So I made a bet…

A few months ago, my elaborate plan to gain Twitter followers consisted of this one mantra – DO NOTHING. (Well, except tweeting randomly, of course.) I then gave myself tiny homework assignments to learn more about social media engagement.

Ideas evolve, and this one morphed into my Personal Guide to Increasing my Twitter Followers! Instead of just doing nothing and waiting for organic followers, I’m testing out some of the tools available and learning new ways to engage with my current followers, while increasing visibility of my profile to attract new Twits.

I started with Strategy #1. Follow Your Followers.

Now it’s on to Strategy #2: Using an Account Manager.

Let’s talk about BUFFERING posts.

This one really blew my mind. I don’t know how I ever posted on social media without using Buffer, a post management tool for social media that has freed me from the whirlpool of content management! Yay!

For my sanity, this is the best tool I have found since I started counting Twitter followers. I’m all about saving time, and this does this trick. Buffer is a great way to increase engagement and save time on social media.

Note: I upgraded from the free account to $10 monthly because Buffer lets you manage 12 social profiles, have unlimited posts in your buffer, and even add two team members to help manage it all.

This is what you need to know:

1.Buffer is a Time Saver – and can manage multiple Twitter,Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.

In short, Buffer schedules your updates to post at optimal times, whether you’re around or not. You can schedule posts for DAYS across different accounts using this tool. Instead of logging into my accounts every hour to post something new, and endlessly searching for content and new ideas, I can buffer my tweets and posts and uploads so they post at scheduled times (or whenever you want) across all platforms! I’m talking Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. (Pinterest is available, but that costs money).

2. Re-Buffering is a great way to make sure your post is seen.

You can RE-Buffer previous posts to ensure that everyone sees them (on Twitter, for example, where timing is everything). It also stops you from re-buffering a post too soon, so your feed doesn’t get clogged or look spammy.

3. Buffer shows what Tweets get the most engagement.

One of the best features is the ability to measure your post performance using social analytics. Buffer Analytics shows you the most retweets, mentions, clicks, potential audience exposure, and favorites.

This is not only a time saver, but a great way to flesh out your voice on social media. Discover which tweets get the most engagement, what topics your audience likes most, and who is interacting with your tweets.

You can see what works, and what falls flat. Re-buffer the good ones!

4. Buffer Integrates! You can use it everywhere with Apps, Extensions, and Extras.

Buffer offers lots of apps, extensions, and extras that will allow you to use Buffer in a variety of different places online. Start by installing the Buffer extensions for Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

Once you have installed one of these extensions, you will get a convenient button to use to add updates to your buffer at the top of your browser (usually to the left or right of your browser’s address button depending on which browser you are using).

Clicking the Buffer Button will allow you to update one or more of your social media accounts with a link to the webpage you are browsing.

And that brings me to the Breakdown:

I learned that everything I was doing was WRONG, because I didn’t have this amazing tool working for me! How many hours did I lose, glued to my screen day in and day out?

If you want to get ahead in your Twitterverse, you need a post management tool.  Although I chose Buffer, there are other options available, including Hootsuite.

For my next trick, I will be moving on to Strategy #3: Make Some Twiends. Why Twiends? Well, Twiends is completely free to use. The concept is that the more you participate the more others will connect with you. You are not paying for followers or trying anything shady; instead, you are making your profile available to people who are looking for interesting people to follow. If you want to tag along with me, you can either email me directly or tell everyone about your experience in the Comments!