Shedding Light on Twitter in 5 Easy-to-“Follow” Steps Heather Whaling @prtini

Twitter Phenomenon 10 million users 1,382% year-over-year growth Twitter traffic surpasses NY Times Majority = 35 years old or older 45-54 years olds = 36% more likely than average to visit Twitter 25-34 years olds = 30% more likely

10 million users

1,382% year-over-year growth

Twitter traffic surpasses NY Times

Majority = 35 years old or older

45-54 years olds = 36% more likely than average to visit Twitter

25-34 years olds = 30% more likely

Why all the fuss? Super easy to use Anywhere, anytime Build your network Collaborate Learn Insight (the new ROI) Breaking news B2B, B2C, D2C

Super easy to use

Anywhere, anytime

Build your network

Collaborate

Learn

Insight (the new ROI)

Breaking news

B2B, B2C, D2C

Response to columnist Leonard Pitts: Still Not Sure?

Getting Started

Twitter Basics Tweet Posting a message to Twitter @ + name The command which allows tweets to be sent; proceeds username (i.e. @journchat) Following You choose to receive someone's updates Followers People who choose to receive your updates Direct Message Private message sent between two people Block Preventing someone from reading your updates Favorites A public area to save your favorite tweets Fail Whale Too many people are tweeting! Hashtag The # next to a word allows for conversation tracking (#otweet) Tweetup A face-to-face gathering of those who tweet Twitter Basics Credit: @prsarahevans

Step 1: Identify Goals Why are you here? Increased brand visibility Personal branding Develop a large network Monitoring trends Other goals??

Why are you here?

Increased brand visibility

Personal branding

Develop a large network

Monitoring trends

Other goals??

Step 2: Develop Network People http://www.twellow.com http: //wefollow .com http: //mrtweet .com http: //justtweetit .com Trends http://www.search.twitter.com

People

http://www.twellow.com

http: //wefollow .com

http: //mrtweet .com

http: //justtweetit .com

Trends

http://www.search.twitter.com

Step 2: More Networking Connect with reporters www.bit.ly/mediatweet Searchable by beat, location, name outlet Don’t start pitching … yet Does reporter want to be pitched on Twitter? Establish a relationship with reporter FIRST

Connect with reporters

www.bit.ly/mediatweet

Searchable by beat, location, name outlet

Don’t start pitching … yet

Does reporter want to be pitched on Twitter?

Establish a relationship with reporter FIRST

Step 3: Dip Your Toes In Understand community “norms” Quality vs. quantity Read bios to find connections Say “hello” Be a resource Promote others

Understand community “norms”

Quality vs. quantity

Read bios to find connections

Say “hello”

Be a resource

Promote others

Step 4: Start Talking “ Find the people that you would like to have conversations with, and start having conversations with them. Just because they’re not following you, doesn’t mean you can’t start conversations with them. If you’re a consumer brand, it’s important to create a large following. If you’re business-to-business, having just the right 50 people following you is important.” -- Geoff Livingston (@geoffliving)

Step 4: Start Talking

Step 5: Build Your Network Participate in hash-tag chats: #journchat #gno #blogchat #followfriday and “starter lists” Personal email signature Don’t forget to include your ID on blog comments Update Facebook and LinkedIn profiles

Participate in hash-tag chats:

#journchat

#gno

#blogchat

#followfriday and “starter lists”

Personal email signature

Don’t forget to include your ID on blog comments

Update Facebook and LinkedIn profiles

Helpful Hints

My Favorite Tools TweetDeck, Seesmic, Nambu, Tweetgrid Qwitter Bitly, Hootsuite, TinyURL iPhone: Tweetie, TwitterFon Blackberry: TwitterBerry

TweetDeck, Seesmic, Nambu,

Tweetgrid

Qwitter

Bitly, Hootsuite, TinyURL

iPhone: Tweetie, TwitterFon

Blackberry: TwitterBerry

Parting Advice It’s ok to dip in and out Reveal your personality, but remember your goals Create categories to stay organized Promptly reply to @s and DMs Twitter isn’t IM-ing 120 is the new black

It’s ok to dip in and out

Reveal your personality, but remember your goals

Create categories to stay organized

Promptly reply to @s and DMs

Twitter isn’t IM-ing

120 is the new black