Top tips for using Twitter to engage

Last year we released the results of a study which analysed the social media activity of the 2010 Deloitte Fast Tech 50 - a list of the UK’s 50 fastest growing technology companies.It found that most are missing out on the potential of social media by not being social and failing to use these new channels to engage with their audiences.You can download the full report here - it's filled with best practice advice and tips, some of which we want to pull out and share on the blog over the next few weeks. Here are ten tips on how to use Twitter as part of your social media PR strategy and to engage with your audience:

1. Don’t be cryptic – with only 140 characters at your disposal, it’s often tricky to get ideas across, but being clear and concise is crucial in keeping your followers engaged
2. Give followers a reason to click your link – include a link in your tweets whenever possible and keep your tweets interesting to encourage click-throughs
3. Convey your personality through your tweets – don’t be afraid to use a lighter tone on Twitter. The more approachable you are, the more likely you are to build relationships with your followers
4. Create lists of key people in your industry or useful contacts – use Twitter Lists to put together useful groups of relevant people. This will help you build links with these influencers and will also act as a useful resource for your followers
5. Respond to replies quickly – if someone directs a message at you on Twitter, do your best to respond as quickly as possible. Even you don’t know the answer or need to find more information, you can still set expectations
6. Link Twitter to your web analytics service – use web analytics to identify what drives traffic and how effective or likely this traffic is to convert
7. Retweet interesting content – embrace your community and if one of your followers tweets something interesting, retweet it to your followers. Add a comment for extra points
8. Ask questions – one of the best ways to encourage engagement with your followers is by asking questions. Why not get feedback on your latest product or ask for content ideas for your blog?
9. Be flexible; don’t just tweet about the same thing – the best brands on Twitter provide a good balance of different tweets – some serious and some promotional, but others that are lighter in tone and give a more human side to the company
10. Pimp your profile by using your company colours and putting together a bespoke background – keep your Twitter profile consistent with your company branding to make it feel more credible

You can download the full report here and do get in touch if you'd like to pick our brains on how to build a social media programme into your technology PR campaign.