TWITTER A QUICK HOW TO

• Getting Started

• Learning the Lingo

• Etiquette and Engagement

• Twitter’s Most Powerful Feature – Search

• Trending

SO WHAT IS IT? A “micro-blogging” platform Limited to 140 characters 645+ million users 200+ million “tweets” per day 2.1 billion searches per day Mobile technology big part of success (63%)

LET’S GET AN ACCOUNT

• Step 1: Point your browser to http://www.twitter.com

• Step 2: Click on “sign up”

• Step 3: Complete the four questions:• “Full Name”: This is your real name and it is

searchable and visible.• “User Name”: This is the name people will use to

follow you. Keep it short.• “Password”: Private and of your choosing.• “Email”: Is private but can also be searchable (if

you allow it).

• Step 4: Agree to the terms of service

• Step 5: Click on “Create my account”

YOUR PROFILE

• Name:• The “full name” you entered upon registration• Can be anything you’d like it to be

• Location:• Can either be dynamic or static• Helps to build a sense of localization and community

• Web:• The primary non-Twitter destination of your choice• Often includes websites, blogs, LinkedIn profile, etc.

• Bio:• You have 160 characters to include anything you’d

like.• Think of this as your Twitter resume

THE BASICS

• “Tweet”• Refers to a single message• “Tweeted” – Can be a verb (alternate use is “Twittering”)

• Following/Followers• When you “follow” someone, their tweets will appear in your

timeline• When they “follow” you, your tweets will appear in their

timeline

• @[username]• This is how you communicate directly with someone on

Twitter• It’s also how you see who’s been communicating with you• “I had a great time @phra!” would be seen by:

• All my followers• @phra account holder• Anyone who searches “phra”…

THE BASICS PART II

Reply• Used to respond to an individual user’s tweets• Simply click on the “Reply” button available after each

tweet

Direct Messages• The private messaging platform of Twitter (not searchable)• Only effective if both parties are following one another• Referred to as “DM” or “Dming” someone

Retweets• Used when you’d like to broadcast someone’s tweet to

your followers• Two options:

• 1) You can click on the “Retweet” button available after each tweet

• 2) You can highlight the message and copy and paste it into your “What’s happening?” field

• Typically appears as – “RT @[username] [tweet]”

MORE ADVANCED CONCEPTS

• Hashtags• A method of tagging a concept, theme, or event

within a tweet• Appears as – “#[hashtag]”

• For example, the PHRA conference hashtag was “#PHRA”

• Each Thursday night a radio program called “#HRHappyHour” is held

• If clicked on, triggers a Twitter search for all tweets containing that hashtag

• Commonly used to drive community, affinity, and collaboration

ETIQUETTE: REMEMBER – IT’S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

• Be authentic• Be real and remember to

think before you tweet!• Attempt to stay professional

at all times• Like email, tweets can be

misinterpreted without contect.

• Followers• Don’t feel obliged to

follow everyone who follows you (VALUE)

• Seek a balance in your following –to- follower ratio

• Don’t be afraid to “unfollow” someone (for any reason)

TRENDING