When you follow someone on Twitter you are effectively signing up to receive their content. You are subscribing to their tweets. Any updates they make on their twitter feed will display in your timeline. And if you follow someone, they are able to direct message you.
So, when it comes to your Twitter account, particularly a business twitter account, how do you decide who to follow on twitter in 2020?
How to decide who to follow on Twitter 2020
Who you follow on twitter will determine what information you see in your timeline and ultimately how much you get out of Twitter.
Following the right people on Twitter can help you keep up to date with latest news (many news stories break early on social media sites), it can help you identify hot topics and trends that your users or customers may also be interested in and it can also help you identify the users who you would want to follow you and your brand.
Equally people that you follow are likely to follow you back so keep this in mind when it comes to following people. But this shouldn’t be your primary aim when it comes to deciding who to follow. You want to ensure that those who follow you back will be engaged in what you have to say, your business and brand. Having a smaller, more engaged follower base is better than having a large number of unengaged followers.
And remember, other users can see who you follow so be sure to follow relevant people or brands and those whose content you believe in.
Exactly who you follow on twitter will ultimately be down to you and your business and brand but some areas to consider when deciding who to follow include:
1. Industry Leaders
2. Experts in your field
3. Industry influencers
4. Local organisations
5. Journalists and trade press
6. Knowledge hubs – e.g. TedTalks
Why follow other businesses on Twitter?
If it is your personal account, following businesses on twitter can be great way to get that businesses attention. Many businesses use twitter and other social media platforms as an extension of their customer service for example. And you may get a heads up on upcoming promotions and discounts.
In terms of your business Twitter account, following other businesses on Twitter can provide the following benefits:
1. It can be a good way to identify content that you can share with your followers – and prevent your twitter feed from becoming a constant sales pitch. Sharing great, relevant content from other businesses can help you build trust with your followers.
2. Find out best practice – following other businesses with a successful Twitter strategy can help you understand how you can incorporate techniques into your own strategy. Take a look at this article for an idea of what we mean.
What types of Twitter account should my business follow in 2020?
Here we look at a couple of sectors and provide an idea of the types of Twitter accounts you may want to consider following on Twitter in 2020.
Accounts small businesses should follow
As a small business you will likely want to keep on top of any updates related to business issues.
The gov.uk twitter site (@GOVUK) provides constant updates and links back to pages on their main website with regards to topics such as tax self-assessment, employing staff and other areas you’ll need to keep on top of as a business owner.
If your small business runs any advertising activity, another site to consider following would be the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) (@ASA_UK). They also retweet a lot of useful content related to ensuring your advertising stays within the rules.
News sites will also be useful to follow to keep up to date with relevant news which may affect your business. Think BBC News, SkyNews and The Guardian for example.
As an entrepreneur you may also want to consider following some other inspirational accounts or individuals who inspire you. For example, as a start-up following someone like Richard Branson (@richardbranson) or Peter Jones may provide you with insightful content. This is a useful look at some of the top entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter in 2020.
Best marketing accounts to follow on Twitter
As a marketer there are a wide range of accounts to consider following on Twitter.
Marketing magazines – Marketing Week, the Drum, eConsultancy, Campaign to name just a few. These will help you keep up to date with marketing industry news. Along with marketing institutions like the CIM (@CIM_Exchange)
Some of the marketing platforms also have an interesting social presence so may be worth giving a follow for useful content on marketing best practice. For example, Hootsuite, Buffer, HubSpot etc.
There will also be accounts to consider when it comes to marketing specialisms. Take a look at this list of top SEO accounts to follow and these social media marketing experts you may want to consider.
Finally, don’t forget your competitors. Following your competitors on their social channels can give you great insight into their business strategy, customer service and promotions.
Ultimately, who you follow on Twitter in 2020 will be led by your business and your brand. But what we really wanted to focus on is the fact that who you follow on Twitter should be carefully considered to enable you to get the most out of Twitter in terms of finding relevant content, keeping up to date with news, trends and hot topics, as well as projecting the right brand image to your followers.
Get in touch with us at ACES Marketing today if you have any requirements related to your social media management. This is an area we specialise in, with a focus on helping you to grow your business.