Is your small business effectively using Twitter to market your products or services to existing and potential customers? If not, it should.

Aside from Facebook, it’s another major tool with marketing power. The popular microblogging site touts a growing membership of nearly 200 million registered users, making Twitter fertile marketing ground to help you attract and retain customers. But many small businesses are mystified when it comes to maximizing their exposure on Twitter and as a result, make common marketing mistakes that often have adverse effects.

To help you successfully navigate your way around Twitter, BizBytes created a list of 10 marketing mistakes small businesses make and how to avoid them.

1. Not following properly.

How many people are you following on Twitter? How many are following you? If you’ve got 10 followers, but you’re following 10,000 people, that ratio is a clear indication that only 10 of the possible 200 million Twitter users find what you have to say important enough to follow your stream. This doesn’t make a good impression on a potential customer who happens upon your brand on Twitter. Instead, make it a point to follow the people who follow you.

2. Not using direct messages correctly.

Twitter’s direct message feature, or DM, should only be used when you want to communicate directly without sharing your message with fellow followers. It’s supposed to be a private, one-on-one conversation and that’s generally how it’s used. But many small business owners use DM to solicit customers by sending messages promoting their products or services that aren’t personalized. This is generally frowned upon and turns many Twitter users off to your brand.

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