12 Tips to Get More Twitter Followers

Is there an untold formula for getting more Twitter followers? No, I don’t think so. But there are a few strategies you can use on Twitter that will help you engage and make you more charming to other Twitter users who are looking for people to follow.

1.   Tweet a lot

I used to worry about tweeting too much. My posts would appear on Twitter and also be forwarded directly to my Facebook account, where some friends would complain that their timelines were being flooded with my posts. I apologized and advised them to unfriend me, because I have no intention of stopping tweeting. Lots of quality tweets are your answer here. But be careful: don’t bombard people with tweets. I myself hate it when I see ten or more tweets from the same person in a row in my feed. It is just nonsense and a reason for people to unfollow you.

2.   Have a content strategy

When you think of your Twitter stream as a newsfeed (news about you, news about things you’re interested in, etc.), you start to understand why it’s so important to have a content strategy. People don’t want to see random or generic links. They want to see the best of you and the best of the web. A picture of a slice of bread on your plate isn’t going to be interesting. A tweet with a picture of a moldy slice of bread with a bite taken out of it is a whole different story. You’ll need to do some research to find tweets about topics that interest you. Find a few (reasonably large) sites that regularly post interesting, important, and unusual information. If they’ve been good sources of Twitter content in the past, they’ll likely be good sources in the future.

3.   Get on lists

These first steps will help you grow your Twitter followers and improve your Twitter profile. If you do it right, people may start adding you to twitter lists. Twitter allows you to create and share lists. There are other services that let you build lists. They may even mention you in a blog post recommending Twitterers on certain topics. The more lists you appear on, the better.

4.   Twitter over Twitter

People love to tweet about Twitter. However, all this navel-gazing actually serves a purpose. People feel strongly involved in this social network, where every change can have a big impact on their experience. By tweeting this kind of news, you show that you are on top of things. Others who want to know more about Twitter might just follow you. This also applies to other topics, of course.

5.   Respond and join the conversation

As much as Twitter can be used as a newsfeed, it is also a communication platform. Don’t ignore your Twitter followers. Some will ask you questions. Others will simply comment on your posts. Try to respond to these people personally as often as possible. I have my own way of doing this. Unless I think my response will further the conversation on Twitter and provide useful information to my Twitter followers, I will not respond in the Twitter stream. Instead, I will follow the person who commented and send them a private message. People are usually happy that I follow them back and appreciate the interaction. This also helps you build a solid Twitter reputation and usually leads to more twitter followers.

6.   Retweet your Twitter followers

Come across a good post from someone you follow? Retweet it. This is an obvious step. If you use Twitter’s retweet function, the original poster will automatically get credit. However, you may want to comment on the post. That means editing the post, which is fine. Just remember to credit the author of the original tweet. If you retweet and clearly indicate who the tweet was from, you’ll build a solid reputation on Twitter and others will be more likely to recommend you.

7.   Make sure you stand out

If you really want to get more Twitter followers fast, try riding the wave of a popular topic. For example, write a blog post about a topical subject and tweet about it. But remember that it is not enough to just tweet about the topic. Search for popular keywords on Twitter and make sure to use them in your tweet. If you take this approach, you could become part of a trend and maybe even show up in Google search results. You could stand out somehow and that could bring you more Twitter followers.

8.   Understand why people follow you

That short description of yourself in your Twitter profile isn’t there for show. It’s often the reason people decide to follow you. Let’s say you wrote in your profile that you like “knitting and trying exotic foods.” Your followers will expect to see tweets about knitting or crafts and about food and restaurants. You can tweet about other things, but don’t forget what brought people to your account in the first place. Political rants on an account where they don’t expect them can cost you followers. Staying on topic and sharing rich content will help you retain your followers and build a reputation in your niche. And that will lead to new followers. As with many of the tips on this list, this is a cyclical process.

9.   Take them with you

Going somewhere interesting? Take your Twitter followers with you. Take pictures and post them on Twitter. Post about great restaurants and fun sights. If you are part of an insider-only industry, tell your followers things from the inside. These types of interesting posts with unique insights are sure to get retweeted and gain you many new followers.

10.                     Be funny

Twitter is full of great information, but it’s also pure and delightful entertainment. So give people what they want. Throw in the occasional funny tweet. Don’t try to be funny if it doesn’t come naturally, but definitely find some lighthearted topics or links to tweet. If people see that you have a nice mix of tweets in your feed – informational, serious, deep, technical, and even funny – you can attract even more followers to your account.

11.                     Ask questions

This is part of interaction: you can ask questions. It is even fun to use a free service like Twtpoll to hold free online polls. Of course, don’t forget to post the results of the poll. If you convert that into a blog post, that can also lead to more readers of your blog coming to take a look at your twitter feed.

12.                     Be real and sincere

This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at the alarming lack of transparency in many Twitter feeds. People appreciate honesty and can relate to real situations, emotions, and ideas. However, be careful about showing your true colors, as the Twitter audience is often quick to voice an opinion. However, if you’re honest and have the intention to engage in real conversation, even on the most controversial topic, you could gain more followers than you bargained for.

Conclusion

I will never be a fan of Twitter. I find telling a story in 140 characters impossible and I also don’t like reading sentences with endless codes. But as an all-round online marketer there is no escape. Twitter is very useful in the entire branding process. Moreover, there is a lot to gain if you use the above Twitter tips to get more followers. But I don’t spend my free time on Twitter. Then I prefer to go to other social media.