How important is Twitter to you? Chances are you have more followers on Twitter than any other social media network, mainly because it’s less personal and acceptable to follow complete strangers. I would venture to say Twitter is as important to you as your LinkedIn and Facebook accounts. Some tech recruiters even say they won’t deal with candidates with little or no Twitter presence.

Yet for some reason we tend to neglect what our profile looks like, perhaps because we think nobody really cares or don’ t have the time. I believe that’s a mistake for a number of reasons.

Why you need to do it

First off, if you are tweeting in your own name, your Twitter will come up very high in your Google results. Anyone (that’s including employers, recruiters and headhunters) will be able to find your Twitter profile and it should be consistent with your personal brand across other platforms. Second, some tweeters are really particular about who they follow back. Unless you have a credible profile, they might take you for a spammer and you stand to lose followers.

Third, you will want to be searchable for what you do and how you can help others. Imagine a customer searching the net for your type of services, your Twitter account is one channel that you must make the most of.

Here are five simple steps to boost your Twitter profile today:

1. Add a decent photo

The obvious one! Either dig out a nice nice mugshot or see a headshot photographer that can take a few snaps for you. As the photo space is tiny, you will want to get as much of your face in there as possible, the closer up you are the more trustworthy you will come across. Whatever picture you upload, try to keep it the same on your other social media profiles, website and or blog – personal branding is all about consistency. Not having a photo will definitely deter any potential followers, as will your favorite cartoon character.

2. An informative bio please

Right, you only have 160 characters so let’s keep it short and to the point. I would list the main value I am able to add to people starting with the highest value activity. So put your job title, what services you provide and try to inject a little bit of personality at the end. Or if you have it, put your personal brand statement here.

3. Fill in the location field

This field is becoming increasingly important with local Twitter directories such as Twellow listing fellow tweeters in your area. If you are an offline networker, you need to put your correct location on your profile so that you attract the right followers. A final note on location; think what anyone searching for you would enter. If you live in Hoboken, you might want to put Greater New York City – Twitter is a global tool that used correctly will connect you to people from around the globe.

4. Link to your site or blog

This is your free backlink from the good folks at Twitter Inc, don’t waste it by leaving it blank or entering your LinkedIn addresses. Always use your own real estate in this field as you will be able to track how many clicks you get from your Twitter profile with the help of analytics software.

4. Set up some lists

By starting to categorize the people you follow in list, you will look like a serious Tweeter. You can have lists broken down to geography, interests, friends or whatever you choose. You will also find that people love getting on to these lists as it adds to their Twitter credibility.

Bottom line

There you have it, five simple steps to pimp your Twitter profile today. Twitter doesn’t give you much space to play with so you have to get it right. Tinker a bit and see what others think of your changes. If you don’t like it, change again. I know from personal experience that whenever I feel like changing my bio I will test it on Twitter first as it’s fast and the updates aren’t sent to any of my friends’ feeds like on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Tell me what you think, would your Twitter profile impress an employer?

Furhter reading at Top 7 Ways to Kick Off Your Twitter Job Search.