Do you or your organization use Twitter? A popular online platform for micro-blogging, Twitter allows for tiny posts of 140 characters or less, called “tweets.” Whether you’re a tech-savvy business looking to utilize Twitter’s social media power, or you’re an individual looking to interact with the online community and promote yourself professionally, Twitter can be a powerful tool. To be sure you’re maximizing your Twitter’s potential, know your terms and follow these basics. 

Terms

Followers – These are the people subscribed to your feed. They can see all of your tweets. If your profile is locked, only accepted followers can see your tweets; if your profile is unlocked, then all of your tweets are public.

Following – These are the people that you are subscribed to. You can see their tweets in your home feed, or by clicking on their profile. If their profile is locked, then you can only see their tweets if they have accepted your follow request.

@Username – Using @ in front of a username allows you to mention someone or reply to someone on Twitter. By using @, you can carry on conversations via Twitter, or direct attention to a person, event, or information.

RT – This is a retweet; it’s a re-post of someone else’s tweet. RT precedes the tweet you are reposting. When retweeting, you should also mention (@username) the original author of the tweet. RT is a way of spreading information and giving credit.

#topic – Hashtags are a way to categorize your tweets. You can then follow a specific keyword #topic using Twitter’s search engine.

Basics

1. Publicize your Twitter profile. Include a link to your Twitter in your email signature. Put a Twitter badge on your site. Let people know that you’re on Twitter! Visitors to your website and frequent email correspondents are likely interested in you or your services and products already. Why not capitalize on these contacts?
2. Personalize your Twitter profile. Fill out your bio. Add a profile picture. Customize your profile (colors and background). Start tweeting! Think quality over quantity.
3. Get involved. Twitter is about maintaining a dialogue. Ask questions, answer questions. Get and give referrals. Use a mix of interactions to keep your Tweets interesting; from retweets, to @replies, #topics to links, and original content. Avoid the temptation to over-promote yourself. Like in any conversation, one-sided chatter is boring, and you’ll lose followers. So keep it interesting.

Twitter offers a lot of different opportunities for meaningful interaction. Use Twitter to network, to track topics and keywords, to publicize announcements and events (like seminars or job openings), and to increase traffic. Keep these guidelines in mind, and have fun. Happy tweeting!

Follow CSC on Twitter.