Using Twitter for Marketing on the Internet

As marketing on the internet has evolved one thing has remained consistent and that is the importance of compiling an email list of potential customers. Growing your business by using an email based marketing campaign continues to be a very effective strategy.

With the internet landscape continually changing one would assume that there must be a more efficient manner for businesses to build an email list of potential customers.

One of the most noticeable changes taking the internet by storm in the recent past has been the growing popularity of online social networking sites. The internet community has flock to these sites in droves and this trend shows little signs of slowing down. The result has been more effort invested into tapping the potential of these sites for business purposes.

One of the top social networking sites online today namely Twitter has become a popular a target for online entrepreneurs. Due to its huge base of users this site is prime internet real estate for marketers. The question here concerns the most effective way to harness the traffic off this site and channel it into your business funnel and build an email list of people who have an interest in what you promote?

Here is a simple 4 step strategy that has proven to be effective for siphoning traffic from Twitter for online business purposes

Open an Account

This seems simple and it is but there are just a few things you will want to pay attention to as you register for your account.

Use either your name or business name as your user ID. This will lend more legitimacy to you in the eyes of other users. Many people use clearly falsified identities which tend to repel other users. If someone is 'hiding' behind a false identity would you trust them?

The other thing you want to do is to have a picture of you or at least a avatar of some sort that represents your business.

Search the User Base

Twitter has a very simple method for searching their site based upon 'people' search or keyword searches. Using keywords that are relevant to your business do a search and then follow the people and/or businesses that come up in the results. Also follow some of their 'friends' so that you are now 'intermingling' with people who share your 'business' interests.

Share Useful Information

After a short period of time you will develop a list of your own followers. First off remember Twitter is a 'social' site therefore most people are NOT there to be sold. You need to first develop a relationship with them much like you would do in any email based marketing campaign. Once you have done that you will be in a better position to promote to them.

Locate information or resources that would be of interest to the people who are following you and then post it or at least links to it on your own blog. At this point you can now direct your followers over to your site to view this information.

Place an Opt In Box on Your Blog

Now that you have followers visiting your blog for the information you are sending to them you can create and place sign up form on it offering a free giveaway. You are now on your way to developing a sizable email list of people you have attracted from Twitter who share an interest in what it is you do.

As marketing on the internet continues to change some things remain the same. An email based marketing campaign continues to prove effective at accelerating the growth of any online business. One significant change however is the growth of online social networking sites. Their growing popularity has created huge population bases which present tremendous business potential for online entrepreneurs. It is now a matter of learning how to siphon traffic away from these sites and onto your email list. As mentioned Twitter is one of the top social networking sites which presents enormous marketing potential due to the size of its user base. By following the simple 4 step strategy reviewed above you should be able to divert plenty of traffic from this site and onto your email list. At that point you can commence an email marketing campaign that should help boost your sales and grow your business.