10 Proven Ways to Get More Twitter Followers

Social media is a more potent force than ever before and one of the sites at the forefront of the social media revolution is Twitter.  With millions of active users, Twitter is an extremely powerful marketing tool. 

The secret to Twitter success, of course, is growing and then holding a large follower base which can then retweet your own tweets, bringing you even more exposure.  But how does one best go about getting more Twitter followers?  Here are ten proven methods to increasing your follower count.

1. Have the Profile "Basics" Down

Be sure you have a header banner uploaded as well as an avatar picture that will represent you or your brand.  If you're representing yourself, consider using a photograph to make your image more personal.  If you're tweeting on behalf of a brand, perhaps go with the logo or a mascot.  Add a strong bio that shows you are interesting and fun - Twitter users will follow who looks fun to follow.  So if you never got around to adding a banner, or if your profile hasn't been updated in years, now's the time for a refresh.

2. Tweet at the Right Time

Remember that you want to stay consistent without spamming your followers.  Experiment with tweeting at different times of the day and note when you get the best response.  Perhaps your tweets do better on weekdays, or in the afternoons.  Once you learn when people interact with you the most, take advantage of it.  After all, more retweets will lead to more followers.

3. Tweet the Right Things

Twitter is all about content that is noteworthy, interesting, funny, or otherwise worth sharing.  If you are going to promote your brand, do it in an unusual way - or intersperse it with Tweets that people will find more sharable.  Twitter users don't like accounts that are nothing but promotion without any real meat, so find a style that you and your followers enjoy and use it.

4. Take Advantage of Trends

Twitter uses hashtags to create search terms that other users can find.  If enough people use a hashtag - or any phrase, for that matter - it will becoming a trending topic, which is then displayed on the Twitter front site.  These trends get a lot of traffic, so if you see a trend you can use in a clever or relevant tweet, go for it!  Utilising a trending topic in a tweet can bring a lot of attention to your account.

5. Help Out Other Accounts

Twitter users love to be retweeted and favorited - it means that they're getting attention.  If you see another user making a tweet that is relevant to your brand or theme, then favorite or retweet it.  It lets other users know that they are valued, and users who feel valued are more likely to follow you back.

6. Run Follower-only Contests or Giveaways

Don't underestimate the power of free stuff.  Give away free samples or other items related to your Twitter account's focus by way of follower-only giveaways.  Instruct the users to "Retweet for a FREE [object you're giving away].  Followers only!" and watch the followers roll in.

7. Take Advantage of Follow Friday

#FollowFriday is a weekly hashtag tradition where twitter users @-tag their favorite people or companies on Twitter.  Use it earnestly, and those who you tag will often recommend you right back to their own followers.  While you're at it, be sure to tag some accounts who aren't following you yet - often they will follow you back.

8. Talk and Reply

People who tweet to you love getting a response.  It makes them feel as though they have a personal rapport with you or your brand.  It makes followers more likely to recommend you, your web site, or your product to others, and makes non-followers more likely to follow you.

9. Use a Twitter Widget on Your Website or Blog

Twitter provides a custom widget, displaying your most recent tweets, that you can place on your website or blog.  Using this widget is a fantastic way to increase the visibility of your tweets to people who visit your site and remind them that they can follow you.

10. Tweet Pictures

A picture says a thousand words, and they also usually get more retweets.  Try adding some interesting or amusing pictures to your tweets periodically, and experiment with them to see what type of picture gets more shares.  Remember, more shares lead to more potential followers!

These ten ideas are really just the tip of the iceberg - using Twitter to your advantage is both an art and a science, and you'll be doing a lot of experimenting and trial and error.  But these ten tried and true methods are sure to get you on your feet faster than most, leaving you free to try other methods as well.  Most importantly, though, don't forget to enjoy yourself on Twitter - happiness is infectious, and other users will pick up on it.  Happy tweeting!