Starting a Twitter Account From Scratch
So, you’re starting a Twitter account! I may be biased, but it’s safe to say that Twitter is absolutely my favorite platform. It’s why I’ve created the #TwitterSmarter chat and podcast to educate people on the best practices for this incredible online space.
But if you’re just creating your account, then you might be feeling a little overwhelmed with all there is to do in order to get things up and running. Luckily, I’m sharing some tips to help you do just that. Let’s dive in!
Starting a Twitter Account From Scratch
Here are seven things you’ll want to do when starting a Twitter account. They’re all essentials for filling out your profile, getting started with posting, and more. All you need to do is follow these steps and you’ll be ready to go in no time.
1. First, Choose a Great Profile Photo for Your Account
Your picture will be one of the first things people see from you. That’s why it’s important to ditch that default egg graphic when starting a Twitter account. Choose a profile photo that clearly shows your smiling face so people can actually see what you look like. It helps them to better connect with you. If you’re creating a Twitter profile for a larger company that you aren’t necessarily the face of, using a logo for your photo is fine.
2. Make Sure Your Profile Communicates What You’re About
Next, it’s important to complete the remaining aspects of your profile. This includes your bio and your header image. You want to write a bio that informs people who you are and what your business does. This way, people will know what kind of content to expect from you and whether or not you’re someone they want to follow. Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with your bio and show off your personality in the process.
And of course, there’s your header image. This is also a great opportunity to showcase the value you have to add to potential followers. It could feature your brand’s mission statement or mention other platforms you use like YouTube, your podcast, or something else. Think of it like an extension of your bio. Also, don’t forget to add your location to your Twitter profile. This will allow you to show up in searches should anyone be looking for local people or businesses.
Not sure how to make these kinds of changes to your profile? All you have to do is visit your page and you’ll see something like the image above. Click the “Edit profile” button and this will allow you to tweak your header image, photo, name, bio, and location. Just click save when you’re all done!
3. Share Your Very First Tweet
Once your profile has been completed, the next step in starting your Twitter account is to actually start tweeting! Think about what you’d like your very first tweet to say and publish it. This is a great opportunity to introduce yourself to the platform. You won’t have anyone following you at this point, but that’s okay. Anyone who visits your profile after posting your initial tweet will be able to see it.
Simply say hello and share what your business does and who you help. Or you can talk about the kind of content people can expect to see from you. You have 280 characters to work with here, so get creative! Ask yourself what you’d like people to know about you upon first discovering you. That’s what you’ll want to share.
It would also be smart to have a pinned tweet. But what does that mean? By pinning a tweet, it will show up at the top of your feed whenever someone visits your profile. It allows that particular piece of content to stand out, so choose wisely! That initial introductory tweet would be great to pin because people can easily get to know more about you.
To pin a tweet, you simply need to click the down arrow on the top right-hand side of an individual tweet. From there, you’ll see a menu pop-up just like the one in the picture above. Then, choose “Pin to your profile.” Whenever you do this, it will replace whatever had been previously pinned to your page, if anything.
4. Find Other Accounts to Start Following
What makes social media so fun is having the ability to follow and engage with other people. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you also start following accounts that are of interest to you. Are there any influencers in your field that you enjoy? Publications you look forward to reading? Or maybe you’d like to follow some of your favorite celebrities? Either way, this is your account and it’s totally up to you who you follow.
To follow an account, just visit their profile and click the “Follow” button on the right side. And guess what? You can even follow some of your favorite topics as well, such as sports teams and TV shows. This will ensure you see plenty of content you enjoy in your Twitter feed. I have a post that shares how to follow people and topics on Twitter if you need some help.
Using Twitter lists can also be beneficial as you start to follow more and more accounts. Lists give you the opportunity to organize those you follow, whether it’s by industry, topics, etc. My guide to Twitter lists has some other tips on how you can use them.
5. Consider Why You’re Joining the Platform
Odds are, there’s a very good reason why you’re starting a Twitter account. But what is it? Are you joining Twitter as a way to build your brand’s presence online? Are you hoping to build a following and ultimately promote your products and services? Or do you just want to join the Twitter community to stay updated on news and have engaging conversations? Whatever the reason may be, it’ll be the driving force behind how you’re using the platform.
Knowing your goals will also provide you with important metrics to track as you’re growing your account over time. This way, you can be sure that your content is actually helping you get the results you want, whether that’s more traffic, engagement, conversions, etc.
6. Create a Consistent Schedule to Ensure Regular Posting
If you want to grow your presence on Twitter, it’s important that you’re actually sharing new content regularly. As you’re starting a Twitter account, consider how often you’d like to post. You might feel good with just sharing five new tweets per day. Or maybe you want to step it up and tweet 10-15 times. It’s really up to you. And you’re more than welcome to experiment and see what actually works best for you. How many high-quality tweets can you actually commit to each day?
Just remember that Twitter unveiled a policy on automation back in 2018 to cut down on spam, so duplicate content is out. That means you’ll need to keep your content fresh whenever you’re posting. Sendible shared some tips on diversifying your tweets that might be useful.
Posting regularly is easier when you have a third-party scheduling tool at your disposal. Check out the four tools in this post and give them a try.
7. Tell Your Other Communities That You’ve Joined Twitter
The best way to generate followers when you’re starting a Twitter account is to encourage your current audience (if you have one) to follow you there as well. Tell your email list as well as your Facebook and Instagram followers so they can check out your profile and lend their support. And don’t forget to add the link to your brand new Twitter profile to your website!