The world-renowned micro-blogging service Twitter allows you to send messages to large groups of people at once—many call it the SMS of the Web. Internet users all around the world use it to keep in touch with friends, people, fan bases, business partners, and customers.

You need to have followers on your tweets for your account to be known and effective. Here are some tactics you—or your business—can use to be popular in Twitter.

1. Create a great-looking avatar.

An avatar is a representation of you in cyberspace. Thus, if you are maintaining an unprofessional avatar, people will also brand you as an unprofessional individual, which reduces your chances of people following you. The best and simplest way is to upload an avatar-sized picture of your face—be sure to select an image that portrays you as neat, pleasant, and professional. Don’t use a photo that looks like you’ve been to a Braveheart reenactment.

2. Send messages during peak hours.

You can’t expect anyone to follow you if they are asleep. Thus, sending tweets during peak hours gives you the best chance for your messages to be read. Peak hours are usually around 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. in either the East or West Coast time in the US.

3. Make an effective profile bio.

No one wants to read a bio that reads “I am a couch potato” or “I heart American Idol.” The fields are there for a reason, and it is important that you properly fill them up. Use your intelligence, creativity, and wit when writing your bio. However, don’t go overboard with purple prose. Your bio is also a good place to put URLs of sites you want to promote such as your company website, blog, or Facebook page.

4.  Maximize the use of “@messages” to top Twitter users.

Normally, if you send a tweet to your friend, that message may not be seen in public. For your message to be seen by anyone, use an @message. This allows anyone visiting your profile can see that message. @ messages are useful especially when it comes to promotions, public announcements, general information, and advice.

5. Ask questions.

Ask questions to get your followers engaged so that they will send back to you their own tweets. Ask questions about current issues, latest business trends, or even favorite TV shows to get the ball rolling. Each response can be seen by anyone following the responder. That’s an effective way to increase your Twitter traffic.

6. Link to interesting sites.

Detailing your business plans, what you have for dinner, what you did today may be fun for you or your family, relatives, friends, colleagues, and business partners. However, it is not a good way to retain followers—most people are not interested in them. Spice up your Twitter by adding links to interesting articles and websites. By doing so, you become a dependable information of useful information.

7. Develop a niche.

Be specific about what you want to accomplish to your tweets. Yes, random tweets can get you some followers, but posting tweets that have a specific theme in mind can get you your target audience. Thus, playing to the kind of followers you want to target is a better approach. For instance, if your business is about search engine optimization, then tweet something about SEO strategies, online marketing, writing and editing articles, current SEO technologies, etc. Minimize your tweets about how your stock market investment is doing or what is happening to your pet.

8. Repeat yourself . . . but don’t overuse.

Many of your followers may not be reading each and every tweet you send out. Thus, you can re-tweet the best and most informative tweets. Remember that who is reading your post can make the difference between a successful or failed promotion. Just don’t overdo it or you become annoying.

9.  Use images.

Pictures speak a thousand words, and everyone likes to look at them. Just take for instance the image of US Airways 1549 that crashed into the Hudson River on January 2009. The image was posted and reposted on Twitter more than 350,000 times!

10. Link your Twitter account.

Chances are, you have other Internet outlets such as your website, blog, or website. Use all these outlets to promote your Twitter account by placing Twitter widgets on your sites. Include your Twitter information as part of your e-mail signature or business card.

Enjoy the conversation