to get started with a Twitter account. If you’ve already setup an account, you can still optimize your account profile by following the steps outlined below … just skip down to Step #5 to optimize an existing account.
Otherwise, if you’re just now getting started, begin with Step #1 below:
- Go to Twitter and, click the “Get Started – Join!” button.
- Enter your first and last name in the “Full Name” box.
- Next up is the “User Name”. Don’t underestimate the importance of choosing a good user name for your account. If you’re setting up the account for your business, try to incorporate the name of your business in some way. Your user name can only incorporate a total of 15 characters (including numbers, dashes, underscores or other character types. You cannot use spaces in your user name.)
- Enter a password and your email address and the “captcha” code, then click on the “Create My Account” button. Be cautious about the next few steps which will allow you to select from among some high profile accounts to start following.
- Next, you want to click on the “Settings” link at the top of the page.
Tip: I would recommend using Title case for your user name because it provides a bit more branding emphasis for your name that will make it stand out a bit more and will lend just a bit more importance in your follower’s minds than an all lower case user name will. For example… No – twitter.com/yourname Yes – twitter.com/YourName If you are unable to fit your full business name with the 15 character limit, you can use an important keyword relative to your business.
Tip: I recommend clicking on the “Skip this Step” link on the “Suggested Users” page just below the big “Finish” button. If you want, you could follow one or two of these high profile accounts, but I would strongly urge you to limit who you initially follow to avoid cluttering your account with updates from celebrity and high profile personality types.
- Change your time zone setting to match up your location.
- Put a link back to your site or blog in the “More Info URL” space. If you don’t have your own site or blog, you can leave this blank, but this URL can provide a significant source of traffic to your site/blog once you start growing your following.
- IMPORTANT: In the “One Line Bio” space, describe who you are or the type of business you’re in using relevant keywords. This is a critical element of how people will find you in various Twitter directories available online. Enter your physical location (city), select your primary language, check the “Protect My Updates” box and then click on the “Save” button.
- Click on the “Notices” tab and check the “New Follower Emails” and “Direct Text Emails” boxes to be notified when someone starts following you or sends you a direct message. Click the “Save” button.
- Click on the “Picture” tab to upload a photograph of yourself or a logo of your business. A photo of you will keep it a little more personal but a business logo might be more appropriate for others. When you’re done, click the “Save” button. Do not use the default image that Twitter provides. Using the default image is a clear indication to other followers that you’re not really serious about twittering.
- Next, click on the “Design” tab and play around with the background image and design colors to get a feel for what your account might page will look like. For business owners, I recommend personalizing or customizing your Twitter background. A customized background is another way to signal to your followers that you are a serious player. Check out some free Twitter background designs here as well.
- After you’ve made all of your Profile updates and are satisfied with your account setup, go ahead and log back into the “Account” tab on your Profile page and uncheck the “Protect My Updates” box. This will make your account Profile publicly available.
After setting up your account, you will have a constantly updated stream of information from your followers – similar to a news feed – of all the Tweets of people you are actively following. Those who follow you back will be able to see your updates. Users can reply and update their “Tweets” with a simple click of the mouse. Twitter allows you to stay in constant communication with your followers in real-time. You can also send direct messages that are private to those on your follow list, but we recommend using direct messages sparingly and only in specific cases.
Additional Resources for Setting Up & Optimizing Your Twitter Account:
- Best Practices for Setting Up a Twitter Account By The Numbers (SEOMoz.org)
- How to Set Up a Twitter Account (TwiTip.com)
- Practical Guide on How to Optimize Your Twitter Profile (Twitter-HowTo.com)
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