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Twitter is a great way to build brand and loyalty in social media. Designed around the concept of community, Twitter rewards participation and creativity. Here is how I built personal brand and followers on Twitter.

Branded Icon

So much in the fast flow of Twitter conversations is based on the visual image of your icon. Brand it and minimize the changes. That icon is how hardcore Twitterers subconsciously track everything. If you change it or go to some off the shelf manga avatar you will lose attention.

Chose a prominent color, logo, or distinctive picture. I chose a black and whit picture–no on uses black and white anymore. Bingo! Bill Rice’s face is a branded image.

Custom Twitter Page

This is essential. When people go to follow or investigate you. A default template is almost as bad as a Twitter account with not Tweets–guaranteed lost follower.

This is also free advertising space for your business. Where else can you get free banner ad placement on a million user network. Use it.

Keyword Bio

You bio is your first introduction and follows you in all of the Twitter third-party applications. Be specific about the types of people you want following and engaging in conversations with you.

I like to do this quickly and efficiently with a list of keywords. Everyone knows what tags and keywords are these days. Leave out the prose and get straight to the point.

Custom Landing Page

The website link is yours. It is only going to be followed by a targeted audience of Twitter users. Turn it into a valuable landing page for your Twitter clients and for you.

Build a custom page on your website or blog. It should serve up a quick introduction, why someone should follow you, what you do, and a valuable freebie.

Also, don’t forget the call to action–make sure they have followed you and maybe ask them to join your email list.

Attract Conversations

The Twitter community is full of search and meme following and tracking utilities. Keep that in mind and use rich keywords that will attract valuable followers. Make your tweets attract.

First, I look at the avatar or photo of the Tweeter. I want to get an idea of who I am interacting with. No photo, no follow. I prefer to see a photo of the real person–not their dog, their logo, kids, or a caricature.

Second, I read the Tweeter’s bio. If the bio is interesting and complete, I am much more likely to follow that person than if there is only a URL or a few words that don’t really tell me what the person does or enjoys. Since Twitter has shut down their “search by category” feature, the bio is a quick way to see if I share common interests, business goals, location, or area of expertise with the potential Tweeter. Even if the person is my competitor, I hope to learn something from them.

Next, I read through the person’s recent Tweets to find out what type of information her or she is offering. Big turn offs: 90 percent of the messages are in reply to someone else and I have no idea what they are talking about. While I appreciate the interaction, I feel like I’m intruding on a private conversation if there are no other types of exchange. Big plus: links to helpful tips, articles, and even products to check out. I want interesting content, not just a URL with no explanation as to what I might find by clicking.

Then, I look at the number of updates and the date of the last Tweet. If the person is not active on Twitter, there’s no point in following him or her. If someone Tweets fifty times a day about nothing more than their hairdo or what they’re eating, I’m probably not interested.

Some people wonder why I use Twitter.grader.com. This service evaluates using criteria similar to what I use to decide whether or not I want to follow someone. If I am leaning toward clicking the follow button but I’m still not sure, I will actually go to the trouble of checking a person’s grade on Twitter. If the Tweeter has a high grade, I will probably consider following him or her. If Grader doesn’t rank a person high, I’ll probably pass–not permanently–I may come back later to see if the score improves. It could be that the Tweeter is new to Twitter and doesn’t have much history for Grader to use in giving a score.

Lastly, I check the ratio of followers to following. If a person’s Tweets are interesting and helpful, people will follow in return. If someone is following 1,000 people and only 65 are following them, I suspect the person is either a spammer, a newbie, or boring.

So, if you are following me and I’m not following you in return, check the above points and make a few simple changes. Not only am I likely to follow you, so are others!