Post on 12-Feb-2017
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Who are we?• Trudy Ritsema – Bitesize Training – One 2 one IT training for small businesses
• Jane Askew – Carers Connected – One 2 one IT training for the over 50’s
Together we are: • IT Courses Dorchester – IT related workshops
We are researchers of technology who love teaching!
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What we will cover• What is TwiCer • SeEng up an account • Who to follow • What to tweet • When to tweet • Network hours • Time saving techniques • Analysing your tweeIng!
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A word about social media• It is social – so be sociable • It is not about just selling your services/products
• Its about engagement & telling your story
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What is Twitter?• At its most basic, is a series of short (140 characters) online announcements or ‘tweets’
• A real-‐Ime informaIon network of what is happening right now in the world
• You can read or share informaIon instantly with people and businesses around the world
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A tweet• Is a message posted on the plaVorm TwiCer • It contains only 140 characters • It can also contain – video – Photos (note these take up 22 characters so you only have 118 characters for text)
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Why should you be on Twitter?• Because with over 500 million users, and 135,000 new
users signing up every day • Because it is quick – we are all Bme poor! • Because it’s the most widely used social network for
customer service
• Because it’s an amazing research tool
• Because it is the best social media plaVorm for driving traffic to your website (apparently!)
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Start with a plan• Want do you want from TwiCer?
– To see what compeItors are doing. – To gain more customers. – To research industry informaIon. – To promote your product or services. – To tell your story. – To see what your customers are tweeIng about. – To keep in touch with other small businesses. – To see what is happening in Eastenders.
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Where are you using Twitter?• Mobile app? Which app? • Tablet app? • The web on a computer? • All?
Note: TwiCer is slightly different on different devices.
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Setting up Twitter• You will need:
– An email address
– A password
– A user name up to 15 characters: @TrudyRitsema or @itcoursesdorch
– Profile photo: a logo or photo of yourself? (recommended size are 400x400pixels)
– Header photo: a larger photo to engage your customers (recommended size
are 1500x500 pixels)
– A bio: A short bit of text (160 characters) about your business. The text can be linkable and responds to hashtags and @menIons. Show personality.
– A locaIon: eg: Dorchester, Dorset
– Website link: as this will be linkable to your website.
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Write a killer Bio in 160 characters!• Profile photo (you or your logo?) • Website link • What you do • Show your personality • Other social media accounts you are on – how can people get in touch
• Keywords – these are searchable • Be creaIve – use emojis, play with spacing
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Who to follow• Industry influencers • Customers • PotenIal customers • Local businesses / news / events • CompeItors ? • Other small businesses (like people here) • Breaking news • Suppliers
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Should you follow people back?
• Old school – Yes it is polite to do so. • What is your TwiCer goal? Is it worth you following them back?
• The more you follow the more Tweets you have to read!
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How many followers should I have?
• Don’t get bogged down by the numbers. • Is quality beCer than quanIty? • Could it be said that if you have lots of followers then you must be tweeIng interesIng things?
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What to do with Tweets you get• Read them. • Like them (if you do!) • Retweet them if you think you wish to share the tweet with your followers.
• Reply to a Tweet. • Follow the link in the Tweet.
REPLY RETWEET LIKE
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Like a Tweet• Likes are represented by a small heart. • They are commonly used to show appreciaIon for a Tweet.
• You will be noIfied if someone likes your tweet.
• Any tweets you like are stored in one place so they act as bookmarks too!
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“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is—it is what consumers tell each other it is.”
ScoC Cook, the founder and CEO of Intuit
The Followers
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Reasons why people follow you
• They love your brand
• To discover new things
• Find content interesIng or funny
• They can find you easily
• You liked their tweet
• You engaged with them
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What can I tweet about?• A promoIon • Behind the scenes of your business • Helpful hints • Something about your industry • Q&A’s • A quote • A tesImonial you have been given • A link to a page on your website • Something funny! • Show off achievements • A selfie of what you are doing right now • Coming soon news • New products • Something relevant to a trending hashtag • A poll • Show you are an expert in your field
80% about your business 20% about
you…maybe…!?
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What can you put in a tweet?• Text(!) • A menIon • Hashtag(s) • Link to a webpage • Photo / video
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What is a mention?• If you Tweet something and you want to bring it to somebody’s aCenIon – then use their TwiCer handle in your tweet
• This is good way to ask a quesIon to someone. (They receive noIficaIon)
• Eg: Hi @TrudyRitsema when is you next Instagram course?
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What is a # ?• Word or phrase (no spaces) beginning with a # • Used to organise tweets by topic • Click on a # to go to all the tweets about that topic
• You oren see # on TV programs, news arIcles, local events eg: #DWBGD (conference)
• They are a clickable link • Can be placed anywhere in a tweet
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Add a link to a website• A link to a website will take up lots of characters. So use a tool like Bit.ly to create a shortened link.
hCp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-‐35278479 bbc.in/1JEQNad
hCps://bitly.com/
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Where to get images• Use your own • pixabay.com/ (free) • Google – check usage rights • www.istockphoto.com/ (paid)
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Demo: Adding a photo
• Change the filter on the photo
• Crop – go widescreen! • Magic wand!
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Tweet the same thing multiple times• This will reach different followers as not everyone is on TwiCer at the same Ime
• When they do go on TwiCer they will have many Tweets to scroll through – so may not get to yours you did that morning!
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Best times to tweet...apparently
When people are commuIng -‐ morning and evening Lunch breaks (12pm to 3pm) hCp://www.tweriod.com/
However…when are your
followers online?
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Schedule a Tweet• Simple, this has to be done via another app
Eg: Hootsuite Get the app or hCps://hootsuite.com/
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Join in with Twitter networking #hours
• Industry relevant (eg weddinghour) • Local #hours (eg: #dorsethour)
• When are the hours? • #Dorsethour – every Monday 7:30pm to 8:30pm
• A full list at: hCp://www.spaceandIme.co.uk/all-‐uk-‐twiCer-‐hours-‐hashtags-‐updated-‐regularly/#.Vguud7TBw5Q
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Create Lists• To categorise your followers • Can be private or public • Use lists to group people you follow by type • Eg: CompeItors, industry experts, customers, local, personal
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Use the cog to add people to lists
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Ideas of lists• Suppliers list • Event organizaIon and management • CompeItors List • Extraordinary Customers • Users who Retweet You • Your Favourite ConversaIonalists • Industry Players • Prospects • Dorset people
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Do at home! How to set up a list on Twitter
• Log onto TwiCer via www.twiCer.com • Click on your profile pic and choose LISTS • Choose CREATE A NEW LIST • Name the list, add a descripIon and choose if you want the list to be private or not • Search for people you wish to add to your list • Click on the COG and choose ADD TO LIST • Choose the LIST you wish to add them (there is no save buCon so just click the cross to close the
window) • Repeat the above to add more people to your list
To view all the Tweets from people on a list do the following: • Click on your profile pic and choose LISTS • Click on the LIST and you will now see all the Tweets from people in that list!
You can view lists on you mobile devices too – but it is easier to create them via a browser.
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Direct messages• You can use TwiCer to directly message someone. ConversaIon between that person will be private!
A big advantage of this is that you may not have their email address but can sIll contact them directly!
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Twitters Search Facility
hCps://twiCer.com/search-‐advanced
Top Bp – this is best done on a computer rather than smart phone or tablet as you
get full funcIonality
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Example: Search for all Tweeters who are from Dorchester.
Example: Search for anyone tweeIng about geEng married in the Dorchester area
Example: Search for anyone asking a quesIon about weight loss
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How to use the search results• Follow them • DM them – eg: I can help with…. • Reply to their Tweet • Basically……..
ENGAGE WITH THEM!
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Let people know you are using Twitter• All markeIng material • Use the logo • Business cards • Put it on Facebook, Instagram etc
hCps://about.twiCer.com/press/twiCer-‐brand-‐policy
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