What are the best practices for networking on Twitter?

When it comes to your Twitter profile, two key elements stand out. First, ensure you have an engaging profile image. Second, your bio should provide a clear snapshot of your expertise and interests. For instance, my current bio reads, "Building @smash_cactus @adtacticsdigest | Sharing insights on TikTok growth and ad creatives." Regarding banners, while their impact may vary, you can utilize them effectively to convey your message. You might consider showcasing your tagline or logos of prominent brands you've collaborated with. This way, anyone visiting your profile for the first time can readily grasp your focus and expertise.

Use direct messages judiciously and join or create lists for better organization. Promote your Twitter on other channels and be authentic in your interactions. Set clear networking goals and maintain consistency in your activity. Optimize your profile with a clear bio and professional photo. Engage regularly by liking, retweeting, and commenting on relevant posts. Use hashtags wisely to increase visibility but avoid overuse. Share valuable content to establish yourself as a thought leader. Participate in Twitter chats and follow industry leaders to engage with your community. Authenticity and active participation are key to building meaningful connections.

Few additional points When selecting a Twitter handle (username), choose one that is both memorable & aligned with your brand/personal identity. Unlock new possibilities for your profile by applying for Twitter verification. Pin a tweet that poses an intriguing question or shares an interesting fact to stimulate conversations & keep your followers hooked. Make sure your DM option is enabled for all. Follow some lists as per your industry. Join communities to engage & grow. Craft your bio thoughtfully to leave a lasting impression that resonates with others. Follow some influencers in your industry.

Remember to optimise your profile - Have an appropriate display picture, profile banner, handle/username and be true to who you really are! Consider adding your industry and following key themes that ensure other users on the platform can quickly understand more about you and what you are likely to tweet about in advance.

Comment Repost Engage Build conversation This is the most optimized way I found. Do this with in same niche people continuously.

Remember that your following list can be viewed by anyone on the platform so be smart and targeted with who you follow and engage with. If using Twitter as a networking platform; always be professional and think about the content/communications that you are engaging with - is this suitable and reflecting you in the best desired light as possible?

Few additional points To stay updated on the topics without letting them know, organize your Twitter list. Twitter chats are an opportunity to engage with individuals who share the same interests in your niche. Make a daily routine to engage with your followers to build trust. To foster meaningful interactions, ask open-ended questions that spark engaging conversations. Boost your online presence by going beyond mere retweets & add your own thoughts when sharing someone else's content. Offer help to someone in your network whoever needs it, to have long-lasting benefits. Express gratitude to those who engage with your content. A heartfelt "thank you" creates strong relationships. If you tag others, don't over-tag.

Recently, I've implemented a more efficient approach to engage with the right people on Twitter. I use TweetDeck and I've curated two distinct lists: One comprises individuals I frequently engage with The other includes users I aspire to establish connections with. Each day, I devote 30 minutes to interact with both lists and follow up by initiating conversations through DMs. The key to this strategy lies in its consistency and continuous presence. By consistently engaging with users through comments and interactions on their posts, you're more likely to foster meaningful connections. This approach isn't limited to Twitter; it can be applied effectively across various platforms to help you build a valuable network.

To maximise your Twitter networking, be discerning about who you follow – aim for quality, not just quantity. Pinpoint individuals and entities that align with your audience, niche, and aspirations. Utilise Twitter’s lists, advanced search, and hashtags to locate those with common interests and goals. Once you've followed them, actively engage: like, retweet, comment, and pose questions. Your interactions should be authentic and constructive, steering clear of spam, over-self-promotion, and confrontations.

Engage with the right audience. I have seen that people who retweet and post responses to others' tweets are more likely to gain followers and engagement than those with multiple followers but do not engage with others.

To keep your followers engaged, maintain a consistent posting schedule. Have a content calendar to manage & diversify your tweets For max. engagement, incorporate interactive elements like polls/surveys/Q&A sessions. Empower your followers with knowledge by sharing helpful tips, informative guides, & engaging how-to content. Be up to date with the latest trends & be ready to engage in discussions with hashtag trends in your niche. Join Twitter chats, engage with community hashtags, & contribute to trending conversations. Add a dash of humor, a pinch of motivation, & a variety of content formats. Encourage followers to engage with your content by retweeting, & liking. Check Twitter analytics to monitor the performance of your tweets.

The most effective approach is to maintain a consistent posting schedule. I've devised a content matrix that guides my weekly content strategy. For instance, on Mondays, I share a client success story, on Tuesdays, I delve into business or personal narratives, and on Wednesdays, I focus on strategic insights. Instead of fixating on vanity metrics, prioritize the delivery of valuable content. Your audience will undoubtedly appreciate your dedication to quality content over quantity.

Creating and sharing valuable content is crucial for successful engagement on social media. Your content should be pertinent, beneficial, and captivating to your followers. Employ a variety of formats like text, images, videos, polls, or threads to express your expertise, perspectives, or narratives. Enhance visibility and outreach by effectively using hashtags, mentions, and tags. Remember, it's not solely about broadcasting your own material—curate and disseminate content from others to provide additional value to your audience and to illustrate your industry knowledge and magnanimity

Don't create content FOR your audience. Create content WITH them! Collaborative content development strengthens relationships. Content is NOT king. Relationships are. Put your community first... not just in principle, but on your social media channels, for amazing results.

Make it a priority to regularly monitor your online mentions & promptly respond to them. Extend a warm welcome to your new followers by sending them a friendly message or a grateful tweet. Take a moment to thank you to those who share your content. Participating in existing threads to dive into discussion topics & connect with others. By going live, you create an opportunity for real-time interactions with your followers. By asking insightful questions, you can foster engaging interactions & encourage people to share their thoughtful responses. To foster conversation, occasionally reach out to your followers and seek their feedback on the content you share.

The problem I often see with users networking on Twitter is that they schedule posts and simply leave the platform - the key to Twitter is jumping into conversations and engaging with other users! Consider following weekly Twitter chats and engaging in trending hashtags with others in your community who you would like to learn from. Engage appropriately and friendly in discussions to understand others' points of views before sharing your own.

Joining and initiating conversations is a vital part of networking on Twitter, fostering rapport, trust, and loyalty. Engage in Twitter chats, live events, Q&As, or trending topics. Spark dialogues by soliciting feedback, advice, or referrals. Be amiable, inquisitive, and conversational, ensuring you listen and respond appropriately to others. Don't hesitate to display your personality and humor, but remain considerate of your tone, language, and social etiquette.

Before sending DM, politely ask if they are open to receiving DMs to respect their preference. Refrain from sharing sensitive details through DM. Clearly state the purpose of your DM so that recipient understand why you're reaching out. Be patient & give your connections ample time to respond. Avoid bombarding them with multiple follow-up messages. Keep your direct messages short & succinct as lengthy messages may not receive the desired level of attention. Inform your connections about exclusive events/ webinars/live sessions via DM. Maintain a professional & respectful tone via DM. Regularly reach out & check on the progress, milestones/challenges of your connections. This simple gesture shows that you genuinely care.

Employ direct messages on Twitter judiciously to enhance relationships and conversations. They're useful for expressing gratitude, offering compliments, congratulations, or assistance, and for extending invitations for collaboration or community participation. Avoid using direct messages for unsolicited pitches or spam. Always respect the privacy and preferences of your connections and ensure you have a legitimate reason and their consent before sending a message. When you do send a direct message, keep it clear, concise, and polite, and avoid overwhelming recipients with frequent or lengthy messages

Far too often, people make the mistake of attempting to sell in the DMs. I like to draw a parallel between this approach and the concept of a first date; You wouldn't propose marriage on the very first encounter. Similarly, when reaching out to users through direct messages, initiate the conversation by commenting on their content. Gradually transition to the DMs with the intention of learning more about them and building a genuine network, rather than pursuing a sales pitch.

To track your progress, have clear & measurable goals first. Whether you aim to grow followers/enhance engagement/drive traffic etc, to measure your success. Monitor the no. of unfollowers. If it's high, you need to work on your strategy. Regularly assess mentions, reviews, & testimonials about your business. Keep a close eye on the performance of your content as it evolves over time. Analyze your data in a segmented way to gain valuable insights into how different strategies are influencing specific audience segments.

Much like on other social platforms, you need first to understand where your key audience is (even for networking). The answer might be that they are not on Twitter/X. Once you determine where your audience is, you need to put in the work and nurture the relationships, add value and continue to evolve as your audience does.

Focus on nurturing relationships and maintain a long-term perspective. There have been instances on Twitter when it seemed like my content wasn't making an impact, only to receive a DM from someone expressing their appreciation, like "I love your content" or "I've read every one of your tweets." This reaffirms the value of building connections and not fixating on short-term metrics.

Engaging effectively on Twitter involves sharing firsthand information within your network or domain. Twitter serves as a primary source of information, so choose the right network to engage with and contribute by commenting on tweets. This strategy attracts traffic to your profile, fostering meaningful engagement.

One thing I've personally found useful in growing your Twitter is to interact with the audience. Twitter is less for self-promotion. The more you contribute; people will recognize you and your well-established bio will say what you want to sell. Don't focus on selling, focus on building connections.