Maximize Your Brand Presence Using Twitter's New Profile Features

I’m not sure if everyone’s noticed, but Twitter has rolled out a new profile/header layout. One of these changes includes a new profile header image. This new feature reminds me of Facebook’s “Cover Photo”. This image is strategically placed to catch the viewer’s eye almost instantly and functions as a “welcome page” of sorts. Honestly, it’s a slight change of focus and many of you thinking from a “personal” and “non-professional” stance might just look at this new “renovation” as a mere aesthetic change, but I need to express the importance and improvements this feature can have on your brand. From a business professional point of view, so much can be leveraged with this subtle shift in visuals.

I’ve spent a lot of time lately learning how to utilize social media platforms from a brand or business point of view… and it’s really interesting to uncover what these social media tools can really do for a business. In my opinion, telling a story through visually stimulating content keeps an audience engaged and in today’s overpopulated digital world it’s critical to engage your audience. With this functionality, Twitter is giving users the ability to tell a more visually appealing story with ease and that’s impressive.

(If you haven’t already activated this new layout I’ll include directions below, it’s really easy! Don’t worry, everyone’s able to active this feature!)

Let’s first take a look at the new header image (you can see mine above). This new layout serves as a visually exciting backdrop for you to tell people more about your business. You are able to include your “existing” profile image, name, twitter name (@), mini bio, location and web address. Take the opportunity to think about how you want to portray your business. The options are literally endless… but be sure to choose an image that will tell the story of your brand. Here are some suggestions!  

SIDE NOTE: Twitter automatically applies slight gradient shading to the bottom of your image and the text/font AUTOMATICALLY appears white… you CANNOT change these features. Make sure you keep this in mind when choosing your image. I would even suggest experimenting with 2 or 3 different options; swap them out and see what one works best.

Okay enough with the rambling, here are a few ways you can take advantage of the new twitter features and truly enhance the visual presence of your existing profile.

- Show off your services or products, employees, customers interacting with your products, your business location (street view/office view) etc. Invite people to connect with your business through what you do, who you employee and what you stand for. This gives people the ability to visually see what your business does without having to take the time to read the mini bio. This allows them to instantly connect with your business. For instance, if you’re a yoga instructor, choose a photo of one of your favorite poses, or of your students participating in class.

- If you’re not a great decision maker and are stuck between a few different photos, that’s okay too! Take the time to create a meaningful collage of these images. Make sure you keep in mind the story you want to tell… you should always focus on supporting your business message. Don’t overdo it though; you don’t want your audience to get lost in a sea of photos. Visually engage your audience, don’t disengage them!

- Choose a photo that inspires your community or your surrounding communities. If you have an online presence/business then think about choosing a photo that shows what you’re passionate about or what inspires people within your industry. When you connect with a community brand loyalty is the outcome. Communities will support a business they feel cares about them. If you support an organization, charity, or national awareness campaign use an image that establishes that. You will be pleasantly surprised to see an increase in engagement from not only others within your industry, but with others who are also passionate about giving back to the same organizations.

- Struggling to find a photo you feel confidently conveys the right message for your business?? Try using a custom graphic or logo that’s associated with your business/brand. If you don’t already have a logo it’s really easy to obtain one! They have FREE websites like www.logomaker.com that can assist you in creating a customized logo quickly and easily. You can purchase or use software on your pc or mac like Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Don’t worry about being too fancy, keep your logo and graphics simple and easily recognizable; you don’t want your fans to get lost in the image.

As promised here are the steps you can take to maximize your Twitter profile: 

Step 1: Find the Gear Icon (top right hand side of your Home screen). In the drop down menu, click on Settings.

Step 2: Click on the Design menu

Step 3: Scroll down until you find the “Customize your own” section.

 Step 4: Click on Change Header

Step 5: Click on Choose Existing Image and upload your photo. You should see a yellow confirmation banner on the top of your screen. Click on “Me” (top left part of the screen) to view your profile with the new header image!

***KEEP YOUR MOBILE PROFILE IN MIND AS WELL. THE MOBILE APPLICATION MIGHT NOT ALIGN WITH HOW YOUR PC DISPLAYS YOUR NEW IMAGE. CHECK YOUR NEW HEADER IMAGE ON ALL WIRELESS DEVICES. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR BRAND STAYS CONSISTENT ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS.