I am constantly asked by others how I ever figured out Twitter and if it even works.  Figured it out...I have not for sure, but I have learned some awesome pointers. Optimizing the search and visibility of my Twitter profile has helped to gain followers but most importantly express to my target audience and friends my personality (against by better judgement ;) ).  As I always say If your going to do something even just to try it, excel in doing it right! Many of you probably joined Twitter to market a business. While marketing may be your primary focus,  Twitter also emphasizes an element of personal branding we can't neglect. Have you optimized both your business and personal Twitter presence to enable people to learn more about you and your business?

Here is 4 things that I believe should be considered to optimize your twitter profile-

1. Your Twitter Background

The first component you can optimize is your Twitter background. As a Twitter user, you have the opportunity to upload a custom image or pick one of Twitter’s suggested templates. Don’t use the default. My Twitter background, for instance, is an image of the famous Starbucks logo featuring the Siren holding guns. This is a reflection of what @AmmoHeadesign is!  A bit of humor, combination and the question where is this going!

Since the visual impact of your Twitter background is the strongest tool you have available, customize it to give people an eyeful of who you are.

You can make your own image on your computer and upload it under Settings – Design – Change Background Image. The first 200-250 pixels width on the left hand side is a great place to put additional profile information and list websites.

A customized Twitter background is great for conveying something about you or your brand's personality. What is more, it makes you more unique, helping you stand out from the crowd of other Twitter users.  You can upload a photo with your logo or a texture and more! Be creative, or use a plain color! Your profile is you and as you begin to meet and greet on Twitter you must be yourself.

2. Your Photograph

The second element of a Twitter profile that you will need to optimize is your avatar. Again, don’t use the default “egg” image. That won’t help you differentiate you or your business from the rest. Note most Spam tweets come from a profile that has an "egg" image for an avatar. In most cases they get my block!

Many people use photos that don’t help Twitter users recognize their identity. There is either too much going on in the photo, or it has been taken from too far away. These types of images might be great at conveying your personality, but they aren’t necessarily optimized for branding. Instead, for personal profiles, you should consider using a headshot that clearly shows your face so you can be easily recognized by other tweeps. For business accounts, use an image that portrays your company logo or brand. For my profile I chose to use my actual photo. As an artist it is important to be up front about your work but have the face to match it up to! When I used my logo I was still tweeting in first person narrative.  At my first #INWTweetup I was noted as AmmoHead but everyone made the comment I was not who they thought.  This is a great warning that when you are promoting any brand on social media you must speak as the voice of the company.  I should also point out my followers grew quicker after I changed to my own face instead of my logo.

3. Your Twitter Bio

 Your bio is the third thing you should optimize on your Twitter profile. It's easy to just put a quick list of stuff in there to define you or your brand. But why not come up with a full sentence that describes you or your business? If you have another account that you use for your business be sure to tag it in your profile with the @username.  Also, make sure you include a link to your website or blog, where visitors can go to learn more about who you are and what you do. When tweeting new followers or prospecting your target audience the first thing to be noticed will be the link on your profile, and it will tell more about you than the 160 characters on your profile!

4. Your Tweets

 Remember to also optimize each of your tweets. Always share valuable content and use action-oriented language.   Verbs are the part of content that generates the most shares on Twitter. I recommend posting regularly -- even over the weekend. We have found that Saturdays and Sundays perform well in terms of engaging people through tweets. You don’t necessarily need to reply to the interactions right away. Be reminded though that Twitter is a huge part of social media, and the whole point is to be social!

 Make sure your updates also include links to landing pages, a technique that will enable you to generate leads from Twitter. In this way, your social media efforts will directly impact lead generation.

I may have missed a couple things, feel free to post your ideas below.

Thanks and happy tweeting!

Doyle Wheeler