Ranked as one of the top ten most popular places on the Internet with over 100 million users and over 200 million posts per day, Twitter is a microblogging site that has become a useful tool for both small and large businesses. By allowing for nearly real-time communication with 140-character "tweets", Twitter's platform enables companies to quickly and frequently offer valuable content to both current and potential customers. Creating a Twitter profile for your business is quick and easy, and the payoffs large with the right strategy. In this article, we'll show you how to create your Twitter account and make the most out of this dynamic social media platform.

Joining the Twitter network is simple! Just follow the below steps and you'll be on your way:

• 1. Visit the Twitter signup page.
• 2. Fill out the proper fields and follow the directions.
• 3. Choose a username that accurately reflects your business and is easy to remember.
• 4. Once you create your account, write a brief bio (including a link to your website, if applicable) and upload a logo or photo in the "Set up your profile" section.
• 5. Optional: click on the "Design" tab to select a background theme for your page. Or, you may choose to upload your own photo to serve as a background image.

The key to a successful Twitter presence is to get as many genuine followers as you can. You can begin this process by inviting your existing customers via email, direct mail, or simply word of mouth. We recommend posting a link to your Twitter profile on all correspondence and marketing materials, whether it be printed brochures or email notifications. As you're starting out, make sure to follow users that opt to follow you. You can also find other Twitter users to follow by conducting a Twitter search for terms related to your business.

The keys to optimizing your Twitter profile are 1) to post frequently, and 2) to post a mix of different types of content (i.e. specific products, interesting articles/tips, news stories, etc.). As you start posting, pay attention to the response of your followers and learn through trial and error what content and tone work best for your particular audience. You'll know you're doing a great job if followers are responding to your posts, proactively engaging with you, and sharing your tweets with others.

To start, it's a good idea to post engaging content at least once a day so that your followers will know that you want to engage in the community. As you ramp up your efforts, you might consider using a service like HootSuite or TweetDeck to help you automate and monitor your Twitter activities. This is especially useful if you end up going on vacation for one or more days; with a posting automation tool, you can schedule tweets on the days you'll be gone so that you don't stop engaging with your customers when you are away from your computer. With the right content and strategy, Twitter can become a successful tool for gaining new customers and increasing both online and offline sales.