For a long time, Twitter has been a popular social channels for individuals and big brands. What about small business, though? Those who have a handful of employees who all juggle three job roles simultaneously? This week on the chat, we invited Melinda Emerson, who’s more widely known as the SmallBizLady, to talk about why small businesses should use Twitter to build their audience, and how they can maximize their returns. Here’s a summary of our chat.
Guest: Melinda Emerson
Topic: Twitter for small businesses
Format: Eight questions directed at the guest. Everyone’s welcome to share.
It’s quite simple, really. If you know you have an ideal audience on Twitter, then it’s where you should be.
A1 If Twitter is where your best target customer on hanging out online, it’s where you need to be too. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
It could be challenging, sure, but it’s also rewarding. After all, one of the greatest thing about Twitter is that it’s a perfect platform for both B2B and B2C businesses.
A1b Twitter is great for B2B and B2C businesses. It s a great way to engage and listen to current and prospective customers #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Not only can you interact with existing consumers and assess how they feel about you, but you can also use Twitter as a medium to engage with prospective customers and convert them. What’s more, Twitter is an easy way to keep an eye on your competition as well. The platform is loaded with features like Lists that help monitor conversations and manage your profile effectively.
A1c It’s also a great way to get intel on your competition without them knowing. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Adding to what our guest said, Chelsea also made a good observation: whether or not it’s worthwhile for you to be on Twitter depends on your industry as well. For instance, some industries like transportation require a more wider presence than just Twitter. This means that you’re likely investing in other social platforms, in addition to Twitter. You need to understand what your industry requires and then evaluate whether or not you can spend the time and effort that’s necessary to be successful on Twitter.
A1: I think it always depends on the industry and if it's going to be a consistent presence. Twitter is certainly not the place to be just to be. If community is a priority + they will invest time, then yes. #TwitterSmarter
— Chelsea Bradley (@ChelseaRhane) November 19, 2020
It’s vital to choose a name that reflects what you do and the value you offer to your community. Look at our guest, for example. When she started off, she couldn’t get her her own name because someone else with the same name had already taken it.
A2 In my case I tried to get my name back in 2008, but another @MelindaEmerson beat me to it, so I had to create a nickname. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
And so, Melinda chose a name that reflects her offering. By choosing SmallBizLady, she chose a name that not only told people what she did, but also established herself as the go to resource for small businesses. A large part of personal branding depends on how you project yourself. And for Melinda it all worked out perfectly as the SmallBizLady.
A2b At the time, I wasn’t thrilled about becoming @SmallBizLady, but 12 years later it’s clear it was the best branding thing that could have happened to my business. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
As Kofi added, having a relevant name also does your job for you, in a way. Aside from simplifying your message, it also helps people search and remember your brand.
A2: ?It speaks well of your brand
? Makes it easy for people to search for you
?It simplifies your message#TwitterSmarter— Kofi Dotse ?? (@kofigramm) November 19, 2020
Thanks to Twitter, hashtags became mainstream. Now every social platform uses hashtags as a way to discover and connect with like minded people. That’s why it’s crucial to understand the hashtags associated with your industry and business audience.
A3 You need to understand the #Hashtags in your industry to find your Tribe on Twitter. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
It’s also a good idea to create your own branded hashtag, as our guest did. As SmallBizLady, she started #SmallBizChat. What began as a common hashtag to converse around, evolved quickly into a full-fledged Twitter chat.
A3b You can also invent a hashtag. I created #Smallbizchat and some of you make know that for 10.5 yrs I host #Smallbizchat every Wed at 8pm #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
From Twitter, #SmallBizChat grew steadily stronger as it moved into the realm of live-streaming. And all along, people could follow conversations—across various social channels—all based on the single hashtag.
A3c In January 2020, we transitioned to a once a month #Smallbizchat LIVE, a video broadcast that we simulcast on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook Fan Page. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
From Twitter and the social sharing world, the hashtag is also now a popular podcast.
A3d Last fall, I also launched a weekly #Smallbizchat podcast, which is up to 226K listeners over 12 months. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
That’s the power of a hashtag—you can take it to extreme heights within Twitter, outside of Twitter, and even blow it up into a brand of itself. Melinda’s once-modest hashtag is now trademarked and an asset to her business and her credibility as the SmallBizLady.
A3e I created the #Smallbizchat hashtag and trademarked it, so it’s become a valuable asset to my business. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Another great Twitter feature is Lists. As Darcy pointed out, if you’re a small businesses, consider creating public lists that help your greater community. That way, others can subscribe to your lists and you’ll constantly grow your network. You can also use private lists to categorize your audience and keep up with conversations easily.
A3. Small business owners can nurture their communities by making Twitter lists (public or private) so they can follow the tweets of people in your community.#TwitterSmarter
— Darcy De Leon (still staying ?) Blog Editor ? (@darcydeleon) November 19, 2020
Melinda recommends using a 4:1 ratio of others’ content to your own. That way, you get a decent balance without seeming like selling your audience.
A4 Use a 4 to 1 ratio of posting other people’s content more than your own. No one wants to be sold too, especially on social media platforms. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
She also gave us an example of how she shares her blog posts on social media: she publishes 3 blogs a week and shares them each for four times throughout a week.
A4b Whenever I post fresh content to my blog (3 times a week) I post that content 4 times during that week on Twitter. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
However, it’s also important not to bite more than you can chew. As Kevin succinctly put it, how often you should tweet depends on your ability to remain consistent. If you can do 2 tweets a day and one chat a week for 4 months consistently, then that’s still better than tweeting 10 times a day and nothing for the rest of the month.
A4. How many times can you be consistent? If that means joining one Twitter chat a week or posting twice a week that's a great start.
Tweeting twice a week for 4 months is better than tweeting 20 times in a week and then nothing.#TwitterSmarter
— Kevin Berry (@KBerryMS) November 19, 2020
Seeing as how Melinda built her entire business around Twitter, as the SmallBizLady, she’s a perfect example of how Twitter can help small businesses increase sales and growth.
A5 I build my entire business brand on Twitter as @SmallBizLady, so I’m an original Twitterlebrity, and I can testify to the power of Twitter to drive business. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
She’s also recognized as a Small Business Influencer because of how she’s managed to nurture her community on Twitter. That’s why community is so precious for small businesses—not only does it help you reach a large audience, but it also sustains your growth over a long period. And Twitter is undoubtedly the best community-oriented social platform.
A5c I am a top Small Business Influencer larger because of my Twitter community #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
As Bernie added, Twitter is a long term investment, and if you spend enough time on your community, helping them with their problems, that’ll translate into increased sales. Although, for relationships to thrive and succeed, they have to be genuine—you can’t go into a Twitter chat planning to make a business deal. That’s not how social works.
A5: Twitter and social are a long tail. You are building relationships, providing value and trust. You are listening and engaging with your customers and audience…int he long run, it will translate into sales but it can’t be forced and it needs to be authentic #TwitterSmarter
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) November 19, 2020
You can also read through Melinda’s success story on The New York Times.
A5b I wrote about it in my column in @NYTimes in 2012 How Twitter Changed My Life https://t.co/7YChI2VPYk #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Whether it’s a specific format or a topic, there’s so much content you can share on Twitter. Whatever content you share, though, should reflect your unique voice and personality.
A6 Use Twitter to showcase your brand story. Your distinct POV. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Twitter is great for visual content. Try and publish images with every tweet. They could be custom-made banner designs or GIFs, but either way, they’ll help your tweet stand out.
A6b Share How to and List-based blog content. Make sure to use visuals with every post. Use custom images, and animated GIFs to enhance your Tweets. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
How-to content and lists are super effective on Twitter. You can also repurpose longer videos and interviews as short snippets that are easy to consume on the go.
A6c Famous Quotes or Your own quotes work too. I like snackable audio and video content too from longer-form videos or podcasts. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Just remember, though, your videos shouldn’t be too long—people browse social media on their commutes and line at Starbucks. That’s why your content should be easily accessible even without sound. Don’t ever forget subtitles.
A6d My P.S.A. Use short-form videos, but keep it brief, never more than 1-2 minutes, be sure to add subtitles as people watch without sound. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
We often speak about how chats can help you meet new people and engage in conversations that matter to you. If you host, however, you also build an immense influence over a large community. Look at Melinda and Madalyn for example. Both of them have become the go-to resources for any information about their respective hashtags and topics. That’s the kind of influence you generate once you’ve hosted a chat for a while.
A7 When you host a Twitter chat you can build an incredible tribe of influence. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
And of course, you can’t discount the value of free education. Twitter chats are incredibly resource-filled and you get to learn from leading industry experts. And the best part is that you can ask questions in real time and get answers instantly. No one is inaccessible on Twitter and that’s helpful when learning new things.
A7b You can also learn a lot for free for Tweet chats. #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
As Jake added, chats are also the easiest way to communicate. You don’t need any prerequisites to participate in chats, and you can share as much or as little as you like. That’s why Twitter chats are so popular among introverts as well—it’s a great way to bring people off all mindsets in one place.
A7: Easy ways to engage.
Just join in to an established chat. Share valuable takes and engage with others to build awareness.
Later, if you have the passion, desire, and audience, you can probably launch your own and build massive attraction.#TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/GYANhqqStn
— JZ ? Jake Zachariah (@jzjakez) November 19, 2020
Melinda’s top resources include The New York Times, Inc, Entrepreneur, and Small Business Trends, and Shopify for educational and share-worthy content.
A8 I read @NYTimes @inc @entrepreneur @smallbiztrends and I like the @Shopify blog for things to share #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
She also follows Jay Baer, Jeff Bullas, Ann Handley (Marketing Profs), and Minda Harts on Twitter.
A8b Ppl I love to read on Twitter @Jeffbullas @JayBaer @MarketingProfs @MindaHarts and @indemade #TwitterSmarter
— Melinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady) November 19, 2020
Here are some other resources our community members love:
Chris also pointed out how online conferences are great as well. With most events going virtual this year, it’s an easy way to learn new things.
A8: I have gotten enormous value out of attending virtual conferences this year. They are sometime tricky to find but once you discover the right ones they provide a wealth of information. #TwitterSmarter
— Chris Roberts (@BetterSmallBiz_) November 19, 2020
Well, that’s all from me this week, folks. Thanks for reading, and for more insights on our chat with Melinda, have a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana put together. And if you have some time to spare on Thursdays, we’d love for you to join us on the #TwitterSmarter chat at 1pm ET. We’re taking a break for Thanksgiving, but we’ll be back the following Thursday. Oh, and we’re also chatting on Christmas and New Year’s Eves—hope to see you there!
About me, Narmadhaa:
I write all things—technical and marketing copy to fill the pocket; haiku and short stories to fill the soul. A social media enthusiast, I’m a member of the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and always happy to take on writing gigs.
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