If you’re a photographer, Twitter probably isn’t the first social media platform you’ve utilized. Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram are much more image-based than Twitter.

However, if used correctly, Twitter is an invaluable resource for photographers as they build a brand and connections. Follow these tips to get the most out of Twitter as a photographer.

1. Understand Twitter

When some people think of Twitter, they assume it is similar, if not the same, as Facebook. While Facebook connects you with friends in your physical community, Twitter connects you with people far and wide. However, this is the challenge of Twitter. Since anyone can follow anyone else, you compete with other people and their content for followers. This doesn’t mean users are limited in how many people they follow, but unless the content you tweet is worthwhile, nobody will follow you.

Don’t let this scare you away. As a photographer, you have an opportunity for easy connections — as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Use your photography as your contribution to the community. Retweet other photographers’ work and promote the services of others. Twitter users want to know you’re involved with the community, not just there for self-promotion.

2. Retweet Those You Follow

Whether you follow well-known photographers, Internet sensations or even corporations who utilize images on their feeds, such as Captain Morgan, you can retweet these well-known users to gain visibility and influence in the community. When you retweet someone, the user sees you’ve retweeted them and is more likely to retweet your material in return. Also, all those people who follow that first user will see you interact with people they follow, which automatically provides a common interest for the two of you.

3. Engage Your Followers

How to engage your followers isn’t always apparent. Use your photographs as a point of conversation. Ask followers to caption certain images you post. Invite followers to send their own images as part of playful competitions or a collaborative photo album project. This fosters a community that you’d otherwise not reach.

4. Know Instagram’s Limitations

Instagram is the definition of Twitter for photographers, but don’t be too hasty in linking your Instagram feed to your Twitter account. When an image from Instagram is ported onto Twitter, only the link of the Instagram image appears, so the image itself isn’t available for Twitter users. Not all Twitter users will click a link that brings up another website, or if they are on a smartphone or another app, they simply don’t have time. Instead, post your images directly on Twitter for the best response.

5. Schedule Your Posts

The more often and consistently you post on Twitter, the more followers you will gain. Regular posts not only draw in new followers, but they also keep your current ones from unfollowing you. Once you have a community, don’t take it for granted. Don’t spend loads of time on Twitter, but do use a social media planner like Hootsuite or Buffer. Both of these programs allow you to add a queue of posts and to schedule in advance when they are posted. Designate one day a week, schedule your tweets and forget about it for the rest of the week.