This document provides an overview of best practices for using Twitter, including definitions of common terms like tweets, follows, hashtags, and retweets. It discusses how Twitter can be used for microblogging, finding news and jobs, and connecting with others. Specific healthcare uses are mentioned, like connecting with patients or other medical professionals. The document concludes by recommending setting up profiles properly, balancing broadcast and engagement, and experimenting with Twitter features for organizations.

1. Twitter Best Practices
@MakalaJohnson

3. Starting with Twitter terms…
Note: Many terms are used as nouns and verbs!
 Tweet: 140-character message
 DM (Direct Message): Private tweets between
senders and recipients
 Follow: Subscribing to a user’s tweets
 @: Symbol for usernames (handles) and links to
Twitter profile
 # (Hashtag): Symbol for keywords/topics in a
tweet

5.  Reply: Begin with @username makes tweet
visible to shared followers
 Adding .@ extends visibility to the public
 Mention: Includes link to a user’s profile, like
this: I enjoy tweets from @user.
 RT(Retweet): Useful for spreading news and
sharing content
 MT(Modified Tweet): Use when editing or
modifying a RT

6.  “Via”: another way to attribute content, e.g., “via
@NYTimes”
 Lists: Public or private groupings of users
 Can follow the list and see their tweets without
following all the individuals in that list
 Trending: Keywords or hashtags that are most
popular in the moment
 T1, T2, T3, etc.: First, second, third topic …
Learn and follow Twitter etiquette!

7. Uses
• Microblogging
• Quick answers
• Finding a job
• Keep up with the news
• Keep up with favorite team
• Find out what people really think about latest movie

8. USAirways Plane Crash in Hudson

9. NASCAR
• Drivers are encouraged to connect with fans via Twitter.

10. Personal: Delta

11. Personal: Protest Avoidance

12. @MayoClinic Examples

17. https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/
Another option: www.hootsuite.com

18. The Hashtag
sign plus words, letters, numbers to:
 categorize (tag) posts
 connect and organize conversations
 track campaigns and activity
Also used on Facebook, Instagram and
other social networks.

19. http://www.symplur.com/healthcare:hashtags

20. Twitter-based chats:
 Build community
 Reveal market trends
 Educate, support, inform
 Ongoing or one-time

21. Continued Case Study: Dr. Berger
& Jayson Werth

23. Less than 24 hours after my initial appointment, I not
only had a new diagnosis - a UT split tear - but had
surgery to correct the problem. As I write this, my right
arm is in a festive green, but otherwise annoying cast.
The short-term hassle, however, should be more than
worth the long-term gain - the potential for a future
without chronic wrist pain. A future, that without
Twitter and those in the medical community willing to
experiment with new communications tools, might not
exist for me.

26. http://tweetchat.com/
Other option: www.twubs.com

27. Measurement: TweetReach

28. Best Practices
Set up personal/organizational
accounts properly from the get-go:
 Use your real/legal name
 Use a headshot/logo for your avatar
 Carefully craft your bio
 Choose links strategically (e.g., to LinkedIn
account, website)
 Get and stay organized with lists
blog.bufferapp.com/twitter-lists

29. Best Practices
 Experiment with personal account
 For organization’s account, start with strategy and
tactics:
 Audience(s)?
 Goal(s)?
 Does your audience use Twitter?
 Mix content with conversation
 Tweet images and video

30. Best Practices
 Do not auto-link Twitter with other platforms
 No automated responses or DMs
 Keep posts to 120 characters (room for RTs)
 Casual language, abbreviations OK but spelling
and grammar still matter
 Don’t forget it’s public
Balance broadcast with engagement.

31. Additional Features
 Group direct messaging
 Promoted Tweets

32. Mayo Residency Tweetchat
Use this hashtag: #MCCSM
 Log onto www.tweetchat.com
(recommended)
 Introduce yourself with a tweet
 Respond to this T1:
What questions do you have about Twitter in general
or about using it in a healthcare setting? #MCCSM

33. Assignment
 Follow at least 5 other #MCCSM chat
participants.
 Reply to at least one tweet.
 Mention at least one participant.
 RT or MT at least one tweet.

34. Questions?