A beginner's guide to using Twitter for USA Benefits Group agents. Topics include the history of Twitter, Twitter terminology, setting up an account, creating a tweet, and best practices.

1. Twitter
101
A Beginner’s Guide
By: USA Benefits Group

2. Topics
1
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
History of Twitter
2 Twitter Terminology
3 Twitter & Business
4 Getting Started
5 Building an Audience
6 The Art of Tweeting
7 Best Practices

3. History of Twitter
1
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

4. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
History of Twitter
• Founded in 2006
• Text message service
• Simplicity in mind
• Initially called ‘twttr’
• Goal: Bring people closer to their interests

5. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
History of Twitter
Who is it for?
982 million
accounts
230M daily
active users
Nearly every
country in the
world
Over 35
languages
76% login via
mobile devices
500 million
tweets sent
per day

6. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
History of Twitter
Why Twitter?
• 140-character limit
• Real-time
• Ease of joining conversations
• Search capabilities

7. Twitter Terminology
2
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

8. Twitterer/Tweeter:
A user of Twitter
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology

9. Twitterer/Tweeter:
A user of Twitter
Handle
Your username (@usabg)
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology

10. Twitterer/Tweeter:
A user of Twitter
Handle
Your username (@usabg)
Followers
People who have followed you
Follow/Unfollow
Subscribing or unsubscribing to a
Twitter account
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology

11. Twitterer/Tweeter:
A user of Twitter
Handle
Your username (@usabg)
Followers
People who have followed you
Follow/Unfollow
Subscribing or unsubscribing to a
Twitter account
Tweet (verb):
The act of posting on Twitter
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology

12. Handle
Your username (@usabg)
Tweet (verb):
The act of posting on Twitter
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology
Twitterer/Tweeter: Anatomy of a Tweet
1. Hashtag: any word beginning with the
# sign, used to organize conversations
2. Mention: used to bring a Tweet to
someone’s attention
3. @reply: respond to a Tweet
4. Retweet: share someone else’s tweet
with your followers
5. Links: automatically shortened to 19
characters
A user of Twitter
Followers
People who have followed you
Follow/Unfollow
Subscribing or unsubscribing to a
Twitter account
Tweet (noun):
A message posted on Twitter

13. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology
Message
A private message between you and another
user, starting with DM

14. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology
Message
A private message between you and another
user, starting with DM
Timeline
A list of real-time tweets from the users you
are following

15. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology
Message
A private message between you and another
user, starting with DM
Timeline
A list of real-time tweets from the users you
are following
Notifications
News about your Twitter account

16. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Terminology
Message
A private message between you and another
user, starting with DM
Timeline
A list of real-time tweets from the users you
are following
Notifications
News about your Twitter account
Discover
What’s happening now, tailored to you

17. Twitter & Business
3
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

18. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Twitter & Business
Benefits for Businesses
• Connect with current and
potential customers
o 49% of active users follow
companies or brands
o Twitter users are 3x more
likely to follow brands than
Facebook users

19. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Twitter & Business
Benefits for Businesses
• Users want to hear from businesses
o 67% of users are far more likely to buy from brands they follow
on Twitter
o 42% of Twitter users
say they use Twitter
to learn about
products and services

20. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Twitter & Business
Benefits for Businesses
• Build Your Brand
o Stand out in the industry
o Become an expert
o Improve reputation
o Showcase yourself

21. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Twitter & Business
Benefits for Businesses
• Start right away!
o Create an account
o Follow
o Listen
o Tweet

22. Getting Started
4
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

23. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Getting Started
Choosing a Handle
• Personal – More one-to-one with people you know, not
businesses. Share personal stories, thoughts, etc.
• Business – Focus on connecting with other businesses and
clients ONLY.
• Both – Keep personal tweets “private.” Keep work tweets
“professional.”
• Combination – Put it all out there and let people unfollow you if
they desire.

24. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Getting Started
Sign up
• twitter.com/signup
• Follow the walkthrough
• Add followers
• Find people you know

25. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Getting Started
Sign up
• twitter.com/signup
• Follow the walkthrough
• Add followers
• Find people you know
• Upload picture
• Fill in Bio

26. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Getting Started
Sign up
• Confirm Email Address
• Add Cover Photo
• Let others know you
joined Twitter!
• Add icon and link to
email signature and
website

27. Building an Audience
5
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

28. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Build an Audience
Who to Follow
• Friends/Family
• Clients
• Local Businesses
• Carriers
• Industry Leaders
• Media Outlets

29. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Build an Audience
Finding People
• Import email contacts
• search.twitter.com
• Related
hashtags/keywords
• Local hashtags
• Your name

30. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Build an Audience
Finding People
• Import email contacts
• search.twitter.com
• Related
hashtags/keywords
• Local hashtags
• Your name
• Add to Lists

31. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Build an Audience
Finding People
• Import email contacts
• search.twitter.com
• Related
hashtags/keywords
• Local hashtags
• Your name
• Add to Lists

32. The Art of Tweeting
6
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

33. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Art of Tweeting
The Perfect Tweet
• Interesting

34. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Art of Tweeting
The Perfect Tweet
• Interesting
• Readable

35. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Art of Tweeting
The Perfect Tweet
• Interesting
• Readable
• Compelling

36. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Art of Tweeting
The Perfect Tweet
• Interesting
• Readable
• Compelling
• Built to be retweeted

37. Best Practices
7
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide

38. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Best Practices
Strategy
• Listen First

39. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Best Practices
Strategy
• Listen First
• Be Yourself
• Be Unique
• Be Timely

40. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Best Practices
Strategy
• Listen First
• Be Yourself
• Be Unique
• Be Timely
• Analytics

41. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Best Practices
Strategy
• Listen First
• Be Yourself
• Be Unique
• Be Timely
• Analytics
• Stay in the conversation

42. Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Best Practices
Resources
• http://business.twitter.com
• http://media.twitter.com
• http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter
• http://moz.com/blog/category/social-media
• https://library.hubspot.com/

43. Questions?
Twitter 101: A Beginner’s Guide