Written by Phyllis Zimbler Miller, Twitter Marketing Expert

I have discussed on this guest blog many aspects of using Twitter effectively on Twitter itself.  But what about how you are promoting your Twitter presence outside of Twitter?

Your email signature:

Do you include your Twitter username on your email signature?  Options include a Twitter image that can be clicked through to your account or the URL link in your signature block.

Blog comments:

When you leave a comment on a blog, do you put your Twitter username at the end of your comment?

Blog posts:

Whether you are writing a post on your own blog or a guest blog post, do you include your Twitter username at the end of the post?

Your website/blog:

Of course your Twitter link should be prominent on any website or blog that is yours.  Do NOT put the link at the very bottom of a long page.  Put the link “above the fold” and on every page.

LinkedIn:

LinkedIn has recently put a separate field on the profile page for a person’s Twitter username/link.  Have you updated your LinkedIn account to take advantage of this new opportunity?

Why is promoting your Twitter presence outside of Twitter so important for effective online positioning of your brand, book or business?

Because as Twitter, in my opinion, is the easiest social media platform (of the current most popular platforms) on which to create relationships, you should be maximizing the number of people who check out your Twitter presence because of the link you provide.

If someone clicks on your Twitter link and likes what he/she sees, that person can instantly follow you without waiting for you to agree to be friends as on Facebook or connections as on LinkedIn.  This is a powerful potential relationship formation strategy with no barriers to entry.

If you understand using the power of Twitter to connect with your target audiences, then thinking of relevant online places to leave your Twitter username/link should be an important element of your online marketing strategy.

Wherever you are interacting online, if appropriate promote your Twitter presence by including your Twitter username/link.  And when you see someone else’s Twitter username/link on a blog comment or a website/blog, click on that link to check whether this is someone on Twitter you’d like to follow.

Good Twitter relationship-building is a two-way street.  If you want to expand your Twitter followers, help others to expand their following.

FYI — Here is the link to get official Twitter buttons. Note that you must be signed into your Twitter account to access these.