Tweet, email, Facebook or Pin this because this may be the only guide you will need in order to successfully search Twitter for your business. Twitter isn’t going anywhere any time soon so get your business tweeting if you’re not already (shame on you!) and make sure you’re using one of the simplest capabilities of Twitter, the search box, to its full advantage. 
As you begin or continue to use Twitter for your business, you may not see the kind of growth of activity and users that you’re looking for if all you do is post your own content every day. At least once a week, if not every day, take the time to open up twitter.com/search and select “advanced search.” Once there, you’ll be able to narrow down Twitter users to follow in your industry and you can find those tweeting about the capabilities of your business.
If you’re a local business, specify the area you’re targeting by setting a range to include in the search radius. For example, if you’re a business in Dallas, TX but you want to target the surrounding areas like Ft. Worth, Arlington and Plano, then set your search radius “near dallas, tx” within 50 miles. This ensures that you’re monitoring and finding the people that want your service and/or products in your area.
Next, think about the words that your clients would use to describe your business–the more specific the better. The narrower terms will bring you the ideal Twitter users who are looking for the services your business can provide. Instead of just filling out “All of these words”, take the time to include “None of these words” as well so you don’t have to filter through users and tweets unrelated to your business.
As you begin scrolling through your results, remember that you’re looking for Twitter users who are A. in your local area and B. most likely to pick up the phone or email your business. Check their follower/following ratio, scan over their bio, read their blog or click on their company’s website. Don’t fall for scammers who clog up your newsfeed or send you spam.
Save your searches! Any queries that you make can be saved for easy retrieval down the road. On your Twitter home interface, you’ll notice the small search box on the right near the top of the page. When you run a search from this box, you will have the option at the top right of the results page to save the results for later.
By spending time each week to fully utilize Twitter search, you will find opportunities to jump into conversations, promote your services and build your follower base. While there are many excellent Twitter search services available outside of Twitter.com, first become familiar with their search capabilities and use it to your businesses’ full advantage. Sometimes the best online engagement opportunities must be sought before they’re found!
