8/10/2010
Important Content for Twitter Backgrounds
Must-Have and Nice-to-Have Content for Your Twitter Background
Your company’s Twitter background is an important part of your branding and marketing efforts. A Twitter profile page and home page can attract a great number of views, in particular from existing customers and potential customers. A well branded, eye popping custom designed Twitter background is a must, but the content is important as well. Here are the key elements.
- Tagline. Unless your brand is a household word, make sure visitors to your Twitter pages can grasp the essence of your business in a matter of seconds. Twitter is a fast medium, even for the Internet.
- Phone Number. If prospects sees something they want on your Twitter page, and they want it now, make it easy for them. People still use the phone for business inquiries, and P.S. – we love toll free numbers.
- E-mail. Another “old fashioned” contact medium that remains incredibly popular.
- Contact Us Page URL. Don’t force inquirers to navigate from your home page to make contact. Ideally, you will have a well put together contact page, if not a Twitter landing page created specifically for the purpose.
- Home Page URL. Obviously.
- Description of Services. This is a maybe. If your products and services are obvious from your company name and/or tagline, consider skipping the detail in favor of a clean design. On the other hand, if visitors can’t figure out what you do, you’d better include a brief explanation … or rebrand.
- Sales Message. This is tricky. Some eschew sales messages, thinking social media is (or should be) a hype-free zone. I’m not sure about this. A certain number of people – who knows how many – go to Twitter to find products and services. These people want to be sold. When we’re working with a client on their Twitter strategy, we look at related industries and the competition and the conversations to get a feel for how the sales message is presented and received. If a sales message is included in the Twitter background, it’s always a good idea to keep it short.
- Privacy Warning. Depending on the business you’re in, this content element can be extremely important. Financial institutions and law firms, for example, should remind visitors that if you say it on Twitter, the world can hear.
- Locations. If cultivating business in a particular geography is crucial, showing locations makes sense. If you sell worldwide or nationally, making mention of it enhances credibility.
- Other Social Networks. Displaying Facebook, YouTube, etc. badges promotes your status as a serious social media participant, enhancing credibility. This works fine as long as you actually have a strong presence on those other platforms.
- How We Use Twitter. Because visitor expectations run the gamut, letting people know how you use Twitter is vital. Is your Twitter presence geared for conversation? Are you focused on customer service, product updates, company news …? Visitors will be more apt to follow you and care about what you’re saying if they know what to expect.
- Call to Action. Call now for a free demonstration. Book your reservation today. Learn how our service can reduce your operating costs. It can’t hurt to include a call to action unless you’re really trying to avoid any suggestion of selling something. Another consideration: unless you’re willing to redesign your Twitter background template frequently, use a call to action you can stick with for a while.
- People. Social media is personal. I almost always recommend putting a human face on Twitter backgrounds. For some organizations, privacy issues are a deterrent, and I would never force the issue if the firm and the individual(s) are uncomfortable.
What have I missed? What other content should you or could you add to your Twitter background?
Remember, too, that there’s much to be said for a clean design. Cluttering Twitter backgrounds with scads of content – even highly relevant content – can backfire. If the Twitter background looks like a maze or overwhelms visitors, chances are they will lose interest. Let common sense be your guide.
9 Responses to Important Content for Twitter Backgrounds
Having a customised Twitter background is essential for building your identity, and stepping away from the standardised Twitter pages that can be a little disappointing on the eye. Great post Brad!
Thanks, Sam. From a design standpoint, I’m amazed at how many people use a standard Twitter background and select a color scheme that renders the text unreadable. It’s as if they’re trying to repel you.
I totally agree, all these elements should be added to a business twitter background. I had never thought of a specific landing page made for people who have come from twitter to your website. This is a great idea, as it helps to introduce the company to that customer in a different way to the homepage. I also have to agree that showing a picture of yourself does help to give your business that personal touch.
Hi Mandeep, I hope you put together a Twitter landing page – it does make a difference. It gives you a chance to talk about yourself and your services in a more personal way than usual.
Brad, I wish I knew more about where to place text on the left side as well as the right. I had designed my own Twitter page, but my dimensions were not great. After reading this, I can see it is important to include more about contact information and am considering how I might redo it.
Hi Robyn, I think my blog is experiencing technical difficulties, but both of your comments posted. There are lots of services that can help with design, but I’m glad this information gave you food for thought about what sort of information to include.
Brad, after reading this, I am inspired to go back and update my information. I just posted an answer to this and Word Press failed to follow through and post it. Seems the web is slow.
Hi Brad, this is a great reminder. So many people tweet from third party services that you forget about the twitter web interface. I have not spent time on my own background (I truly am the quintessential cobbler whose kids have no shoes) but am inspired by your post to clean my own house. I direct from my personal account to a social media landing page that has clear information on how/why to connect. It has worked well for me. Now off to get those children some shoes!
Hi Karen, LOL – I can relate to the cobbler’s kids syndrome. But the Twitter profile page does get a lot of views, so I’m glad you’re polishing yours up!