How to Use HootSuite for Business

How Lori Highby uses HootSuite to manage her Web design firm's tweets.

 

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A few months ago, I started to get overwhelmed by Twitter. My company does Web design, development, and marketing, so I was managing tweets not only for my business but also for my clients.

I use HootSuite to streamline the process. It lets me manage multiple accounts on one dashboard. I can schedule tweets in advance instead of logging on every time I want to send one. When I write a new blog post, HootSuite automatically sends a tweet to my followers. If I'm reading an interesting article online, I can click on the Hootlet feature in my browser's Favorites bar to send out a tweet with the story's name and URL. A stats feature lets me see how many people clicked on any given link so I can tailor future tweets accordingly.

I also use HootSuite to keep track of tweets containing certain keywords. Anytime someone mentions Keystone Click, for example, it appears on my HootSuite dashboard. I sift through the responses at the beginning and end of each day, tracking both positive and negative feedback and reaching out to potential customers. I use the search term Web design company to scour Twitter for prospective clients.

HootSuite is Web based, so I can access it from anywhere. And it's free.