I just started a Twitter account for our company.  How often should I post and what should the content include?

___________________________________________________________By Jennifer Manocchio

Let’s start by discussing what not to talk about.  Avoid tweets on how you were stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work, what you ate for lunch, and how you cannot wait for the weekend.  Sorry to be so blunt, but no one cares.

Of course, there is always an exception to the rule.  If you have a product or service that helps you remain calm while sitting in a traffic jam (e.g. books on tape, or meditation), then by all means tie that in.  Also, if your Twitter account is a fictitious spokesperson like Tony the Tiger or the Aflac duck, then it can be appropriate to include fun facts or exciting things that the icon is doing.

As far as how often you should post, we recommend between 3-10 posts per day.  While that might seem overwhelming at first, you can use software that will allow you to write posts in advance and automatically update Twitter for you.

Prior to deciding what content you will be posting, be sure to set your goals for Twitter (e.g. increasing traffic, driving web site traffic, driving blog traffic, increasing sales, etc.) and your expectations.  This will help you determine what to post and if the strategy has been successful.

Then, keeping in mind the goals you want to achieve, start Tweeting!  If you are unsure what types of content to use at first, below are some tips on what you can post to get started and continue to maintain an active presence on Twitter.

• General tips/factoids about the industry you service.  Be sure these tips will appeal to your target audience and aren’t too self-serving.
• Quality industry articles that your target audience will see as being helpful or interesting at their job or in their daily lives.
• News coverage about your company, product or service.  Be careful not to overdue the news coverage.  For example, if you distributed a news release and received good pickup, select the best story for your Twitter account.
• If you have a blog, include a link to your blog posts on a regular basis.
• Announcements about company speaking engagements and trade shows you are attending/exhibiting.
• If you develop online videos, link to those videos.
• Monitor Twitter conversations that mention your product, brand or expertise and respond publicly to any questions or retweet (RT) customer kudos.