There are plenty of methods to gain Twitter followers – which is a different post entirely – but what is the point of having thousands of followers if you have no logical engagement or relationship with them? Just as quickly as people will follow you on Twitter, they'll just as quickly UN-follow you if the way you communicate doesn't suit them.

So how do you engage your Twitter followers? Start acting on these social media tips and you'll be well on your way!

1. Ask questions – Asking interesting questions can be a good way to draw some people out of lurking mode and get conversations started. The questions can relate to your business, or be general in nature (yes it's ok to be human). A survey is a more formalised way of asking questions but one that some people can't resist! It can also be anonymous so your followers get to respond without being 'outed'. When people are asked their opinion, they feel more a part of your community.

2. Help your Twitter followers – Assistance never goes unnoticed. Try to respond to followers' questions and requests when they arise. Going out of your way to solve problems or find contacts is a great way build a relationship with followers. It also positions you as someone who has plenty of answers. You then become a go-to person and others will respect your advice and opinions.

3. Be yourself – There's no need to create an online persona on Twitter. Many people meet some of their Twitter followers offline eventually. Don't let the 'real you' be a surprise!

4. Be consistent – No one likes mood swings or other personality inconsistencies in the real world. On Twitter, it can be just as obvious. Try to maintain balance in your Twitter engagement.

5. Use humour – Everyone enjoys sharing a laugh and Twitter folk are no different. Inject a little humour to break up your regular tweeting behaviours. Your sense of humour can make you more memorable as well as more approachable and that can help your business!

6. Provide useful information – Alert your Twitter followers to both industry-specific and general news which is likely to be of interest to them. If you're among the first to inform your following, it will often lead to retweets and replies as your followers – and their followers – discuss the topic.

7. Post multimedia tweets – We all love to see photos and videos. Twitter is the ultimate real time upload mechanism. When you have an announcement, say the opening of your new premises, tweet a photo so your followers can see what it looks like, not just read about it.

8. Leave the soapies on TV – Twitter is not a forum to air your grievances. If you have an issue with someone or their behaviour, send them a Direct Message or an email, but avoid littering your Twitter stream with accusations, complaints and name-calling. Better yet, avoid it altogether! You're there to build relationships, not destroy them.

9. Twitter users are real people – It can be tempting to think that all those Twitter names flashing by in your stream are 'just names'. Remind yourself that you are communicating with real people and apply respect accordingly.

10. Keep self-promotion to a minimum – Repeated sales pitches are the fastest way to be unfollowed or ignored. Tooting your own horn too frequently can alienate and turn people off. Try to maintain a healthy balance.

11. Encourage your followers – Just as you do for family, friends and business colleagues, heap praise on your Twitter followers' achievements and encourage them to achieve their goals. Not only will it help people to warm to you and make them more interested in what you have to say, it shows that you're not self-centred.

12. Don't repeat yourself – You may want to be sure everyone sees your latest blog post, but try to limit repeating yourself to one or two times a day. Not everyone has Twitter open when your tweets go by so it's a good idea to tweet hours later. Just make sure that your repeated tweets are interspersed with plenty of others throughout the day.

13. Use people's names – When people actually use your name it feels good and shows there is a real person there, as in a normal conversation. You don't have to do it every time, but once in a while is nice. And while you're referring to people by name, be sure to spell it correctly to avoid offending them!

14. Retweet others' tweets – Share other people's tweets by retweeting posts that will be of interest to your followers. Add a comment if it will fit into the 140 character limit.

In order to build an engaged and responsive Twitter following, you need to invest time to communicate and build trust. It's not much different to offline relationships in that respect. The more we all apply these tips, the more enjoyable and helpful the Twitter community will be.