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Special Olympics Project UNIFY® – Social Media

Introduction Special Olympics Project UNIFY® is excited to share that we are on Twitter (www.twitter.com/SOProjectUNIFY)! We

value the way Social Media can help promote education, ignite motivation and generate activation, as we co-create

socially inclusive communities. We recently hosted a youth-created and youth-led Twitter Chat, focused on Inclusive

Youth Leadership (http://storify.com/clementc27/iyl-chat).

We hope you consider joining the Twitter Community and engage with us! This is a resource on how to effectively

use Twitter.

An Overview of Twitter

What is Twitter? • Twitter is a social media platform, where one can share thoughts and ask questions, utilizing the same Hashtag, which is no longer than 140-characters in length.

Who can Join? • Anyone can join! Youth Leaders, Educators, Parents, Project UNIFY State Programs and many organizations are active on Twitter.

When can I Share? • You can tweet at any time.

Where do I Join? • You need to sign-up for a Twitter Account and ensure that your account is marked as Public.

Why should I Engage? • Twitter provides you the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, share your newest resources and engage in discussions.

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Twitter 101 Before you start, create an account (www.twitter.com).

The Benefits of Twitter ! You can share your thoughts, ask questions, find resources and read news that interests you.

! Because of limits on how long “Tweets” can be, you begin to formulate your ideas into a concise manner.

! You can connect with people from throughout the world and stay updated on your favorite organizations.

The Basics – Terminology ! A Tweet is either a phrase or sentence that is no longer then 140-characters in length.

! Your username is called your Twitter Handle.

o Example: the Twitter Handle for Special Olympics is @SpecialOlympics

! A Hashtag can be a phrase or word prefixed with the # Symbol. There are no spaces between words and

phrases. You can create your own hashtag, or search for one already in use.

o Example: #ProjectUNIFY, #SchoolClimate

Actions

CRE ATING A “T WEET”

1. Click the Compose Tweet Icon; then write either a sentence or phrase that is no longer then 140-characters.

Twitter Handle

Hashtag

Compose

Tweet

Write your Tweet

A Tweet

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FAVORITING, RET WEETING AND REPLYING TO A TWEET

1. If you want to reply to a Tweet, click Reply. You can respond to any tweet this way, but remember the 140-

character count limit still applies.

2. If you like a Tweet and want to share on your profile, click Retweet.

3. If you like a Tweet, you can click Favorite. This allows the person who tweeted the tweet to know you like

his or her tweet.

SE ARCHING FOR PEOPLE AND HASHTAGS

! If there is a specific person you want to find,

type his or her name in the search bar. If you

know their Twitter Handle, type the @ symbol in

front of their handle.

o Example: if you want to follow Tim

Shriver, type @TimShriver

! If you want to search

for a Hashtag, go to

the search bar and

type the # symbol

followed by the hashtag.

o Example: want to learn about Project UNIFY? Type #ProjectUNIFY to find tweets that use that

Hashtag

Want to reply to the

question? Click this

button!

Like this Tweet?

Retweet to your

followers!

Favorite a tweet if you

want the person to know

you like their Tweet!

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FOLLOWING AND FOLLOWERS

! With Facebook, one can submit a Friend Request to follow ones’ updates. For Twitter, one can follow

another Twitter user to follow ones’ updates.

o Note: you have the option to make your profile public or private. Most profiles are public so you

can engage in Twitter Chats and connect with more people.

! Your followers are those who follow you!

ENGAGING ON T WIT TER

Social Media

Lead-Forth

Like Project UNIFY on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ProjectUNIFY

Continue to Tweet your thoughts, experiences & questions using the #ProjectUNIFY Hashtag

Reflect on how you can include blogging, tweeting and other social media websites to educate, motivate and activate more people

Engage

Log-on Twitter and type #ProjectUNIFY in the search bar

To add to the conversation, create a tweet and include the #ProjectUNIFY hashtag so others’

can view your tweet.

Favorite, Retweet and Reply to others' contributions.

Prepare

Set-up a Twitter Account Follow @SpecialOlympics & @SOProjectUNIFY

Fb.com/ProjectUNIFY

@SOProjectUNIFY

youtube.com/specialolympicshq

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