Twitter began as a microblogging tool where users shared thoughts, ideas or updates about their lives. Now, the social network’s 500 million users use the site as an information source for their favorite brands, breaking news and even conversations with companies, thought leaders and celebrities.

According to a recent report from InsideView, B2B brands that are using Twitter are seeing twice the number of leads compared to those who aren’t, but only 53 percent of B2B companies are actively using the social network. If you’re a B2B marketer just jumping into Twitter or if you’ve been there for a while and are looking to improve your strategy, use the tips and tactics below.

Content

As B2B marketers, we’re almost always concerned with how we can generate more leads. Twitter is a great outlet for this, but it’s also an outlet where you want to be a thought leader and appear human. Consider giving certain pieces of content away for “free” (without a registration form). A short tip sheet, for example, is a great piece of content to share on Twitter without a registration form.

Consider placing other calls to action within the PDF of the content where a form would be required – “Request a demo” or links to related content are good starters. Also think about including embedded “Tweet this” links within the content that include a pre-populated tweet and a link to the content – this sharing drives more traffic to the content and gives it the potential to go viral.