3 tips to connect with customers on Twitter 

1. Establish an authentic voice — Your brand voice is important no matter which corner of the internet you are in, but it’s especially important on Twitter. Your tweets are limited to 280 characters, making it particularly challenging to stick to your branding. But it’s also important to be authentic on Twitter. People aren’t there for ads, they want a conversation. And they want you to be a part of the conversation they’re having, rather than trying to create your own. (Need an example? Oreo nailed it back in 2013.)

2. Think about providing customer service — If there are two things Twitter is known for they are immediacy and the ability to connect with almost anyone. (Go ahead, find your favorite movie star, and tweet at them! No one can stop you!) This makes it especially good for customer service. When someone is upset with your company or asking for help by tweeting at you, don’t just ignore them. Use it as an opportunity to engage, in real-time. 

3. Remember, on Twitter, it’s all about users — Twitter has historically lagged behind its peers when it comes to building advertising opportunities and just generally updating the platform. Why? There is, undoubtedly, a complex reason for this but Twitter is and always has been about the users — rather than, say, Facebook, where advertisers have often felt like the audience the developers were playing to. With this in mind, I tend to think of Twitter as a great place to build your brand and converse with your customers to build loyalty — rather than a place to inundate them with ads and sales offers. 

*Bonus Tip: Twitter is the birthplace of the hashtag and it’s wise to make strategic use of them here. Many brands have done this well, using branded hashtags to create a community, engagement, and boost their profiles.