Twitter allows you to find local people easier than most social media tools and you should use it to find local people to add to your business community. Here are ten ways you can tap into your local community and build your local Twitter community.

• Before You Start: You have a Twitter business account.
• Learning Level: 2 | Getting Started
• Article Last Updated: Wednesday, August 17, 2011

10 Ways To Go Local With Twitter

One of the strongest ways to build your local business community is through Twitter and local user searches. However, there are other ways that you can reach into your community to find people near your business on Twitter.

Here are 10 ways you can build your local community through Twitter.

1. Add your Twitter account information and a link to your Twitter profile on your website and blog. If you have other social media accounts, also include them in your social media passport. Display this information in a prominent place where visitors see it when they arrive.
2. Include your Twitter account information in your advertising, including your business cards, email newsletter, flyers, and any other communication you have with your customers.
3. Put up a sign when people enter your business that includes your Twitter account information. Another sign by the cash register reinforces the message to your customers.
4. Put your Twitter username on anything you hand to your customers. If you are a restaurant, add it to your menu. Add it your receipts, estimates, and invoices, also.
5. Post a sign on your building or consider renting a billboard to display your Twitter information for people driving near your location.
6. Offer to host a tweetup. A tweetup brings local Twitter users to your business and gives them a reason to talk about your business.
7. Add your Twitter username to your Google Maps listing.
8. Connect with other neighborhood businesses on Twitter, and engage them in conversation. Retweet any tweets that would interest your community. This lets you share your online communities with neighboring businesses.
9. Tweet about  a community event, local sports team, neighborhood school recognitions, or anything else going on in your community. You might even offer a special through Twitter to support these community events.
10. Add your business to the mobile check-in sites like Foursquare and Gowalla (if necessary). Keep track of who is visiting your business on these sites and send them welcome or thank you tweets.

When you give your Twitter account information, always remember to ask people to follow you. Something as simple as “Follow us on Twitter” can prompt their action.

Your turn: What do you do to build your local Twitter community? What ideas do you have to reach more local customers with Twitter? Share them here.

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