There are seemingly loads of pieces of software out there all promoting the idea of building your Twitter followers using their automated technique. Do yourself a big favour. Don’t use them. Build your followers organically and build your following that way. Here’s why and how to do twitter marketing effectively…

The problem with this apparently brilliant idea is the lack of connection that it gives you with your followers. By automatically following lots of general tweeters (even if they’re in your market), you’re only letting them know you’re there, nothing more. This is something they’re likely to forget unless you actually connect with what they’re trying to achieve.

There are a number of groups that have successfully travelled from the ‘real world’ onto Twitter and I’m sure many more will follow. My own communities, from the theatre and film world and the internet marketing world are doing very well on Twitter. The reason is connection. Without it, you’re just another face in the crowd (not matter how good looking you are!).

If you’re trying to build your business on Twitter then this connection is even more important. After all, what’s the point in everyone knowing that a shop exists if no one actually goes in? It’s the same with your website. People need to see you giving them value.

Take the most successful Twitter users, even the famous ones. They all connect with their followers and give them something unique, whether it’s free info, an insight into their lives or simply a good giggle. For example, Stephen Fry, well-known actor and comedian has built a phenomenal following (over 1.3million people) because he provides a great insight into his life and actually replies to some of the people who mention or tweet him. This kind of engagement with fans adds to his brand value and also means more Twitter users find out about him and his products.

The most effective way to do this is to use Twitter Search in order to find people who are discussing your subject. Go to Google and type in Twitter Search. It’ll be the first result. Go there and type in the words you and your brand can help with.

You can also utilise this tool for some instant market research. What are the tweets that come up again and again? If there’s a recurring problem then this is a good indication that there’s a possible market for something that solves this issue.

Remember, by using Twitter Search, you’ll immediately see a number of Twitter users discussing subjects that you can join in with. This needn’t be a challenge either. There are a host of ways to do effective twitter marketing. But you need to find someone who’s found out how to do it. It’s not the size of your Twitter following… It’s how you provide them with value.

Grab realistic advice in the sphere of free traffic – go through the site. The time has come when proper info is truly within your reach, use this chance.

I’ve been asked by several followers (on Twitter) to show them how I’ve built my main Twitter account (@Matthew_Duggan) to over 2000 followers in the space of a few months. More importantly, they’ve asked me how to use Twitter to gain more clients.

The key to Twitter success, as indeed is the case for business in general, is to ‘over-deliver’ on value – provide more value for your readers than they would normally get from a business person in your field. This way, they know something about your expertise, which as I mentioned means that they’ve gone from being a clueless newcomer to being a warm lead when they get to your site. From this viewpoint, they are much more likely to engage with you and your site than if they just came to your site ‘cold’.

They will also appreciate you sharing your knowledge with them as it demonstrates your generosity.

I should state at this point that giving lots of value does not mean ‘over tweeting’ – posting loads of links and stories that aren’t relevant. This is something that will fast have you metaphorically kicked out of the Twitter premises. No, I’m talking about those that use Twitter to give real value to those that follow them.

Just look at any of the most followed people on Twitter, whether they’re in business or entertainment. They all produce immense value and in many cases, they deliver more than people expect.

Presenter, writer and witty English gent Stephen Fry has a massive 1.47million followers at the time of writing this and the reason – in my opinion – is not just his celebrity but the fact that he over-delivers on value. Readers expect him to provide them with a small glimpse into his world of filming shows, acting and writing. Not only do they get this (by the bucketload) but they also get lots of photos, updates and musings which make them feel like they’re getting to know Mr. Fry and what it’s like in his world. They also get to find out about his podcasts, some of which are free and some of which they pay for. His updates are also mini adverts for him as well as interesting fun for his followers. Every tweet builds his personal brand.

Actually, the most important words in that last paragraph for your success when using twitter for business are ‘make them feel like they’re getting to know…’ and more precisely ‘make them feel’. Your audience wants to feel like they’re getting value from following you. They also want to feel like they’re getting to know you. Feeling that (rather than just intellectually knowing it) is the start of a genuine connection with you.

Most of the Twitter users (or is it Tweeters?) that will initially be attracted to you will all have similar ideas in common and therefore have similar issues that need solving. This could be literally anything from how to increase their income to finding a good holiday destination.

Whatever it is, concentrate on giving them as much good, free information as possible to help them achieve their goals. Word will spread that you’re the person to talk to when it comes to your chosen niche and you will gain more followers which in turn will drive more people to your site on the same subject.

For the most effective way of building your Twitter followers, you need a clear method for Twitter marketing. So here’s a free video training session for you.

Find practical knowledge in the sphere of website traffic – read this publication. The times have come when concise information is truly only one click away, use this possibility.