There is a big difference between using Twitter for business and using Twitter for business effectively. In other words, you cannot expect to create a profile, send out a few tweets here and there, and gain a huge following. Despite the crazy growth of Twitter over the past couple of years, things just don’t work this way.

Do I really even need a Twitter account? There is no rule saying your business has to use this social media service. Neglecting to do so, however, could be costing you a lot of money.

Before we get into the seven tweet types you should be using, let’s take a closer look at a few stats that are sure to get you excited:

• 51 percent of active Twitter users follow brands and companies
• 67 percent of users are more likely to purchase from a company they follow on Twitter
• 42 percent of users rely on Twitter to learn more about products and services

Are you beginning to get the point? Are you beginning to see that using Twitter for business is one of the best ways to connect with potential buyers?

Try these Tweet Types

Now that you know the stats and understand why you should be using Twitter, the time has come for you to formulate a strategy. This leads to one very important question: what types of tweets are you going to send out to followers? You don’t want to take a “scatter gun” approach, hoping that something eventually sticks.

Here are seven tweet types that allow you to better engage with followers, attract a new audience, increase interaction, and much more. And if you need a little motivation, we have included a tweet that fits the mold of each type.

Make an Announcement

Did you recently release a new product or service? Did you receive an award from an industry organization? Did you hire a key employee? Did you open a new office?

There are many types of announcements you can make, all of which will be of great interest to your audience.

If you can count to 3, you can file your #taxes w/ #SnapTax – promise! Try it for free today: http://t.co/YCHOcYk3VB #iOS

— TurboTax (@turbotax) January 30, 2014

Ask a Question

The more interaction you have with your audience the better. One of the best ways to promote this is by asking questions. For example, here are a few questions a clothing retailer could ask:

• What is your favorite thing to wear during the winter months?
• What was the last piece of clothes you purchased and why?
• Can you share with us your favorite shopping experience?

These types of questions can go a long way in drumming up meaningful conversation. Not to mention the fact that they can help secure new customers.

#TaxQuiz: How many stadiums are completely funded by your tax dollars? pic.twitter.com/DJ5RnBn0JV

— H&R Block (@HRBlock) January 30, 2014

State an Interesting Fact

There is nothing wrong with using Twitter as a teaching platform, especially if you have an interesting fact to share. This can be related to your business, your industry, or another generalized topic.

Just the same as asking a question, when you share interesting facts you can expect others to chime in. Again, anything that has the potential to stir up a conversation is worth tweeting to your audience.

#DidYouKnow the 140 character limit on tweets was due to SMS character limitations, when Twitter’s founders were tweeting using SMS service?

— CiscoGeeks (@CiscoGeeks) June 26, 2012

Solve a Problem, Answer a Question

Do you ever take the time to read what your followers are saying? If not, you are missing out on a great opportunity to solve a problem or answer somebody’s question.

As your followers grow, so does the chance that you will come across somebody asking a question that you can answer. By doing so, this person is going to give you many thanks. On top of this, you are sure to stick in the back of their mind.

@PhotoWilPlease email the tracking #, contact info and details to me at [email protected] for assistance. ^QM @UPS CC: @BorrowLenses

— UPS Customer Support (@UPSHelp) January 10, 2014

Promote a Blog Post

If you are the type who is using Twitter for business you are probably the type who realizes the benefits of maintaining a high quality corporate blog.

While you are sure to drum up interest for each blog post in a variety of ways, don’t overlook the benefits of tweeting the URL to your followers. This is a particularly good idea if past blog posts have been retweeted without your prompting.

Tip: there is nothing wrong with promoting a blog post, but you don’t want to take things too far. This is not something you want to do day in and day out, as your audience will eventually become “blind” to what you are saying.

Earn Big Bucks with Flights and Hotel Reservations http://t.co/9eSaeNgfpC via @johnchow

— John Chow (@JohnChow) January 30, 2014

Retweet a Follower

What are you going to do if you run out of things to say? Your brain won’t be empty forever, but there may be times when you don’t have anything of value to share with your audience.

This is when it makes good sense to retweet what others are saying. Here are some of the benefits:

• It fills a void, allowing you to stay active without forcing a tweet that doesn’t fit
• The person you retweet is going to be happy that you did so, as this helps them grow their Twitter presence
• Increases the chance that the person will retweet one of your tweets in the future, even if it is only to return the favor

Don’t forget to enter the #ShareMyPlate Instagram contest to help #NoKidHungry end childhood hunger! http://t.co/cW5rfFgHhl

— OpenTable (@OpenTable) January 29, 2014

Tips, Tips, and more Tips

Your followers are following you for a reason: they value what you have to say. If you can share tips, even those that are far from earth shattering, you will be helping somebody out.

For example, the tweet below from the Food Network is a great example. Many people may already know this, but others are sure to find the information useful.

If you want to become an authority in your industry, it is essential to share tips and advice as often as possible.

Tip: Store summer tomatoes at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. The cold causes cell walls to burst, resulting in a mealy texture.

— FoodNetwork (@FoodNetwork) June 27, 2012

Are you doing the Right Thing?

Even if you experiment with the seven tweet types detailed above, you may wonder if you are doing the right thing. Here are three ways to determine if your tweets are bringing value to your followers:

• Are others retweeting what you have to say? If so, you know you are doing something right. Take note of which tweets are receiving the most retweets, and then focus more on these types in the future.
• Your followers are responding to your tweets, especially when you ask a question. If your primary goal is to increase interaction, chart how many people respond to your tweets and what they have to say.
• Did anybody like it enough to click “favorite?” Just the same as retweets and responses, when somebody “favorites” your tweet it shows that they really like what you had to say.

There used to be a time when many businesses did not fully understand the benefits of using Twitter. Guess what? Those days are long gone. In today’s world, if you aren’t using Twitter you are missing out on a big opportunity while probably losing ground to your competitors.

If the time has come for your business to take full advantage of Twitter, the seven tweet types detailed above will help you hit the ground running.