Media marketing for Twitter is growing increasingly popular, despite all the naysayers who say that it cannot be done. There's no definitive way to use Twitter- you can find an audience, no matter what you are selling- but at heart, it's a way to connect and have conversations with people. There are four main ways to do social media marketing on Twitter, each with its own successes and drawbacks. Consider using any or all of these to boost your marketing campaign and see better results.

Conversationalists are those who use Twitter to grow their businesses, but are also active participants in the chit-chat that goes on every day, as opposed to just posting advertisements or calls to action. Thought leaders and independent consultants fall into this particular category, and although the professional benefits are not instantly visible, they are definitely there. As we said, Twitter is a conversational medium, and being an active participant will help you earn the trust and respect of the community, which will make it easier to deliver your sales message.

Conversational marketers vary a little bit from the conversationalist, because they have a highly obvious reason for being on Twitter. Most link to blog posts frequently, or tweet reminders about a book or a newsletter. These types of media marketers participate in the conversation regularly, to the point where most people don't notice their marketing efforts. Some may consider the self-promotion on the 'spammy' side, but if it's done effectively, a conversational marketer can use Twitter with great success.

Those that use Twitter more to make sales than to make conversation are salesmen at heart. There are social media purists that say that salesmen are using the Twitter platform in a disingenuous manner, but there are those that disagree. There are many companies with a Twitter presence that are sales-oriented, but they still engage with their followers to an extent, offering relevant links and information. Here, Twitter accounts are set up as a sales pitch for a product, service, or website, and while they aren't as popular as some other approaches, there is still an audience for the Twitter salesman.

The broadcaster is a blatant self-promoter, frequently toeing the line between promotion and spam. This type of Twitter media marketer uses their stream exclusively to promote themselves, and most do not participate actively in conversations (via @ replies, retweets, etc.) While some may see the broadcaster as the "pimp" of Twitter online marketing, there is still a vast audience for what they have to offer. Most of the fans of these companies will gladly wade through the spam they're offering to get a coupon, find out about a new product, or learn about a new service.

There's no right or wrong way to market on Twitter. Using the first two approaches are a good way to slowly but surely earn the trust and the respect of the community, all while stealthily building your customer base. Focusing on a sales or broadcasting strategy may get you faster results, but you run the risk of alienating yourself from the very people you're trying to engage. Only you can decide which of the above approaches will work for your business.