How To Gain Twitter Followers And Become An Industry Expert

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So you’ve been using Twitter, quite comfortably now, and are looking to make the jump from passive participator to influential expert. Our first two articles discussed the essential skills and techniques necessary to using Twitter as a business tool. Our final article will tackle the issue of building a formidable base of followers and gaining recognition as the industry expert that you are.

Finding ways to increase followers might be one of the most popular areas of discussion on the Web. The Internet is teaming with instructive articles, how-to videos, impressive slideshows and detailed PDFs all claiming to do one thing — dramatically increase the number of followers associated with an individual’s Twitter account. Much of the advice that is proposed in these various guides is accurate and will lead to an increase in your account’s visibility. However, your goal is not to come off as popular and trendy, but knowledgeable and valid: an expert. The followers that propel you to this level are not merely found; they are earned.

Becoming an expert on Twitter is much like becoming a trusted blog author or other form of online influencer. And it is as much about quality as it is about quantity, if not more. Let’s say, for example, Dan is a self-proclaimed expert in a particular area of the widget supply chain. He is considered to be an expert because he has an impressive list of nearly 100,000 followers on Twitter. However, many of these followers are of little or no value to Dan. It may be because they are not at all involved in the widget industry or it may be because they are not located in current areas (or potential areas) of Dan’s business. When Dan has something to say, it falls on deaf ears because most of his followers are not qualified followers.  In other words, Dan might be a bit of an Internet celebrity, but he is no expert. Getting more followers on Twitter is only half of the solution.

Let’s say Mark, on the other hand, has a more comfortable list of 20,000 followers. He too operates in the same particular area of the widget supply chain as Dan. However, Mark is a legitimate Twitter expert. The reason being is that you don’t hear it from him. Dan may have more followers, but Mark has the followers that count. Among Mark’s followers are influential figures throughout the widget industry. Mark’s Tweets are followed by the executives and managers of the industries key businesses, earning a qualified audience to engage with. Mark’s followers are also young, up and coming stars of the widget industry. Mark gains the respect of these future leaders because of the solid information he relays in his Tweets, as well as a good deal of respect due to his connections with the upper level executives. When Mark’s followers see a new Tweet they take note — because he is an expert.

The concept of an industry “expert” has changed slightly with the advent of social media, although fundamentally there is nothing new. Industry experts have always existed because people need figures of prominence, both for self comparison and for a consistent and reliable source of answers. When something goes wrong, people are reassured by the fact that there is an expert who has seen it before. Experts set an example for other members of their industry to follow. This is especially true in the face of innovation and in times of uncertainty.   

Perhaps the only difference with the experts of the Internet age is that the playing field has been leveled. Expert status is no longer limited to individuals within the largest and most well-established companies. Small business owners and entrepreneurs are now welcome on the stage. However, people today are still able to detect a fraud; if you want to be an expert, you’d better be able to back up your status with results. As an expert, a person must provide meaningful and useful information. You must also elevate yourself to a level that transcends pettiness and gossip.

So, whether you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or the owner of a start-up firm, how do you grow your list of qualified followers? The key is to start small and to start local. Reach out and make the connections to the businesses and organizations in your industry that are located in your city. Who are your current business partners and associates? Who is your local competition? Connect with these people first. Not only will they provide you with the most valuable information and feedback, you will be able to earn qualified followers from their communities.

Now it is time to branch out. Start connecting with the leading businesses and organizations within your industry. Again, start locally in your own city and then branch out regionally and nationally. If you are operating a Twitter profile on behalf of your business rather than using a personal profile, this would be a good time to consider hiring a social media manager for your firm. The amount of time required to make the connections necessary to grow your profile can be daunting. Additionally, you want to make sure that all of the communications representing your company and brand are professional and accurate.

The final step is to branch out to support non-industry related business and activity in your city. Support your city’s sports teams and charities. This will give your company a positive perception within your community. This is also where you can start to gain non-industry related followers, or “fans.” While they might not be able to interact with your organization on a professional level, having a small pocket of fans can be a good thing for your image and your brand, so long as you keep the majority of your followers business focused.

On a final thought: once you have achieved your goal of being regarded as a Twitter expert within your industry, it is imperative to keep the ball rolling. An active presence on Twitter with regular, informative Tweets is necessary to maintain a large list of qualified followers. Sure, celebrities might be able to maintain tremendous lists of followers without generating regular or even interesting content, but remember, you are not a celebrity; you are an expert.

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