Branded Twitter pages create a richer experience for your readers and a more dynamic stage for your tweets. Being devoted tweeters and Twitter page designers, the importance of the two working together has been something we’ve used to gain followers and brand recognition for our clients and ourselves.

Here’s a rundown of best practices for creating a successful corporate Twitter page:

Tile, fade, or none of the above. Multiple monitor resolutions need to be considered when creating your company’s Twitter page; you need a background that tiles to accommodate any monitor size, fades to a single color, or is an image that is big enough to work in a large monitor. For instance, HMR’s Twitter page is big enough to account for large monitors, and also has a tiling background that fills the page with engaging content. This design allows users with smaller monitors to feel like they’re seeing a complete image background when in fact the tiled image extends further.

Get creative with your sidebar. Key information about your company such as: logo, phone number, company statement, and URL are staples of a Twitter page’s left-hand sidebar. Finding a creative way in which to present that information will not only help grab your reader’s attention, but speak volumes about your brand. Silverscape’s current Twitter page uses an image of an iPhone sitting on the grass to communicate pertinent company information in an engaging way, while also speaking to the services we provide for mobile devices.

Optimization is key. Slow load times will deter users. Remember to keep your final image size small, under 700-800 KB.

Update your page often. Now that you’ve got a branded Twitter page, keep it fresh and current! Updates can be seasonally-based or designed to announce exciting new projects or clients. Let your readers know your company is an active tweeter though fresh visuals and, of course, fresh content. At Silverscape, we update our page based on events happening around the studio, and as a fresh start to each season! Put a reminder in your office calendar for Twitter page design updates at the beginning of a season and at project launches.

Don’t forget about your Twitter avatar! When visiting Twitter through mobile devices, the only visual paired with your company name is your avatar. It needs to be easily visually tied to your brand, recognizable at its size, and unchanging. It could be as simple as your company’s logo, such as Mint.com or VH1 have used. This way, the reader never has to question the validity of the page, since your company’s name will be always be accompanied by your company’s official mark, and return users will recognize that fixed visual when coming back.

Have questions? Give us a call at 617.338.8922 or contact us here.