Social media has become an essential part of every marketing strategy now. How could it not, if we spend several hours a day scrolling, liking and sharing? However, entrepreneurs still make a lot of mistakes in their marketing strategies. Today, let’s talk about Twitter and tech start-ups, and how they blend together. According to my observations, these are the most common mistakes people make while managing accounts of their businesses or brands.

Considering that all your readers are either newbies or high-class tech professionals

As with lots of other things in the world, the truth is usually somewhere beyond. Tech start-ups that sell coding services and similar products are usually afraid to come off as unprofessional if they don’t post the latest news from the programming world, frequently understood only by a tiny circle of programmers (tiny compared to your total possible audience coverage). They are afraid that if they post something for “mere mortals” like “10 Reasons to Learn JavaScript,” they will repel specialists. Guess what, by doing so you repel ordinary readers – and there are a lot more of them than expert programmers.

For example, check this website and how they handle their content, ranging from specific expert advice to general articles with “how to” guides to almost-trolling blog posts.

Using professional slang and too many fancy buzzwords

This one is similar to the previous point, but it has a unique twist of trying too hard to fit in. This typically happens if either your SM manager or you (if you are the one doing the job) are not very familiar with the topic. It is true that using slang words that belong to an active vocabulary of a limited circle of people creates a sense of exclusiveness and belonging between those people and the brand. However, sometimes you can come off as trying too hard while you are doing this. If you are not sure that you can naturally use slang without seeming that you are trying to fit in, opt for more neutral language at first. Don’t worry, once you work a couple of months and read dozens and dozens of blog posts and related tweets, vocabulary usage will come naturally.

Ignoring traditional marketing principles

So many tech start-up owners fall into the trap of thinking that traditional marketing methods are now dead, and shy away from them. They can believe that these methods are ineffective, or consider them to be unsuitable for a tech start-up. How can something so old promote something innovative? Well, the truth is that success strategies remain the same over decades and even centuries. With advanced techniques, they can acquire new forms, such as viral Tweets, funny GIFs, and comments by services liked by thousands of people, but the core principle stays the same. All in all, you can discard and debunk old marketing principles only if you know well how they work.

Not investing in creating a unique brand voice

One of the most popular mistakes technical brands and start-ups make is delivering products and information without soul. I guess this happens due to the fact that selling something new and really good doesn’t require a lot of advertising. 

When you are starting a company that will make smoothies, you need to think of a concept and the charisma behind it, or else you will be just another company out of a thousand. When you are doing innovative things, people tend to pay attention to you without much in the way of ads – it's true. But when you take the time to invest in creating a unique company voice, you are investing in a loyal audience, which is more valuable than gold in the marketing world. People will love you not because of another piece of tech you came up with, but because of the values and approach you promote.

Final thoughts

Despite its short form, Twitter can be a powerful tool to communicate your message to your target audience. Remember not to try too hard and spend all your time trying to fit in with your audience, because it sounds unnatural. Rather than trying to mimic your customer’s vocabulary and interests, it’s better to show that your brand has its own unique voice. And don’t forget about traditional marketing strategies, because they are usually those that do all the work. Anyway, most new findings are built on old marketing laws that work to this day, and probably will work a century more. I guess that’ll do for your business!