Twitter is an active social media platform that is being constantly updated with valuable information.

Among all the tweets that are sent out every minute, you want to make an impression and connect with other Twitter users. When using Twitter for business purposes it is especially important to create Twitter connections which can lead to offline opportunities and greater brand awareness.

The following are a few tactics that will help your business connect with prospects and influential thinkers on Twitter.

• Retweeting is a key feature which shows other users you value their content. So much so, that you are recommending it to your followers by adding it to your Twitter stream. Retweeting may attract attention from the original tweeter to your account, which could result into a potential opportunity.

• Mentions are an easy way to get the attention of a tweeter as well. When your Twitter handle is used within a tweet, you will be able to see it in under your connect tab on Twitter. So if you’d like to link with someone on Twitter consider using the mention feature to show up in their connections stream.Always remember to give credit to the original tweeter by mentioning their handle in your tweet.

• Follow Fridays (#FF) is a Twitter practice that is simple but very effective in attracting attention from specific Twitter accounts. Essentially,you are grouping together Twitter accounts that publish tweets on one common topic. By adding the #FF hashtag you are sharing those twitter accounts with the rest of your followers as well as anyone else that is doing a #FF search. For example, VA Partners may tweet, “Great sales and marketing content from @markeelliott @stephLgoodman @sgrubes @MarcDeAmorim #FF”.

• Thank You Tweets are a polite way to keep in touch with people who are helping to increase your brand awareness. Send thank you tweets to influential people who have retweeted or mentioned your content. Since Twitter is a fast paced social media platform, it is a best practice to send out your thank you tweet within the day. Remember to use the Twitter users handle at the beginning of your tweet so only that particular twitter user will be able to see the tweet (won’t be seen by all followers).

Twitter isn’t about simply broadcasting information; it’s about creating a conversation. In order to initiate conversations, try using a variety of these tactics.If you would like to learn more about, “Getting Started with Twitter.”