Twitter Lesson 2 More of the basics
Twitter names: Did you get a twitter name? Was it your own name? If not go, see if your REAL name is available, if it is, take it! You don’t have to use it BUT you want to claim your name so no one else can use it and disparage it or someone think it is you. Yes, I should have mentioned this in Lesson 1 but it slipped my mind. Now you have it or at least know someone else has it.
Getting connected to others
Follow the person who has the same name. It is nice to know what they are saying or tweeting. Remember interfaces are not to panic over but look for similar functions put in different places. Old interface verses new one. Nothing the same except labels and functions. Just look around.
Developers like to confuse people by moving things.
It is just their nature. Humor them.
The new tweeter interface allows you to specify your interest to find others
Email as a means to find people you want to interact with (Follow).
- I don’t use my email address book because there are some people that don’t belong on my social media connections.
- It is up to you. For me with twitter I have lurked and picked them as I have gone.
- Use their email address to find them
Let’s see about your favorite businesses and maybe follow them or search for them
- http://www.twitter.com/starbucks
- http://twitter.com/#!/DunkinDonuts -
- Not a legitimate url Watch what is copied May NOT work
- When posting your url for your twitter account make sure these extra characters are not there or people will not be able to find you
- http://twitter.com/DunkinDonuts
Lurking is a great way to just see and watch others without following anyone.
- Using search to find groups
- This means going out and looking around without saying anything.
- Or you can send a tweet out looking for people.
- Just know, spammers or robots may use tweet to follow you.
- You don’t have to follow back. You can block them.
Try different searches and look at what is being said. Check the person’s profile. If you RIGHT click their name, you can open them in a new tab without changing your original search. See if they have a website listed or any biographical information. If you like what you read in their tweets and information, FOLLOW that person.
When you make list you are limited to 500 tweeps (people) per list with a limit of 20 list. Following someone’s list helps to see more in an industry, see individuals whose message you REALLY like - FOLLOW them
Remember you can unfollow anyone at anytime
Example : Ok I put in #travel in search box and brought up listing with person with twitter name whereivebeen right click to see their information alone in a new tab.
- There is no website. Lots of followers and following but that may be her having automatic follow back.
- Not going to follow her but look at her lists.
- On new interface it is a drop down menu, I have right clicked toptraveltweeps – this looks like a combination of large business and individuals.
- I will follow this list and see what is tweeted.
- I can unfollow the list later
The goal is to find things that interest you.
- Maybe you start with your friends and branch out.
- At this point, I don’t remember how I built up. I had a few friends on twitter and found groups
- I liked - @sitsgirls
- Using email addresses, names or the twitter badge on websites you like is how you build up your list
Search conversations
- Using Search outside your twitter for a topic http://search.twitter.com/
- Search on #travel or #scrapbook or whatever topic
- Now you will see others who have tweeted and used those hashtags. This is another great way to see who else is interesting to meet.
- Use one of the trending topics
Balance
Following numbers can be less than followers
Following being hugely bigger than followers indicates you are probably a spammer. Find a balance as you add people. They need to follow you back. Yes the big names are not likely to follow you back. Make a list. Stars – put them all on the list but don’t follow them. Then you can check your list if you want to know what they are all up to.
Put a twitter button on your website. Put twitter url address in your email. Give people a opportunity to connect to you.
What do I tweet about?
- Connect to others in your fields of interest
- Connect with business contacts
- Join groups
- Meetup with others for lunch or a meeting or a tweetup
- Promote postings or articles you have written
- Some use it for silliness
- Some report what they are doing or where they are going
- Business use
- Personal use
- Remember what you are tweeting is public knowledge available to many to see
Target your tweets
- Use @ and the person username @starbucks
- When someone targets your name, view @mentions on the new layout
- Use the reply automatically puts the @username (found either under the message or on the right side on old layout)
Direct messages
- These are private. Limited to 140 characters. Both sides have to be following each other
- Old style it is on the right side under asterisk looking symbol, new style click the person name and button for Message
Favorites
- Mark a tweet as a favorite to find later (bookmarking)
Resources
- Main twitter http://twitter.com/
- Search outside your twitter for a topic http://search.twitter.com/
- Definition and information on Twitter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter
- local searches http://www.twitterlocal.net/
- http://www.twellow.com/
- See everyone timeline http://twitter.com/public_timeline
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Eileen Ludwig of Social Media School brings to the world decades of computer experience with a desire to learn and share current technology multimedia tools for communication. She is owner of four sites: FreelanceTourist , Digital Photography, Web Design School, and Social Media School Each are in different stages of development and evolution.
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