7 ways to increase Twitter followers

My goal for the end of 2015 was to reach 10k Twitter followers and, in fact, it looks like I'm going to reach it by the end of September. If there's something I feel confident about, it's picking up Twitter followers. Of course it's not all about the numbers but, let's face it, we all get a little boost when somebody follows us. Besides, the more people follow us on Twitter, the more people check out our blogs and isn't what we all want, if we're really honest?

These seven pointers are what I've found to be the most effective way to increase followers. As always, it's worth experimenting with different strategies to see what works best for you. FOLLOW OTHERS
This is the part where bloggers say "It's called social media for a reason lol". I won't do this (mainly because it's not actually very funny) but the point remains- if you want people to follow you, you need to follow other people. What I like to do is go through my favourite hashtags (#bbloggers- beauty bloggers; #fbloggers- fashion bloggers; #lbloggers- lifestyle bloggers) and follow anybody who catches my eye. Some of them will follow back. Some won't but don't be that person who follows and unfollows when it's not reciprocated. There are plenty of perfectly good reasons to unfollow someone, but this one's just annoying.  
GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO FOLLOW
As I said above, I follow people who catch my eye. That is the main reason people will follow you- something about your profile interests and intrigues them. As a general rule, an image of yourself is more appealing than your logo, and a clear headshot is more so than full-body. (I've noticed people with a unique style, such as brightly coloured hair or tattoos, are especially eye-catching, but I wouldn't recommend doing this just to gain followers!). Use your bio to explain who you are and what you do in a fun way that showcases your personality. By the way, it's advisable to include your URL in your bio as well as the dedicated section as it will show up when in the little hover profiles. Pin a tweet that is funny, interesting or helpful to your profile. Remember first impressions are important!
SHARE LINKS One of the easiest ways to get yourself out there is to share links to your blog with the relevant hashtags and a photo. People can see straight away if you appeal to them and it has the added bonus that they're more likely to click over to your blog.
PARTICIPATE
That said, there's nothing more boring than following someone who only posts their links, or auto-tweets their Instagram or Pinterest updates without actually sharing anything of value. The beauty of Twitter is that you can just jump in and join any conversation you see and nobody bats an eyelid. Admittedly, the big bloggers don't always respond, and that sometimes puts people off, but your average blogger is happy to engage. Besides joining in the conversation, share your thoughts, make jokes, ask questions. Do anything as long as it's interesting!
JOIN CHATS
There are Twitter chats every night of the week (slightly outdated timetable here) and there are always new people taking part. Take an active part in the chat and join the conversation, rather than just answering the question and leaving it at that. I try to talk to at least one new person in every chat. It's just nice to welcome them, especially as chats can be quite intimidating at first. 
Related: 5 tips on getting the most out of Twitter chats
BE HELPFUL
Similarly, help people out. If you see somebody ask a question and you can help, let them know. If you can't help, but you know somebody else who could, point the original poster in their direction. Being helpful not only supports other bloggers, but it also gains you more respect and therefore more follows. Good karma and all that. As an aside, I once saw someone on Twitter complain that somebody had asked her for advice and, I quote, "I sent her my rates and never heard back". Instant unfollow right there. Being helpful costs nothing.
Related: 4 ways to support fellow bloggers
BE YOURSELF
That said, be yourself. If you're not all sweetness and light, don't feel you have to pretend to be. I remember following Terri because she was posting sarcastic budget beauty tips in a #bbloggers chat and I follow Sophie because she is completely unapologetic about her views, even if I don't always agree with them. Whoever you are, there are going to be people out there who completely love it.
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Ultimately it comes down to three things: Be visible, be active and add value. You can't go wrong! 
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