Twitter Profile Cheat Sheet

How to Create a Twitter Profile that Attracts Targeted Followers

The quality of your Twitter profile plays a huge role when others decide if they want to follow you. A focused profile can mean the difference between building a large network of targeted followers or failing in your Twitter marketing efforts.

Below are 6 tips on how to create a Twitter profile that attracts quality followers:

1. Enter your real name, even if you tweet on behalf of a large company. People who use social media sites want to connect with other people, not companies.




2. Complete your profile. Fill out all the information in the profile form, including your location and website. Many people won’t follow someone unless they have a complete profile.




3. Write an intriguing bio. Many professionals on Twitter make the mistake of treating their bio like a 160 character resume. While you should include keywords related to your professional background, you can also have a little fun. Since Twitter is a social networking site, mention something about your family or your hobbies. You never know when a future business contact will enjoy some of your interests.




4. Do not protect your tweets. Twitter gives you the option of locking your tweets, so only people you approve as followers can read them. Don’t check this option. Whenever I receive a follow request from someone with locked tweets, I never follow them back.




5. Include a professional headshot. Since you are tweeting for your business, your profile picture should be a high quality headshot. Use the same headshot in all your social networking profiles to maintain consistency.




6. Select a strong username. Here are some points to consider when choosing your Twitter username:
   • If you are a solopreneur or consultant, use your real name. Your name is your brand, so use it. If your name is not available on Twitter, try a combination of your name and your profession.
   • If you tweet on behalf of a company, you can try your name combined with the company name. This option is also good if several staff members tweet for your company.
   • Use your company name only if your company is well known and you plan on opening just 1 Twitter account.
   • Try to keep your username consistent between all your company’s social media accounts. This consistency reinforces your brand.

To determine if your profile needs improvements, visit http://twitter.grader.com. This free service grades your profile and even informs you of specific areas to fix.