52 (non-automated) Ways to Increase Your Twitter Following

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Today’s social media podcast (direct download here) and blog post is on how to increase your Twitter following. These strategies aren’t just about the numbers but are proven strategies to attract the right followers. Here are 52 (non-automated) Ways to Increase Your Twitter Followers:

Have a custom background that tells what you do and who you are
Have a complete bio with keywords that people search for
When you follow people, find something to comment on or ask a relevant question to let them know you’re there and are conversational and community focused
Make sure your Twitter profile is recognizable and real. Photos of celebrities, cartoons or logos tend to get less follow-backs than a profile with a real smiling human face.
Follow people who recently followed your competitors
Follow people who are complaining about your competitors
Follow-back those that follow you. Many will un-follow after a period of time if you do not follow-back. Avoid following spammers, pornbots or anything that doesn’t resonate with your values or personal brand of course.
Look at your competitors public lists and follow those that are relevant
If you’re a local business use Twitter local search to find people talking about your business, industry or community and follow them (remember to interact)
Search for relevant industry #hash tags ( ie #scrm #rechat #bieber or whatever your target market talks about) follow those people, then as per #3 – reach out and communicate.
Use relevant #hash tags on topics, conferences, and issues and attract more followers
Search Twellow.com for regional influencers and follow them
Search Twellow.com for industry specific or topic specific people and follow them
Register for Twellow.com and fill in the expanded profile and bio section, you will show up in more searches.
Change your Twitter bio from time to time to attract new markets through search
Put your Twitter address on your business card, brochures and any other printed material you give out
Have a decal designed and put your Twitter address on the back of your laptop (I have had a number of new and interesting followers and it’s a good ice-breaker at coffee shops and airports)
Finish all of your blog posts with a short bio that suggests people follow you in Twitter
When making comments on blogs, many ask for a web address – give your Twitter address instead
Have a prominent Twitter badge displayed on every page of your site and/or blog that links to your profile
Let your Facebook and Linkedin connections know you’re on Twitter and ask them to connect.
In Linkedin Groups (relevant ones) ask members as a topic discussion to share Twitter profiles with each other and suggest you also connect on Twitter.
In a tasteful non-spam format let anyone on email lists, meetup groups YOU operate and other online groups that you’re on Twitter and would love to connect. This is often done best as a side-note or footnote in a regular Meetup update or email newsletter blast. Emails and updates titled “Follow me on Twitter” are generally considered bad form.
Target regional (all regions your market to) influencers (not necessarily Twitter superstars) on Twitter and put them on a private list. Monitor their discussions and updates and pro-actively have relevant discussions, RT (Re-Tweet or Share) their updates and promote things they are promoting. After a period of time they will take notice, often following you and even sharing your content with their network.
Follow anyone who retweets your content and thank them (except of course spambots)
Use backtweets.com to find out who is linking to sites of interest or competitor sites. Follow those people and apply #3 again.
Host a #Tweetup in your community or at a conference.
Attend #Tweetups in your community (What is a Tweetup? Watch Here)
If you can type fast and well offer to Liveblog and live tweet an event
Guest blog on key sites
Write for magazines, newspapers (online or print) and get your Twitter ID into the footer.
Start a Twitter Tribe. A group of non-competing people who Tweet each others content. This can be formal or informal but all members usually benefit from increased Klout, reach and followers. (not to mention blog traffic)
Make sure your Twitter handle is on all relevant Keynote or PowerPoint presentations.
At the beginning of any public presentation let everyone know it’s okay to get out their smartphones and Tweet to the world.
If you sell packaged goods or products get your Twitter handle on those packages!
Have contests rewarding those who Tweet about you, keep it simple and don’t make following mandatory
If you have a physical business location or retail store/restaurant/lounge/pub etc. have a “We are social” poster that shares your social site URLS (Don’t just use the logos)
Use QR codes in print materials and on presentations that Link to your Twitter account or a page with all of your social ID’s [This one will take you to my Google Profile]
Put your Twitter handle on your nametag at Meetups and conferences
Put your Twitter handle on your contact info for your VCard, Bump application (for Iphone) etc.
Link to your Twitter account at the beginning of any video descriptions on YouTube, Vimeo Etc.
If you do a podcast or produce video put it on your splash page or mention it in your intro and extro.
Create public Twitter lists of great people in specific industry or interest segments. They will often follow you back as a result
Tweet to different time zones. I typically Tweet between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm on weekdays. That means I miss showing up in a lot of searches on Twitter during my off hours. To appeal to markets like India or Europe I schedule Tweets in Hootsuite to be posted while I’m sleeping. I also devote a night a month to staying up late and chatting with my buddies in India, South Africa and Europe. This conversation also increases followers.
Using local search start conversations with people in your immediate area who share things of interest. It doesn’t have to be about business, it could be a common interest in art, hiking, food etc. This will often result in a follow-back.
Reply quickly. Often people will follow us, then ask a question or make a comment. To build rapport and maintain momentum respond and interact as soon as possible. These means checking Twitter more than once a day and taking time to respond in a personal authentic way. When we ignore people’s questions or take too long to reply they may unfollow or never follow us in protest.
“Follow me on Twitter” with a link in your email signature
You can custom program “Tweet-this” buttons to include your Twitter address in the title of the Tweet (when people click on the button). This makes it easier to find your fans and gets your Twitter handle more exposure online.
Follow the 90/10 rule. Twitter is about engagement, people who might follow you and only see marketing links and no-conversation will most likely think you’re not watching or don’t care about what they say. Keep your stream about community, conversation and connection 90% of the time and Tweet about business, blogs, marketing etc. 10% of the time.
Follow people who retweet your competitors or content similar to the content you produce and once again apply step 3.
Create and share awesome, unique content via Twitter tips, links to blogs, videos etc. This will get retweeted, shared and increase your following
Pay it forward. Get your friends, clients, staff and associates on Twitter and coach on how to use Twitter. They can become your biggest allies and fans.

Shane Gibson (@ShaneGibson) is a sales and social media speaker who has addressed over 100,000 people on stages on three continents over the past 15 years. He is also co-author of Guerrilla Social Media Marketing and Sociable! How Social Media is Turning Sales and Marketing Upside-down.