The following is a guest post by Beth Hrusch.

With roughly 18 million registered users in the U.S. alone and a growth rate of about 3% each year, Twitter is arguably the fastest growing social media site in existence. In fact, about 19% of all adult Internet users are now on Twitter, up from 11% just a year ago.

Twitter use represents an undeniable trend in small business advertising. A 2009 survey by BIA/ Kelsey found that 32% of small businesses plan on incorporating social media into their marketing plan within the next 12 months. So, the question is, does Twitter really drive website traffic?

The answer lies in all the things you can do to promote your business with Twitter. When you consider the tools available to help you gain exposure, and the potential reach that social media has, spending a little time tweeting starts to look like a good idea.

If you’re thinking about marketing with Twitter, here are some tips to help you maximize results:

1. Network

To get the most out of your Twitter marketing efforts, target your group of followers. You can search for people with similar interests by using various tools such as Twitter lists or Tweet Works. Keep in mind that the primary goal of your strategy is to connect with both current and potential customers. So, joining groups where the most interested parties are likely to be found will save you a lot of time and effort and result in more leads.

2. Promote

Twitter is a microblogging site – that is, it only allows you 140 characters to say what you want to say. So, promoting with Twitter means that you have to be concise. Many people see this as an advantage, as you can skip the “small talk” and get right to the point. The combination of targeting your market and limiting your text means that you aren’t spending a lot of your valuable time in order to get results.

Use your 140 characters to link followers to your latest blog or article. Get a discussion going by presenting a question. Inform others of the latest news in your company or industry. Make your tweets interesting and attention-grabbing.

3. Update

One big advantage of Twitter as a marketing tool is the fact that it allows you to update your followers in real time. If you’re at a trade show or seminar, for example, you can inform followers of the latest developments as they happen, using your mobile device. You can post tweets quickly at any time. As the world starts to rely more and more upon immediate information, the timeliness of Twitter posts becomes even more critical to businesses.

4. Optimize

Every piece of text that you post on Twitter has the potential to rank in the search engines. Since SEO is so important to online visibility, you’ll want to try to optimize your tweets as much as possible. Think of your tweets as you do a blog, article or press release. Make headlines pop by using keywords that tell people (and search engines) what you’re talking about so you can be indexed properly.

5. Add value

Just as with your other content, such as your home page, blogs or directory articles, your tweets should always add value to the conversation. When Twittering socially, you can talk about what you had for breakfast. When using Twitter for marketing your business, stick to relevant, timely and useful content. It’s a good idea to research hot topics in your industry and get discussion going. Followers enjoy engaging and giving their opinions, especially when you’ve developed a reputation for interesting and informative debate.

When linking to other sites, always make sure that your tweet accurately reflects the content of the content you’re linking to. Contribute your insights whenever possible.

Can tweeting really drive traffic to your site? Yes, if you use it properly. When first starting out, it’s well worth your time to read the terms of service and research the various tools available to help you reach your market, track your results and organize your information.

And keep in mind that Twitter tweets shouldn’t be looked at in terms of individual posts so much as the impression all of your posts make over time. The value you create with your tweets will build your personal brand and serve your marketing objectives. For little time and effort, and very little money, you can drive traffic to your site, network with potential customers and build your brand! So, why not try Twitter and see what it can do for your business?

Beth Hrusch is Senior Editor at Interact Media, a content marketing software company