How to Use Twitter For Your Business

• Be Real (don't hide) -

It is important that you completely fill in the registration and profile information when signing up on Twitter. If you set up your Twitter Id as a business name it is less real than using a personal name. If you still want the business name in there, you could possibly add the company after the persons name (like Dell computer has been known to do with names like "PatrickAtDell"). In the profile section, post your website. I wouldn't recommend a short URL here if you can avoid it since this is your brand and the full link helps in your SEO rankings. Also in the profile section you enter in relevant search terms in your profile description.

With the profile bio limited to 160 characters, you want to get the relevant keywords included. By doing so you don't have much space to talk about the business specifically. However you can also squeeze in more content about your business including other websites, urls, logos, or content by uploading a custom Twitter background. Be aware though that the search engines and tools people are using to find you will not pick up words or content located in the background image. That's why the keywords have to be in your description.

Finally and possibly most important is that you need to upload a picture. People want to see who they are communicating with, even if you are representing a company. If Twitters don't think you are real, they are less likely to be interested in following you and learning more about your business (we are Twittering for Business here remember). If you try to hide with no picture, just a logo, an incomplete profile or no description, the cynical side of social media marketing will take over, people will assume the worst and they won't follow you.

• Participate (be Relevant, contribute, share, respond) -

For a business or business person to be relevant in the Twitter conversation going on, they need to participate. Ask questions and elicit responses. Respond to other user's questions. Tweet not only your own relevant contributions but retweet (RT) other Tweets that you find valuable.

The graders and ranking sites look at both your following as well as your activity. There's a number of search tools that will help you here to see who is talking about what and who is specifically responding to you (for example with @replies). These tools can help you determine where you might want to jump into a conversation and build that relevance. This is important in being noticed by searches from other users. You build following with contribution, relevance, and responsiveness. 

Google tests real-time search engine results

NZ9HUATRCMW2 As Google continues to update its search offering, the now-familiar Suggest function has been given a major overhaul - although, like all Google updates, it is only being tested on a small audience for now.

It has been just under two years since Google launched its auto-complete application to a global audience - forever changing the way search engine optimisation strategies were put together.

With one simple addition, Google Suggest stamped out a huge number of misspelt search queries - meaning search engine marketing strategies no longer had to focus on every possible permutation of a phrase. Word ordering was also simplified as the most popular way of phrasing a search became reinforced by its strong position in the search field.

The tool made trawling the internet for products, services and information even more swift.

A year later and Google added another, more localised dimension to search queries. People searching for Manchester Evening News would suddenly be confronted with a huge list of related topics before they even got close to finishing the first word - such as Manchester Airport, Manchester United and Manchester City Council.

All of a sudden it made sense to launch locally-driven search engine marketing campaigns that would speak directly to consumers as they searched.

And so the search engine has once again stepped in and overhauled its Suggest tool to make searching - and hopefully search engine marketing strategies - more dynamic, exciting and feature-filled.

With Google's auto-completed addition users are presented with an entire page of search results suggestions when typing in key phrases. Google has confirmed that it is testing its real-time search engine results pages on a limited audience, but has not confirmed whether the feature is likely to become a permanent fixture.

So what does this mean for firms trying to boost their web presence?

Well there are a number of implications. Firstly Google entries will crop up when people search for related terms. This will give website optimisation a similar function to dressing a shop window, as websites will pop up as users browse through lists of similar key phrases. It is also likely to make search more flexible. People will no longer head to a search engine with a specific phrase in mind, which could place a greater emphasis on brand strength and brand building.

Most importantly, however, it will make search engine optimisation strategies more visible on a regional level - making targeting much more important.

Top Social Networking sites in India 2010

List of top Social Networking sites in India 2010:

Orkut.com
Facebook.com
Twitter
Bharatstudent.com
hi5.com
ibibo.Com
MySpace Sites
LinkedIn.com
PerfSpot.com
BIGADDA.com
Fropper.com
friendster
http://www.bebo.com/
http://www.propeller.com