4 steps to build engagement with Twitter

Finding ways to reach people online is an increasingly time-consuming task. Twitter is one platform that allows you to build engagement and relationships over time. Use these five simple tips to hone your Twitter strategy and see results.

1. Add images to your tweets. Sharing useful content on Twitter is how people will connect with you. Tweeting just text or a URL will not prove fruitful. Use the headline from a blog post you’re sharing in the tweet and add an image from the article. When we share content on @PARealtors, our goal is to have a visual element to pull the reader into the article.
   

   Relocation & tiring-of-renting: top 2 reasons respondents bought a home. https://t.co/ww1UbekmlB #WelcomeHomePA pic.twitter.com/G6oAo28K6s

   — PA Realtors® (@PARealtors) November 30, 2015

    

2. Tweet in the proper format. An unwritten rule for Twitter is following a format of how to post your tweets. Erik Fisher from Social Media Examiner has a simple formula to follow. He suggests you “start your tweet with text and then add a link. Make sure to include the attribution with @mentions if applicable. Then add hashtags and insert your image.” He continues by saying you should change up your format to pull a quote from the article or a particular sentence that captures the essence of the post. Then add in the link and appropriate hashtags. A key point Erik makes, and one that I share often as well, is to not start your tweet with an @mention unless you are replying. If you do, “only the people who follow both accounts will see the tweet.”
   

   #Realtor ratings are everywhere. Which site is best for you? #realestate https://t.co/RpMHJbh4AT

   — PA Realtors® (@PARealtors) November 17, 2015

    

    

3. Share tweets from others. Twitter introduced a share with comment feature in their apps and on Twitter.com. This feature allows you to add a comment, up to 116 characters, when you retweet. This is useful to add a comment to a tweet you want to share with your followers.
4. Use Twitter lists to find content. A feature built into Twitter, lists allow you group the people you trust who share content that would be beneficial for your followers. Creating a list of area leaders, local news media and industry thought-leaders will help you find engaging content. Social Media Examiner has a tutorial for setting up your Twitter lists.

Do you have any Twitter tips that should be added to this list?