Q&A: How To Use Twitter To Generate Leads (And Get Stellar Results)

Learn Best Practices for Using Twitter to Generate Leads

I recently had the honor of being the guest on #ViralChat – one of the largest and most active Twitter Chats on the topic of digital marketing and social media. If you have ever participated in a Twitter Chat, then you know it can be a treasure trove of great tips and insights. On this chat, hosted by the talented folks at PostPlanner, I had the opportunity to share my insights on how to effectively use Twitter for lead generation… and get stellar results! In this article, I summarize my answers to 10 key questions about how to use Twitter to generate leads.

Q1. It can be tough to get noticed on Twitter. What are the best ways to attract potential customers to your Twitter page?
It all starts with having a complete Twitter profile. Ensure that you have a great profile picture (no egg heads!), bio, location, link and eye-catching header photo to attract your audience on Twitter. Your profile visuals (your profile picture and header image) may determine whether or not someone follows you – so it is important to make them stand out. It’s also important to have an active Twitter stream with relevant, value-based and engaging content that speaks to your target audience. Tweeting once per week will garner vastly different results than tweeting once per hour. Find a rhythm that works for you and your intended audience. The key is to tweet smart! Share valuable, compelling and relevant content that is supported with strong visuals. Make each of those 140 characters count with every tweet. Through your actions on Twitter, you can stand out as a thought leader. Showcase your topic expertise by including relevant keywords and hashtags in your tweets to amplify your discoverability. And finally, always be on the lookout for relevant and targeted people to follow on Twitter to build your community.  

Q2. How does a small business optimize their tweets for lead generation? What are the key components of those tweets?
Using Twitter to generate leads is a smart strategy. Again, by using eye-catching visuals with your tweets, you are better able to stand out from all the noise. Did you know that we process images 60K times faster than words?! That is why the visual component of Twitter is crucial for getting noticed. You only have a maximum of 140 characters to get someone to take action – so choosing your words carefully is important for lead generation. Create interesting and intriguing copy for your tweets, along with a strong call to action (CTA) that will inspire action. The thing to remember is that lead generating tweets exude value… they compel your audience to WANT to take action. Also, knowing when your audience is mostly likely to see your tweets is an important factor. Schedule tweets at optimal times (when your target audience is most responsive) to maximize your reach and engagement.

[Pro-Tip: Use PostPlanner to add your lead generation tweets to a queue for a consistent and effortless drumbeat.]

Don’t forget the ABT of Twitter – Always Be Testing! Try different copy, images, hashtags, and calls to action to optimize your lead generation tweets. Smart lead generation techniques on Twitter do NOT include spammy Direct Messages (DM’s) and tweets. Focus on building relationships first.  

Q3. What are some examples of effective calls to action that work well in tweets? How important is it to use them?
The first thing to remember is that if you want someone to take action… you have to ask them to or otherwise direct them on how to do so. Use strong words in your calls to action, such as DOWNLOAD, CLICK HERE, JOIN NOW, GET, WIN to inspire the desired action. Keep your calls to action very clear and simple, making it as easy as possible for someone to take action. Using words that convey a sense of urgency or exclusivity within your calls to action is a great way to get people to respond immediately (i.e. expires soon, last chance, etc.). Don’t forget to use a strong call to action in your pinned tweet as well as your header image. While your header image isn’t directly clickable, you can still include a call to action using a shortened url, directing people to your twitter bio link or your pinned tweet. Sometimes framing your call to action as a question makes you more relatable to your audience (i.e. “Struggling with Engagement on Facebook? Us Too! But We’ve Uncovered 10 Tricks That Will Make An Impact Immediately…”).  

Q4. What is your best advice for how to incorporate an effective call to action in your Twitter bio and background image?
Showcase your call to action visually in your header using strong and clear words that stand out with the use of strategic colors and graphics. A smart way to use this is by integrating your header image and your pinned tweet, with complementary visuals and calls to action, so visitors can easily see the connection. You can also visually include a short url (that is easy for someone to remember) in your header image and/or direct ppl to click “link in bio” to make it easy for them to take action. The key is simplicity and not asking your audience to jump through hoops to take that action. Too many people create a header image on Twitter and then forget it. Your Twitter header doesn’t have to be static. It’s a huge opportunity to promote different things and to keep your profile fresh and exciting. Test different graphics, promotions and lead generation calls to action to see what works best.

[Be Sure to Check Out Our Article: 6 Ways to Promote Your Lead Magnet and Build Your Email List with Twitter]

Q5. We know to provide something of value in exchange for an email address. What types of “lead magnets” work well on Twitter?
The best lead magnets are highly targeted to your audience, unique in their offering and give your audience something they desire (info, entertainment, education, etc.) Opt-ins that highlight a very clear benefit work great for effectively using Twitter to generate leads. When someone can quickly see the value, they are more likely to take action. Lead magnets that address your audience pain points or that otherwise provide utility by offering a unique solution to a common problem, will draw in your target audience. Many different types of lead magnets can be effective, including eBooks, Lists, Worksheets, Templates and Cheat Sheets. The key is knowing and understanding what your audience responds best to and then making the value you provide clear and the access to your lead magnet effortless.  

Q6. What is a #Twitter landing page and how important is it to have one?
A Twitter landing page is a dedicated page/website to move your leads from Twitter to your marketing/sales funnel. It’s not any different from other landing pages, but the best landing pages are seamless for the platform. So, creating a Twitter specific landing page will increase your conversions because it is highly targeted. Landing pages, in general, are an important tool for moving followers from rented space (Twitter) to your owned asset (email list). Keep your Twitter landing page short and concise with a very clear call to action that makes it super simple to connect with you. Remember, the more information you ask for, the less likely someone will be to complete your form. [Quick tip: Ensure your landing page is mobile responsive as a vast majority of users check Twitter via their mobile devices!]  

Q7. Twitter has many advertising tools including lead generation cards. How can a small business get the most out of those tools?
The best way I can describe Twitter Lead Generation Cards is that they are awesome little mini landing pages. With one click someone can subscribe to your list, offer, etc. The key to lead generation cards is to first clearly identify your goals and objectives (which will also make measuring your effectiveness that much easier). It is so important to convey VALUE (in your title, image and call to action) with your Twitter lead generation card. If you don’t convey that value to the audience you are targeting, then your conversions will suffer. The great thing about Twitter Lead Gen Cards is that many top CRM tools easily integrate with them, making it very easy to track leads and add them to your funnel. Besides lead generation cards, Twitter can also be used as a social listening tool to learn from what is working and what isn’t (think prospects, customers, competitors, partners, etc.). Another Twitter tool that is quite underutilized is Twitter Analytics. Analytics is a great tool to better understand your audience, your tweet performance and more.  

Q8. How does building a loyal Twitter community around your brand help with lead generation?
Building a loyal and engaged Twitter community helps you to establish that all important Know-Like-Trust factor. The important aspect is not the SIZE of your Twitter community, but rather the QUALITY. When you have a loyal and engaged community, they are going to be more likely to like, retweet and take action when you ask. Lead generation is made easier when you are consistent, relevant and authentic… with a relentless focus on providing value to your community.  

Q9. What is the best way to analyze the success of a Twitter lead generation campaign? What kind of data is important to track?
If you established your goals and objectives before you began your campaign, then analyzing your success will be much more effective. Your initial campaign goals and objectives will dictate how you measure the success of your lead generation campaign. Important elements to measure may include your engagement, click through rates, conversions, cost per lead and more. If utilizing a paid campaign, it’s important to look at your cost per lead in comparison to other platforms and tools as well. You can check your Tweet Activity Dashboard to follow the performance of both organic and promoted tweets. It’s full of great data that can be imperative to optimizing your tweets and campaigns.  

Q10. What advice can you give an entrepreneur or small business that hasn’t been able to generate many leads from Twitter yet?
It takes time and consistency! You have to give a lot of “jabs” before you have success with that “right hook”. Be sure that you are talking to people on Twitter, not at them. Twitter can be powerful for publishing, promoting and lead generation, but it is important to remember that it starts with engagement. Make the effort to engage deeper on Twitter by participating in chats, sending video replies, supporting others and build relationships first. Look to influencers and others who are having success on Twitter and learn from their best practices.  

Summary Taking advantage of Twitter to generate leads can be a powerful asset in your marketing arsenal. Follow these best practices and engage with your community to extract the most value out of Twitter for your brand or business.

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