Twitter is a microblogging platform that allows users to post messages called tweets that are limited to 140 characters. It has over 645 million users who post over 200 million tweets per day. The key aspects of Twitter include following other users to see their tweets, using hashtags to group tweets by topic, and retweeting or replying to other users' tweets. Proper Twitter etiquette involves being authentic, professional, and thoughtful with what you post and with who you choose to follow.

1. TWITTER
A QUICK HOW TO

2. • Getting Started
• Learning the Lingo
• Etiquette and Engagement
• Twitter’s Most Powerful Feature – Search
• Trending

4. SO WHAT IS IT?
 A “micro-blogging” platform
 Limited to 140 characters
 645+ million users
 200+ million “tweets” per day
 2.1 billion searches per day
 Mobile technology big part of success (63%)

5. LET’S GET AN ACCOUNT
• Step 1: Point your browser to http://www.twitter.com
• Step 2: Click on “sign up”
• Step 3: Complete the four questions:
• “Full Name”: This is your real name and it is
searchable and visible.
• “User Name”: This is the name people will use to
follow you. Keep it short.
• “Password”: Private and of your choosing.
• “Email”: Is private but can also be searchable (if
you allow it).
• Step 4: Agree to the terms of service
• Step 5: Click on “Create my account”

6. YOUR PROFILE
• Name:
• The “full name” you entered upon registration
• Can be anything you’d like it to be
• Location:
• Can either be dynamic or static
• Helps to build a sense of localization and community
• Web:
• The primary non-Twitter destination of your choice
• Often includes websites, blogs, LinkedIn profile, etc.
• Bio:
• You have 160 characters to include anything you’d
like.
• Think of this as your Twitter resume

7. THE BASICS
• “Tweet”
• Refers to a single message
• “Tweeted” – Can be a verb (alternate use is “Twittering”)
• Following/Followers
• When you “follow” someone, their tweets will appear in your
timeline
• When they “follow” you, your tweets will appear in their
timeline
• @[username]
• This is how you communicate directly with someone on Twitter
• It’s also how you see who’s been communicating with you
• “I had a great time @phra!” would be seen by:
• All my followers
• @phra account holder
• Anyone who searches “phra”…

8. THE BASICS PART II
 Reply
• Used to respond to an individual user’s tweets
• Simply click on the “Reply” button available after
each tweet
 Direct Messages
• The private messaging platform of Twitter (not
searchable)
• Only effective if both parties are following one
another
• Referred to as “DM” or “Dming” someone
 Retweets
• Used when you’d like to broadcast someone’s tweet
to your followers
• Two options:
• 1) You can click on the “Retweet” button available
after each tweet
• 2) You can highlight the message and copy and
paste it into your “What’s happening?” field
• Typically appears as – “RT @[username] [tweet]”

9. MORE ADVANCED
CONCEPTS
• Hashtags
• A method of tagging a concept, theme, or event
within a tweet
• Appears as – “#[hashtag]”
• For example, the PHRA conference hashtag was
“#PHRA”
• Each Thursday night a radio program called
“#HRHappyHour” is held
• If clicked on, triggers a Twitter search for all tweets
containing that hashtag
• Commonly used to drive community, affinity, and
collaboration

10. ETIQUETTE: REMEMBER – IT’S ABOUT
RELATIONSHIPS
• Be authentic
• Be real and remember to think
before you tweet!
• Attempt to stay professional at
all times
• Like email, tweets can be
misinterpreted without contect.
• Followers
• Don’t feel obliged to
follow everyone who
follows you (VALUE)
• Seek a balance in your
following –to- follower
ratio
• Don’t be afraid to
“unfollow” someone (for
any reason)

11. TRENDING