Why should you use twitter? Well, for one, it's free! The only investment you need to put into the site is time. Since social media is such a powerful marketing and lead generating tool, there really is no drawback to setting up an account. Worse case scenario: you don't use it and you lose no money. Best case scenario: you tweet often and you tweet correctly and you profit!
Twitter is also such a vital tool for your business because of the number of active users. With 140 MILLION tweets posted every day, there's really no reason why your business wouldn't benefit from some tweeting. Why are people tweeting? Well, twitter moves at a much faster pace when compared to Facebook or Yahoo. The site is a constant stream of information and advertising that, if taken advantage of, can help to propel your business to the next level. The trick, though, is to keep up.
How to make a great Twitter presence:
Be an expert. No matter your industry, be the expert. If you build computer servers, tweet about the latest server building news. If you fly planes, tweet about clear flying days. Try to offer insight and advice that someone on the outside wouldn't know beforehand. This gives your twitter account some value, which, for lack of a better word, is very valuable!
Be real. Your followers will be much more receptive to your tweet links if you sound like a real person. When you post a link, include a short line of text that includes your opinion of the link. It lets your followers know that you're taking the time to share something YOU thought was interesting, rather than just letting some bot with no emotion spam them.
Be exciting. Keep your titles engaging and interesting. Make your followers feel compelled to click on your links.
Stay short. Your tweets have a limit of 140 characters, but I recommend that you stay around 90 to 100. That way, your message won't be cut off. If you have, say, a long link, stick that at the end of your tweet so the only thing that gets segmented is a part that isn't necessary to read.
Network. Don't just strive for followers. Follow anyone and everyone you find interesting and relevant to your business. Your networking will allow for more contact potential as well as a direct line to your competitors. See what their strengths and weaknesses are and emulate and capitalize from them respectively.
Twitter is a great place to make new connections and strengthen existing ones. If I can leave you with one piece of advice, it is this: Stay active. A stagnant Twitter account will do nothing for you and if you want to see gains you have to put in some effort and keep tabs on your account.