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How to Get Started on Twitter

How to Get Started on Twitter

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How to Get Started on Twitter

Twitter

Twitter is an information network (sometimes called a micro-blogging site) made up of 140-character messages called Tweets.

– It's an easy way to discover the latest news related to subjects you care about. – It’s a great way to interact with clients and potential clients.

A Tweet is any message posted to Twitter, and all are 140 characters or less.

Create Your Account

1. Go to http://twitter.com and find the sign up box, or go directly to https://twitter.com/signup.

2. Enter your full name, email address, and a password.

3. Click Sign up for Twitter.

4. On the next page, you can select a username (usernames are unique identifiers on Twitter) — type your own or choose one Twitter suggests. Do not use IBM in your username.

5. Double-check your name, email address, password, and username.

6. Click Create my account. You may be asked to complete a Captcha to let Twitter know that you're human.

7. Twitter will send a confirmation email to the address you entered on sign up; click the link in that email to confirm your email address & account.

8. Create your 140 character bio and add a photo. Be sure to add these or similar words: My tweets are my own or Opinions are my own.

Twitter Glossary Bio is a short personal description of 160 characters or fewer to define who you are on Twitter. Avatar is a profile picture.

Follow terms:– To follow someone on Twitter is to subscribe to their Tweets. You can unfollow at any time.– A follower is another Twitter user who has followed you.– Your follow count is the numbers that reflect how many people you follow, and how many people follow you. – #FF stands for "Follow Friday." Users often suggest who others should follow on Fridays by tweeting with #FF.

The @ sign is used to call out usernames in Tweets, like this: Hello @Twitter! When a username is preceded by the @ sign, it becomes a link to a Twitter profile.

– You can mention another user in your Tweet by including the @ sign followed directly by their username. Also refers to Tweets in which your username was included.

Retweet (RT) is a Tweet by another user, forwarded to you by someone you follow. Often used to spread news or share valuable findings on Twitter.

– Placed before the retweeted text when users manually retweet a message – Verbs: To retweet, retweeting, retweeted. The act of forwarding another user's Tweet to all of your followers. – Modified Tweet (MT) is similar to RT and placed before the retweeted text when users manually retweet a message with

modifications, for example shortening a Tweet. – Heard through / Hat Tip (HT) and via @xxxx all enable you to give credit without quoting exactly, as in a RT or MT.

Direct message (DM): Private tweets between the sender and recipient. The recipient must follow you for you to DM.

The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet and is invaluable for search. It was created organically by Twitter users. Also called a hashtag.

To favorite a Tweet means to mark it as one of your favorites by clicking the yellow star next to the message.

Reply is a Tweet posted in reply to another user's message, usually posted by clicking the "reply" button next to their Tweet in your timeline. Always begins with @username.

Twitterchats happen when a group of people all tweet about the same topic using a a pre-defined hashtag. The chats are at a specific time. Read more: http://janetfouts.com/how-to-participate-in-a-tweet-chat/#ixzz2jhd8oRsU

Hashtags # "#Hashtag" with Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/hashtag-with-jimmy-fallon-and-justin-timberlake/n41126/

A hashtag turns any word or group of words that directly follow it into a searchable link.

– You can organize content and track discussion topics based on those keywords.

– Click on a hashtag to see all the posts that mention the subject in real time.

The hashtag’s widespread use began with Twitter but has extended to other social media platforms. Read this @Mashable article for more information.

Even if your hashtag contains multiple words, group them together and use uppercase characters to differentiate between words, for example, #BlueJasmine = #bluejasmine

Numbers are supported, but not punctuation or special characters.

There is no preset list of hashtags.

When you search for a hashtag on Twitter, there are two ways to filter the results: Top and All.

Your First Tweet

1. Pick a tweet to retweet.

2. Click on the Retweet double arrows below the tweet, and this box will be displayed.

3. Click on the blue Retweet button.

4. Congratulations! You’ve tweeted your first tweet.

Twitter Etiquette

Be yourself.

Be concise and creative. Do not use text speak so everyone will understand what you are saying.

Share generously. If you like a tweet and think it will benefit your followers, share by retweeting it and give credit.

Give credit for articles, blogs, or anything shared. Follow the rules from school: do not plagiarize!

Think before you tweet. Apply the 10-second rule by counting to 10 before you react to a tweet or share something you might regret later.

Pay-it-forward. Contribute and share without expecting anything in return. It is not about what you are selling but how you add value and can help.

Be thankful. Thank others for retweeting you or following you.

Follow and learn from mentors. What are they tweeting about?Sharing?

Be consistent. Consider Twitter as an extension of your personal brand. Followers follow you to see more information similar to why they followed you in the first place. When your tweets are scattered in topics, you are less likely to keep followers.

https://w3-connections.ibm.com/activities/service/html/mainpage#activitypage,6b8616cc-8d30-4006-a118-8ac3d10134a7

Let Your Inner Socialite Out!

Scheduling Tweets with HootSuite

Hootsuite is one of many tools referred to as a “Social Media Management System” or tool. It can help you:

– Arrange your feeds– Focus on what matters with filters (competitors, keywords)– Real-time and scheduled tweets / posts– Stay up to date with notification alerts for new tweets / posts– Keep track of conversations– Evaluate what interests followers and/or potential clients

It is free, and you can download it on your computer and / or laptop or mobile phone.

Deeper Dive on Twitter

More Information on Creating Your Twitter Account

For More Information on Using Twitter

More Information on Creating Your Twitter Account

Tips for picking a username:– Your username is the name your followers use when sending @replies, mentions, and direct messages. – It will also form the URL of your Twitter profile page. Twitter will provide a few available suggestions when you sign up,

but feel free to choose your own. – Please note: You can change your username in your account settings at any time, as long as the new username is not

already in use. – Usernames must be fewer than 15 characters in length and cannot contain "admin" or "Twitter", in order to avoid

brand confusion.

Important information about your email address:– An email address can only be associated with one Twitter account at a time. – The email address you use on your Twitter account is not publicly visible to others on Twitter. – Twitter uses the email you enter to confirm your new Twitter account. Be sure to enter an email address that you

actively use and have access to. Check your inbox for a confirmation email to make sure you signed up for your account correctly.

First steps after you've created your account:– Create your bio and add a photo. Be sure to add these or similar words: Tweets are my own or Opinions are my own.– After signing up, follow a handful of accounts to create a customized stream of information on your homepage. Find

out how to follow news sources, friends, and more on How to Find People on Twitter article. – Read the Twitter 101 article. – Take the Twitter Tour to find out where things are on the Twitter website. Or, learn about using Twitter on your mobile

phone.

For More Information on Using Twitter

Ten Quick Tips to Master Twitter To Tweet or Not to Tweet? That is the Question..... Twitter for the Casual User — How to Make It Work for You