Bedell Communications

I’m perplexed by folks on Twitter who seem to do nothing but read articles on the Web and tweet/retweet all day. When do they work? How do they make money? Sure, you can pay someone to tweet for you or set up an application to spam your followers, but neither of those is necessary. Your prospects expect you to work at some point, not sit in front of the computer and tweet all day.

To that end, I’ve come up with a simple Twitter content strategy for anybody who can spare an hour a week. In my next few blog posts, I’m going to show you how, in less than an hour a week, you can keep your Twitter followers engaged with educational content and industry news. If even an hour a week is hard to come by, you can divide duties amongst your team members.  We’ll discuss this option in future posts. For today, let’s look at the tools you need to get started.

This Twitter strategy requires you to both set aside specific time to tweet and integrate tweeting into your work flow.  But neither of these will result in live tweets. You’ll be scheduling your tweets throughout the work day and week so that when you’re working on other projects, your community is still hearing from you.

It all starts with an application that will let you schedule your tweets. I personally use HootSuite, but there are many more applications available that let you do this. (Social Times lists ten apps to schedule future tweets). Pick an application and learn how to schedule your tweets.

Next, grab your list of keywords (you do have one, right?) and look them up at Hashtags.org. The purpose here is to compare words to see what is trending on Twitter. For example, compare tech and technology to see which is used more frequently and likely to be searched for by users. You can then use the appropriate word and avoid alienating followers by inundating them with hashtags. Alternatively, you can identify terms that are not trending and for which you want to turn into a hashtag. (You can learn more about Twitter hashtags and associated tools at Mashable.)

Create a list of hashtags that are trending and a second list of hashtags that you want to create. Like your SEO keywords, your hashtags will need to be updated periodically. Consider revisiting Hashtags.org about once a month or more often if you have an announcement or are looking to weigh in on industry news.

Finally, you need some marketing collateral; something like a white paper that is chock-full of vendor-neutral content is perfect. This is going to be a source for many of your tweets. But we’ll discuss that next time, in part 2 of our series on a Twitter content strategy for tech marketers. – Crystal Bedell, Freelance Technical Copywriter and Content Strategist

I started a new Twitter feed specifically for B2B technical copywriting, content strategy, and marketing information. Follow me (Crystal) at @techcopywriter for helpful resources, tips, and Tech Marcom Blog updates.

If you’re following @crystalbedell, you’ll find the focus is on running a business while raising three children. While it may be entertaining to witness the chaos that can ensue here, I encourage you to follow @techcopywriter if you originally followed me for technical copywriting tips and B2B tech marcom tips.

Why the change, when in the past I’ve discussed the merits of tech marketing and being human? First of all, I’ve launched a blog focused on work-at-home parenting (Lessons in Chaos) and hope to gain a following for it. Second, after playing with Twitter for several months now, I realize that I have a better chance of attracting potential clients and networking with like-minded people if I have a username that is aligned with what I do. Since, admittedly, I’m not already a copywriter celebrity,  I need to establish myself as one.  I hope you come along for the ride! — Crystal Bedell

When it comes to promoting Bedell Communications via social networking Web sites, I have a difficult time crossing the line between my business and personal lives (even though the line is so fuzzy in real life it can hardly be seen). And yet I gravitate toward entrepreneurs who add a personal touch to their own business communications. That’s why Chris Brogan’s blog post Ways to Be Human at a Distance immediately caught my attention.

Chris offers some great ideas for making your company personal in an impersonal world, and after meditating on his post, I’ve come to realize that there are more benefits to being personal than there are drawbacks. It’s the equivalent of calling tech support and speaking to a live, friendly person as opposed to dialing through menu after menu only to hang up feeling frustrated.

In an industry that is constantly advancing and in which customers must cut through a lot of noise, injecting personality in blog posts and social networking updates can help you stand out from the rest. It allows you to build a rapport with customers outside of the sales cycle. It can create a foundation of trust.

So what does it mean to be “personal” in tech marketing? I think about the contributors that I worked with as a tech editor. Those writers who called it like they saw it, were down to earth, and were honest about their experiences  with technology earned readers’ respect. They took a chance by being transparent about themselves, and our readers rewarded them with loyalty.

I’d like to know what you think. What are your experiences with personalization and social media? What are the challenges you’ve faced? — Crystal Bedell