North County TimesIt's time to Twitter!

What is Twitter?● Twitter is a service for

people to communicate through the exchange of messages normally limited to 140 characters in length.

● Instant updates from

friends, industry experts and celebrities and what's happening around the world.

Twitter Terminology● Messages = updates = Tweets● Feed = your stream of messages● Followers = people who read

your tweets● Following = people whose

Tweets I read● Profile = your public page (www.

twitter.com/username)● RT = retweet, sharing someone

else's message● MT = sharing someone's

message after modifying it● hashtag = # symbol used to

group Tweets, or internal dialogue

● DM = direct, private message shared between two people

● @ = symbol before a user's name

● d username = how to send a DM

Twitter Basics

● Choosing a username: A good username is the same, or similar to, your own name. If users have already claimed those names, try adding an adjective or descriptor, such as @handsomejohn or @johntheterrible. If you prefer for people not to know who you are, you can choose a name that's a bit more generic. (Most NCT accounts have NCT in them) Your Twitter name has power and influence on search engine optimization (SEO), which translates to how close to the top of a search results list you appear in a search engine such as Yahoo! or Google. Limited to 15 characters.

● Settings:Where you choose the background of your page (theme), upload an avatar (photo), choose privacy settings, set up your mobile device, notifications, Facebook options and check what apps have access to your account.

● Profile:Short biography, 160 characters, that describes you and what you do. This is also crawled by search engines. It can include links.

Finding People to Follow

● Use Twitter's "suggested follower feature.

● Browse categories of interest and follow their suggestions. (You can always unfollow later)

● Import friends from other services like email accounts, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

● Check lists of people you follow● Use services like wefollow.com.

tweepsearch.com, justtweetit.com, followerhub.com, famoustext.com

● Check recommendations on "Follow Friday"

● Be authentic. Post things you would enjoy reading. Include links.

● RT other people. It's like paying a compliment.

● Register in wefollow.com directory

● Post a good photo, username and bio so people know who you are.

● Interact with others. Be engaging. Answer questions, be helpful.

● Create lists and publicize them. ● Participate in relevant chats.● Create "retweetable" updates -

short, short links, use top 20 words...

Getting Followers

Words to Tweet By

20 Most RT-able words● You● Twitter● Please, Help● Retweet, Please Retweet● Post● Blog● Social● Free● Media, Social Media● Great● 10● Follow● How to ● Top● Blog Post, New Blog Post● Check Out

20 Least RT-able words● Game, Watching● Going● Haha, Lol● But● Work● Home● Night, Bed, Sleep● Well● Gonna● Hey● Tomorrow● Tired● Some● Back● Bored● Listening

Uses for Twitter

Options are infinite! It's still such a new technology people are still discovering ways to use it.

● Keep in touch with people in your industry and friends● News aggregator, or news service● Exchange ideas with like-minded individuals● Keep tabs on events via hashtags #ona11● Monitor developments in breaking news● Ask questions● Conduct polls, share video and photos● Search for information on breaking news events

How the NCT uses Twitter

● We push our headlines● Follow locals and other news outlets● Interact with followers for news tips,

customer service and story ledes● To follow sporting events, promote

coverage through widgets

Journalists and Twitter

● Keep up with chatter (Trending Topics)● Solicit sources (must form relationships first!)● Search for sources, unfolding events, people checking in at

locations, tweeting about meetings, etc. (Tweetbeep)● Give readers insight into your work, or your beat ● Keep tabs on official sources (@darrelissa)● Other uses? Storify, Networking, Muckrack.com● TwitterStories.com