Social Media 101 - What Is Twitter?

Social Media 101 – What Is Twitter?

We have written about various platforms in our Social Media 101 series. In this post, we talk about Twitter.

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a site where users post messages known as ‘tweets’ of 280 (or fewer) characters. Twitter is an on-going conversation that, like text messaging, has become popular.

Why is it important?

Twitter is one of the biggest social media platforms. If you have breaking news, updates, promotions, or need to announce a recall, Twitter is the correct platform for you. Celebrities and journalists find its immediacy useful.

How to set up a Twitter account

  1. Setting up an account is quick and easy
  2. Use your real name, or the name of your business, in the field marked ‘real name’.  Create a related version of this for your username or ‘handle’. For example, our name is Writers Write and our handle is @Writers_Write
  3. Find followers using Twitter’s ‘find people’ search function. About half of the people you follow will follow you back. You can also find people interested in your subject by searching for specific keywords.
  4. Click here for a guide to the Twitter basics

How to use Twitter

Use Twitter to connect with your audience and share:

  1. Content from your blog posts, videos, and website.
  2. Useful and relevant articles, tools, and resources from other sites.
  3. Information regarding your latest products and events.

To succeed on Twitter

Twitter has high-volume low-value traffic. Tweeting really is like shouting into a screaming mob. It is the most competitive and the most cut-throat platform where your posts disappear the fastest. Various studies suggest that a tweet has a lifespan of 18 minutes. You have to compete to be heard. You have to tweet often with relevant, interesting content.

Twitter Tips

If you have a business that relies on slowly building relationships, do not waste too much time here. It is perfect for a business that has frequent offers and updates. If you do not want to answer questions, avoid it.

  1. Add hashtags # to your post to integrate them into the correct streams so that your audience can find them. Do not use more than three hashtags per tweet.
  2. Find a list of relevant hashtags for your brand or industry, and make use of them.
  3. Use URL shorteners like bitly to maximise space. Tweets with short links are retweeted more often than tweets with long links.
  4. Use a conversational tone on Twitter.
  5. ‘Do not tweet unto others, what you would not tweet unto yourself.’

P.S. If you want to learn how to blog and write for social media, join us for The Complete Blogging Course

If you enjoyed this post, read:

  1. Social Media 101 – What is a blog?
  2. Social Media 101 – What is Facebook?
  3. 30 Inspiring Blog Post Ideas For Writers

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Posted on: 3rd August 2015
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