Blog

With the ever growing popularity and functionality of social media, one website has a lot of people interested. Twitter is a social networking site that allows people and companies to connect with others who share a common interest or goal. Many companies use Twitter to build brand awareness, loyalty, and establish their company as a helpful and valuable resource for followers.

Learning to be comfortable with Twitter can be frustrating. There are many messages a company might want to tell its audience and numerous ways to deliver it. Finding the right one is the challenging part. Here are a few tips and definitions that will help you understand the basics to get started using Twitter effectively.

Get involved - You must engage in order to engage. Remember, there are real people behind each and every tweetthat you see. Not only are these people potential friends but also potential clients and customers. Making strong connections and building trusting relationships is what tweeting is all about.

Do your research - Make sure every tweet you share with others comes from a trusted source. Do not re-tweetany information unless you know exactly what you are passing along. There is nothing worse than sending your followers a dead link, especially if it is pointing them to an unreliable website. If this happens continually, your reputation will suffer and your followers will leave.

Just like your mom taught you - Always use good manners in the social media world, just like the real world. If someone re-tweets your link or information, be sure to thank them. Show your appreciation and people will be more likely to re-tweet your offerings again and again.

No spam zone - You might have the best product or service out there, but bombarding people with tweets about one subject will only irritatethem andultimately they will un-follow you. Be sensible when sending a message about your products by spacing them out between other valuable tweets.


To help you better understand the lingo that comes along with using Twitter, here are a few entries from the Twitter Glossary provided by Twitter Support. For the complete glossary, please visit their website.

# (Hashtag) - Used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet.

@ (Mention) - 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.

Avatar - The personal image uploaded to your Twitter profile in the Settings tab of your account.

Bio -A short personal description used to define who you are on Twitter.

DM (Direct Message) - These Tweets are private between only the sender and recipient. Tweets become DMs when they begin with "d username" to specify who the message is for.

#FF (Follow Friday) - Twitter users often suggest who others should follow on Fridays by tweeting with the hashtag #FF.

Find People - The Find People tab (to find people) is Twitter's search feature used to locate friends on the site.

Follow - To follow someone on Twitter means to subscribe to their Tweets or updates on the site.

Lists - Curated groups of other Twitter users. Used to tie specific individuals into a group on your Twitter account.Displayed on the right side menu of your homepage.

Protected/Private Accounts - Twitter accounts are public by default. Choosing to protect your account means that your Tweets will only be seen by approved followers and will not appear in the search.

Reply - 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.

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

Tweet, Tweeting, Tweeted - The act of posting a message, often called a "Tweet", on Twitter.

Tweet - A message posted via Twitter containing 140 characters or fewer.

Tweeter - An account holder on Twitter who posts and reads Tweets. Also known as Twitterers.

Unfollow - To cease following another Twitter user. Their Tweets no longer show up in your home timeline.

URL Shortener - URL shorteners are used to turn long URLs into shorter URLs. Shortening services can be found online.

The Twitter Glossary. (2011). Retrieved May 31, 2011, http://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/104-welcome-to-twitter-support/articles/166337-the-twitter-glossary


Twitter may be used primarily to promote your business or service, but there's no reason it has to feel like work. Your messages can be charming, motivating, and lively. Become the smart and savvy social media guru that you can be. Have fun, be social and interact with your audience. Social media is ever changing; once you take the plunge, the sky is the limit.

Good luck!