4 Practical Ways to Build Your Influence on Twitter

describe the image According to an Adobe/Econsultancy Digital Intelligence Briefing released this month (September 2012), 86% of 650 marketing professionals have an active presence on Twitter.

The ROI of Twitter is associated to larger brand mindshare and better customer service for the hyper-connected consumer.

In Hawaii, surveys have confirmed that a growing number of marketers are using Twitter to promote their business. Of those using Twitter, 27% said it had helped generate new business leads and 33% said Twitter had helped them close new business.

To start using Twitter for your business, start by identifying the reporters and top-tier editors of the publications that write about your industry. A freelance PR consultant can help you if you don’t have the time to do this yourself. But once you have your list, don’t start tweeting high-profile reporters right away. Your Tweets might look like spam. Instead, look for ways to insert yourself into the stream of conversation. Here's how:

Use these 4 Steps to Build Your Influence on Twitter

1. Regularly interact with 15 people that are already connected to someone who influences your industry, but have small or medium-sized followings of their own. Look for 10 or 20 people with a few hundred followers and see who Retweets and Replies to their message. This tip works because it’s easier to get noticed when you’re one of a few dozen rather than one out of a few thousand.

2. Create an “influence map” for your business—the 10 or 20 people that the leaders in your industry pay attention to. You can find these people by looking at Twitter streams and Klout topic lists. If the person you’re trying to engage with regularly Retweets or Replies to the same group of people over and over again, then see if you can establish relationships with those people first. Soon, you might be included in the conversation! As your influence grows, you will eventually become part of a “ladder of trust”—as long as you regularly create and share valuable, compelling content for your followers.

3. Once you’ve identified your “ladder of trust,” ask, “How can I give something of value back to the people I want to engage with?” Look at your own research, industry reports and always be on the lookout for ways you can be helpful. Share their content, but add extra value. For example, ask questions of your followers, then use that feedback to write an article about that subject. Then share that article with the person who originally tweeted the inspiration for your idea. They will likely share your content to their entire network!

4. Be supportive and go the extra mile whenever you can. Always be looking for ways to help and give back. Over time, your extra effort will help you get noticed, while showing the type of value you can bring to a relationship. Be unique and worthwhile. Plan to build relationships for as long as a year or more before asking for something in return. What are other ways that you can think of to help build your influence on Twitter? Start the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comments section below.

About the Author:

Laura Kinoshita is founder of a hybrid marketing, PR, social media, SEO and advertising web firm established in 2007. Her online marketing campaigns earned two awards this year, a PRSA Koa award for Bite Me Sportfishing of Kailua-Kona and a Hermes Creative Gold Award for The Shops at Mauna Lani on the Kohala Coast. She is the also the author of a 25-page, step-by-step guide for how to incorporate Facebook & Twitter into a marketing plan. Get your copy at: http://bit.ly/LK-tips