RISMEDIA, March 26, 2010—There is a new wave of communication and lead generation opportunities in 2010, among them are social media platforms like Twitter. As one of the most prominent social networking platforms, Twitter is a great place to connect with people and give “tweets” of information about what is happening in your market. Twitter can also be the first place that people learn about who you are, what you do and why you are valuable to follow online.
With that in mind, think of Twitter as an extension of your business. Now, more than ever, it’s important to create a brand that helps your business stand out from the rest. You wouldn’t go to a networking function without business cards that include your company information, your phone number and a description of what you do, so make sure your Twitter account does. Consistency is the key when you are building and communicating your brand, no matter if it’s traditional advertising or new social media platforms.
Twitter even provides users the opportunity to brand themselves and their business. When signing up for Twitter, you are given the opportunity to use one of their template “skins” to showcase yourself or to create your own custom skin. By creating a custom branded Twitter skin you can showcase your own colors, your slogan or tag line and even your logo, further branding you and your business. With a custom Twitter skin that matches the branding of your business website, you are enhancing the probability that potential clients will remember you and your business.
Here are some simple tips to keep in mind when creating your own, custom-branded Twitter skin once you have created your account:
1. Don’t add information on the right side toolbar. With the variety of different sizes in computer monitors, you don’t want the possibility that some visitors may not be able to see this informational content on smaller screens.
2. When you are creating your Twitter skin, make it a full-screen image. A full-screen image gives your Twitter skin the best “pop” and it looks great. Full-screen images for Twitter are typically sized at 1,600 pixels x 1,200 pixels, with a file size less than 800k.
3. Have your Twitter skin match the colors of your brand. Remember the following to maintain consistency: colors, font and any graphic elements that are tied to your brand. For a great example, see www.twitter.com/lindahallteam.
4. Put your main contact information on the left side and include important elements like your tag line, phone number, fax number, additional social media platform contact information (your Facebook link is a good example), and an e-mail address.
5. Once you have created your custom Twitter skin, you can add it by accessing your account, selecting “Settings,” then “Design” and then “Change Your Background Image.” Finally, select “Browse” to find your custom skin and upload it.
6. If you are not sure how to make a branded Twitter skin, hire someone to do it for you. Whoever you hire to create the design should also be willing to upload it for you.
7. Once you have your Twitter account set up, don’t forget to add your Twitter link to your main website so visitors can connect and follow you through Twitter.
Tricia Andreassen is the CEO/Founder of Pro Step Marketing, a leader in brand and Web strategy for the real estate industry. As an industry expert, speaker and author, she has over 19 years’ experience in helping Realtors grow their business.
For more information, visit www.prostepmarketing.com.
