How to Quickly Optimize Your New Twitter Profile

Social media and change. Two words synonymous with the online world.The most recent evolution? The rollout of the new Twitter profile. Only initially available to a select few, Twitter has now offered the update to all users.With the click of a button, your Twitter profile is shifted from the layout you’ve come to know, to an all-too familiar looking adaptation of Facebook’s current look and feel.Not only does it bring a fresh new appearance, but many exciting opportunities.With the new Twitter profile, you have the chance to brand your business, and give your content a longer shelf life.So, how can you use it to market your business and best position your personal brand?Below are three quick tips to optimize your new Twitter profile!

3 Tips to Quickly Optimize New Twitter Profile

1. Optimize Your Bio

Your bio is searchable. Ensure that anyone looking for your product or service can find you.When was the last time you read through yours? Take a moment to clean it up and optimize your bio for humans as well as the search engines.Think about what makes you unique and what problems you solve. Now determine how to best translate those details into a bite-sized, easy to consumer 160 character bio.Whether it’s your industry, niche, passion, or hobby, keep your bio focused, but don’t be afraid to have a little fun. No one wants to read a dry, boring and lifeless Twitter bio.Let it reflect who you are both professionally and personally.

Twitter Bio Tips:

• You have 160 characters to share who you are and what you do in a way that immediately compels anyone landing on your profile to follow you.
• People want a human connection. They want to know you’re approachable and real, not a bot. Share what interests you and what topics they can expect you to tweet about.
• Let potential followers gain a better understanding of you who are. Share skills, success stories, passions and peculiarities that make you unique.
• Since the words in your bio are searchable, stick with one or two keywords. Keep them specific to your product, service or location so you’re easy to find and identify.

Having trouble creating your Twitter bio?

Not feeling overly creative? Try this fun Twitter Bio Generator for a good laugh!

2. Brand Your Twitter Cover Image

Your Twitter cover image is your business or brands personal billboard. It offers an immediate visual connection to your brand both offline and online.Let this space tell your story!The new Twitter profile cover image dimensions are 1500 x 500. Use a tool like Canva to create a stunning graphic in a matter of minutes.While they don’t currently have one pre-created, you can make a custom template.

Steps to Create a Custom Twitter Profile Cover Image Template:

1. Log into your Canva account
2. Click “use custom dimensions” to the right of “Start a New Design”
3. Add your custom dimensions of 1500 x 500
4. Click “design”
5. Drag and drop one of the pre-designed templates into your graphic to begin adding your own images.

Peg Fitzpatrick, Head of Social Strategy for Canva offers this important tip:

“Be aware of how you use this opportunity. If you’re a professional, use the space in a professional manner. Don't simply add a huge picture of your face. Create a professional image that defines who you are.”

3. Share Fresh Content and Pin it to the Top

Similar to Facebook’s pinned posts, Twitter now lets you choose a tweet to pin to the top of your profile.What does this mean to you as a business owner or entrepreneur?The tweet of your choice can be pinned, making it the first tweet anyone will see when landing on your profile.

The perfect tweet recipe is now:

• Write great content
• Tweet it with a great call-to-action
• Pin that great content to the top

Whether it’s your latest blog post or product, pinned tweets can up your marketing game!

How to Pin a Tweet:

1. Go to your profile page.
2. Find the Tweet you’d like to pin and click the ellipsis icon (•••).
3. Select Pin to your profile page.
4. Click Pin.

How to Unpin a Tweet:

1. Go to your profile page.
2. On the Tweet that you have pinned, click the ellipsis icon (•••).
3. Click Unpin from profile page.
4. Click Unpin.

Twitter can be an phenomenal addition to your social media marketing strategy. Use the new Twitter profile to raise awareness about your business and create a seamless extension of your personal brand.On Twitter? Let’s connect!