Twitter.  Have you heard of it? Yes, the word does sound a lot like the noise a bird makes on an early Sunday morning. The term “twitter” actually means “chirps from birds.”

When using Twitter for your funeral home social media strategy, think of it as the noise that your funeral home makes.  But, it’s important to make sure  you’re doing more than just “squawking” at your followers.

Why do businesses use Twitter?
There’s a reason why the biggest brands in the world embrace social media marketing (Coca Cola, Dell, John Deere).

Most companies use Twitter and other social networks to expand their brand awareness, connect with their customers, create a sense of community, promote their business, and boost their search engine results.

To get started with Twitter, make sure you’re familiar with some of the common Twitter terminology.

If you need a refresher, check out our blog titled, What is a Tweet, and Why Do I Care?

Feeling confident in your Twitter lingo? Let’s dive in!

1. Get on Twitter. It’s that simple.
First, choose a username (aka a Twitter “handle”). Your handle should be simple and easy to read, preferably your funeral home name. You’re limited to 15 characters, so choose an appropriate abbreviation if need be. We’ve seen many firms use the letters FH to abbreviate “funeral home” in their Twitter “handle.”

Next, create your bio. Include a link to your funeral home website, where you’re located and a bit about your services.

TIP: Providing a link to your funeral home on Twitter can boost your search engine results on Google, while driving valuable traffic to your website! 

2. Build your network.
Build your network by getting people to “follow” you on Twitter, and “following” potential families and thought leaders in your community. And if a user starts following you – follow back!

Not sure who to follow?  Start with a Twitter search or advanced search to find people who are relevant to your funeral home.

Search for public figures in your area, families in your community, and funeral profession thought leaders.

TIP: Having a large number of Twitter followers is important to spread brand awareness.  But remember, quality over quantity.  Be weary of ghost accounts that may spam your inbox.

3. Create interesting, thought-provoking tweets.
Before you compose a tweet, ask yourself:  “Would I want to read this?” If not, don’t even bother sending it. Your tweets should feature only high-quality content and drive engagement (meaning they have to be relevant to your audience).

You only have 140 characters to get your message across.  Tweets need to be direct and to the point.  But, that doesn’t mean they can’t be creative!

What type of content should you post? Here are some ideas:

– Links to your obituaries
– A daily fun fact about your staff
– Educational content relating to the services you provide or FAQs
– Grief advice
– Events in your local area
– Share blogs and interesting funeral or grief related articles
– Provide inspirational quotes about celebrating life and memories

TIP: Do some research to figure out the demographics of your followers. You should understand how they talk, what they want to hear, and what they are searching for. Research what content they are sharing and tweeting about.

4. Interact. Social media is just that – social.
Don’t talk AT your audience, chat WITH them instead. Interacting with your followers helps build credibility and positions you as a thought-leader in your community.

The good news is, every time someone interacts with you, your account receives a new mention and your name is thrown into the Twitter stream once more (think brand awareness).

TIP: Use your funeral home social media manners! When someone shares your content (also known as “retweeting”) send them a “thank you” tweet.

5. Measure your influence.
The second most important thing after interacting with followers is analyzing your efforts. Take note of what tweets drove the most interaction by tracking retweets & responses. Don’t forget to take a look at what tweets didn’t perform as well – and learn from your mistakes!

How can you do that? There are tons of social media tools available like Hootsuite (free) and Sprout Social (paid) to help you track your progress. Both tools are extremely easy to use, and offer a good amount of tutorials to help you learn the ropes.

In today’s world of technology, it’s time to take control of your funeral home’s social media presence.  Twitter gives you the opportunity to interact with your families and community, and in return builds trust and keeps your firm top-of-mind, setting you apart from other competing funeral homes.

Has your funeral social media made it’s way into the Twitter-sphere yet?  Let us know how you’ve succeeded and where you are struggling!

Rochelle Rietow

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