Introduction to Twitter

Brian Smith McCallumeResources Librarian

Arlington Heights Memorial Library847.506.2658

bmccallum@ahml.infoTwitter: @briansmccallum

Twitter: Background

• Internet / Web 2.0 company

• Founded in 2006

• Based in San Francisco, CA

• “microblogging” service

Twitter: What Is It?

“Twitter is a real-time information network

that connects you to the latest information

about what you find interesting.”

Question of the 21st Century

Who uses Twitter?

Presidents: Obama on Twitter

News Outlets: CNN on Twitter

Libraries: AHML on Twitter

Celebrities: Lady Gaga on Twitter

Corporations: Starbucks on Twitter

Sign Up! . . . You on Twitter

Twitter: Tweets

• What are you doing?

• Tweets = 140-character posts / updates

• Tweets can include links to websites, pictures, videos, etc.

Twitter: #hashtags

• A way to label and search for tweets

• Examples: #obama, #iphone, #quote

• See www.hashtags.org

Twitter: “Follow” Others

• Follow other Twitter users - - e.g., CNN

• Login to your account and search for individuals, organizations, companies, etc.

• See WeFollow (http://wefollow.com)

Twitter: @replies

• Send public messages to other Twitter users

• Type @username and your message

Example:

@ahml Do you have a copy of The Help by Kathryn Stockett?

Twitter: Retweet (RT)

• A Retweet is when you qoute verbatim another tweet or pass it along to your followers

Example:

RT @ahml Register to vote at the Library's Reception desk by October 5 . . .

Twitter: Direct Message (DM)

Private communication between Twitter users who are respectively “following” one another.

Twitter: Search Engine

Twitter: Next Steps

• Sign up for Twitter and tweet!

• Find and “follow” others

• “Follow” AHML: http://twitter.com/ahml

• Tweet us . . . @ahml

Twitter: Resources

• Presentation Linkswww.delicious.com/briansmccallum/twitterclass

• Presentation Slideswww.slideshare.net/briansmithmccallum

• Twitter Help Center

http://support.twitter.com