Tutorial introducing Twitter to busy executives interested in joining and mastering the conversation. Created by Karyn Cooks, Flair Media & Elizabeth Brooks, Str.ate.gy. Twitterverse slide courtesy of and credited to Brian Solis.
3. Q: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? A: Exchanging messages & information in 140 characters. Twitter is a microblog built on real-time short message bursts. Its one-to-many communication platform allows individuals to share as much, or as little, information about their personal and professional worlds as they like. Democratizes communication with brands and consumers, major media and citizen journalists, tweeting side by side. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
4. TWITTER MILESTONES Nielsen, (6/20): Twitter topped the list as the fastest growing Web brand in May, increasing 1448%, from 1.2 million unique visitors in May 2008 to 18.2 million in 2009. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
5. The Revolution Will be Tweeted The New York Times (6/20) Communication tools, from paper pamphlets to social networks, have helped along many political revolutions. The so-called Twitter revolution may be overstated, but the Iranian election fallout has provided valuable lessons about the site's utility: It's difficult to censor, tweets vary from the innocuous to potent, nothing is verified, it can be used to mislead, it allows media criticism and it is self-correcting. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
7. CREATING YOUR PROFILE No! Yes! Welcoming photo. Bio indicating tweets are personal and not associated with employer. Authentic. No photo. Spammy ID. No bio. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
13. TWEETING STRATEGY Having a carefully thought out plan for your Twitter activity helps you to focus on how often and what topics you will tweet about. What do you want to convey? Think about the existing conversations in which you’d like to participate, as well as conversations you might like to start. Retweeting expands the reach of a tweet exponentially, making it a powerful tool. Whose “Twitter voice” do you particularly like? Is there an area of interest to you that’s well covered by someone else? What is your comfort level around the idea of sharing. Is your Twitter voice reflective of your brand voice or is it unique to you personally? @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
14. WHO TO FOLLOW Follow high profile accounts. These might include superstars and thought leaders in your specific market space. Follow brands you admire. These might include your competitors, people who share your hobbies or interests. Follow your brand’s fans. They are your best resource for spreading news of your arrival and sharing your insights and remarks. Follow profiles your colleagues and friends are following. You share common sensibilities – they’ve been doing your homework for you. Follow major media outlets and bloggers. Make yourself accessible and easily quotable. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
15. . WHO TO FOLLOW Periodically check for new followers. Easily click to mention, follow, or block a new profile in your list. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
17. . USING HASHTAGS # Enter # + tag in search field. All current tweets relating to that conversation will appear in real time. Good way to follow or participate in a webinar. Related tweets will still appear after an event. Include # + tag to ensure your tweet is included in the conversation. Makes it easy for like-minded profiles to discover you. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
23. URL SHORTENERS BIT.LY includes stats for easy tracking. Using URL shorteners makes a long URL easy to maximize your 140 character limit. Provide a compelling lead-in tweet + the new shortened URL. Simple way to track which of your content related tweets are viewed and shared. TinyURL @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
24. URL SHORTENERS Some 3rd party Twitter clients like HootSuite and TweetNow automatically shorten your link for you. Try to leave 10-13 characters available at end of tweet to make it easy for retweeting. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
25. SHARING PHOTOSvia 3rd Party Applications Pictures are conversation starters and worth far more than 1000 words or characters. @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
28. Executweets “It is potentially the best communication tool there is; the trouble is that most executives are making a complete hash of using it. Either they fill it with mundane personal detail, or they fill it with mundane professional detail - which is possibly worse. The first scores higher on embarrassment; the second on tedium.” - Financial Times @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
29. 6 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS TWEETERS
30. 6 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS TWEETERS
33. TWITTER TERMS The Twitterverse has exploded with its own Twitspeak. To learn more about the definitions of Tweetups, Twitterazi, and Tweeple check out these TwitDictionaries. Mashable.com/twitterspeak Twittonary.com Twictionary.com @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
34. TWITTER RESOURCES The most comprehensive list of Twitter tools available. Categorized and updated regularly to meet the demands of this rapidly changing landscape. www.mashable.com/guidebook/ twitter @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS
36. Karyn Cooks Flair Media flairmediainc@gmail.com Elizabeth Brooks Str.ate.gy eb@elizabethbrooks.net Mastering the Conversation @KARYNCOOKS @ELIZABROOKS