Your Twitter bio gives you exactly 160 characters (no more, no less) to let your prospects know who you are, what your business brand is all about and precisely why they should do business with you and no one else.
So, the million dollar question is, what are you doing to add a little bling to your 160-word Twitter bio?
Well, if you take even five minutes to peruse a varying collection of Twitter bios, you’ll find that most small business owners obviously haven’t given much thought, time or energy to this seemingly simple task. (Let’s face it, 160-words isn’t exactly a doctoral dissertation.)
Interestingly enough, after perusing hundreds of Twitter bios, I found that there were three “Twitter bio themes” that seemed to keep cropping up again and again (and, again).
So, in no particular order:
1) Twitter Theme Bio #1: The “Who Cares” Twitter Bio
ACTUAL TWITTER BIO: “I’m an accountant in the New York area with 15 years of experience. I’m currently taking on new clients.”
Yaaaaawn! (I’m sorry, please excuse the yawn.)
Really, who cares? Believe it or not, Joe’s prospects don’t care about how much experience Joe has or if he’s taking on new clients. At the end of the day, all Joe’s prospects care about is what Joe can do for them and how Joe can improve their life.
2) Twitter Theme Bio #2: The “Annoying” Twitter Bio
ACTUAL TWITTER BIO: “It’s time to change your life. I’ll show you how to make $25,000 in 25 days.”
Ish! (That’s a beloved word from my Scandinavian grandpa…meaning “icky.”) Obviously, I chose an extremely sleazy, spammy example of the “Annoying Twitter” bio. But, the point remains: don’t aggressively flail yourself onto your target market. Forceful, pushy and offensive Twitter bios are not going to pay the rent. Remember, Twitter is a social media tool that is meant to build relationships and, you can’t build relationships through a blitzkrieg assault.
3) Twitter Theme Bio #3: The “Forgot To Fill It In” Twitter Bio
ACTUAL TWITTER BIO: Blank (Nothing has been filled in…) But, the crazy part is that this particular Twitter user had sent out over 10,000 Tweets. That just seems like a lot of fast and furious Tweeting without anyone ever knowing who you are and what business you represent.
It’s true. Every so often I actually come across a blank Twitter bio. Nothing, nada, zilch. Now, I actually don’t know if the Twitter owner forgot to fill out their bio, or simply thought that the bio is an unnecessary luxury. But, come on, if you’re going to take the time to Twitter, fill out the bio…it’s only 160 words.
What are some interesting Twitter profile themes that you have come across?
About Jessica Swanson
Hands down, Apple’s app store wins by a mile. It’s a huge selection of all sorts of apps vs a rather sad selection of a handful for Zune. Microsoft has plans, especially in the realm of games, but I’m not sure I’d want to bet on the future if this aspect is important to you. The iPod is a much better choice in that case.