What started off as a new way to socialise online using just 140 characters has become irreplaceable in the lives of many people.
The success of Twitter as a Social Media Platform until recently had businesses thinking.
Could this be used as a medium for sharing information and as an open source of communication with Prospects, Clients, Suppliers and other Interest Groups? First it was the multinationals who hopped onto the Twitter bandwagon.
The medium-to-small businesses waited to see if their larger counterparts could gain traction from the medium.
They did not have to wait for long.
As Twitter continued to surge ahead in popularity, businesses large and small realised that in a world where "hard sell" is passé and sharing of information is the new mantra, ignoring Twitter was not really an option.
The question that was being asked was whether Twitter was just a passing fad that would fade away in a few years or whether it's here to stay, and should be integrated into the long term Marketing Strategy of a business.
How should a business interpret Twitter in a way that makes it more meaningful? Transcribing tweets into attention grabbing headlines Twitter allows users to post tweets using just 140 alphabetical characters.
Since that's not enough to paint a picture in words, it calls for some creativity on the part of the person posting the tweet.
The simplest and most effective way to do this is to think of your tweet as the headline of an advertisement.
There are two elements that need to be considered.
First, use powerful words that Transcribe the tweets into headlines that attract the desired target audience.
The other important element is to use keywords and key phrases relevant to your Product, Service, Business or Brand.
Winning the mind of your readers Tweets should be written in a manner that will win the mindshare of readers.
How is this done? By using keywords that appeal to the senses of the reader.
While individuals process information using visual, auditory and kinesthetic cues, the dominant sense differs for each individual.
This is why it is important to write different tweets using words that relate to the different senses.
Provide Information that is relevant, topical and precise When writing tweets it is important to remember that every tweet competes for attention with thousands of others.
To build a loyal following of raving fans, their appetite for information needs to be met in a meaningful way.
One of the ways to get the attention of readers is to craft a tweet around a topic of current interest.
Not only will this catch the reader's eye, but also help your tweet to be found easily as this will be the search term that is popular at this point in time.
The subject that you are tweeting about should also be relevant to the target audience.
If you are a business that's involved in food products it's best to keep your tweets focused on food and related products, because that's what your readers will expect.
Tweet to add value When tweeting, ensure that the tweets provide value to the reader.
This will help in building respect for your brand, product or service that you provide.
Tweets that are meaningful and helpful in some way get re-tweeted by followers and the viral effect can result in getting your business a level of exposure beyond the reach of traditional media.
Lead your followers to the target destination Although dispensing valuable information is important, by providing a link to a Blog, Website, Article or even a YouTube Video followers will get the full benefit of information that cannot be communicated in just 140 characters.
A word of caution though.
Never attempt to use links to blatantly sell products or services as this goes against the grain of information sharing on an open source platform such as Twitter.
Having a link with every Twitter post is also not a good idea.
Use links sparingly while tweeting.
Getting eager followers In a world where people are used to instant gratification, readers are always on the lookout for quick remedies and solutions to a problem they may be facing.
Providing tips and valuable suggestions to help overcome such problems will position you as an expert and the "go-to" person in your niche.
The benefits that your business derives in terms of revenue and profits can be enormous.
Readers who retweet regularly Perfecting the science of tweeting brings you followers who read and retweet the valuable information that you provide regularly.
This lowers the resistance barrier that prospects normally have and it becomes easier for them to jump through the hoops and become your customer.
As they continue to form strong relationships with you, you have the opportunity to step them up to higher rungs of the sales ladder and get them to buy your premium products or services.
As new prospects enter your sales cycle, your business will continue to grow, with minimum effort, without your marketing budget soaring through the roof.
So how can you apply Twitter in your business? To summarise this in one sentence, Twitter is: Transcribe Winning Information To Target Eager Readers Twitter for Business.
It's not a passing fad, but a powerful marketing tool.
Best of all it's free to use.
Use it to your advantage.
Craft every tweet with current and relevant keywords.
That's how you can grab the attention of your target audience and build a swarm of raving fans to help you grow your business.