The document provides an introduction to Twitter and its basic functions including hashtags, retweets, and link shortening. It discusses how to find people and content to follow to build a personal learning network on Twitter. It also gives tips for creating an effective Twitter profile and engaging on the platform through regular posting and interaction.

1. Hashtags, Retweets,
and 140 Characters:
Finding Meaning in
Twitter - Part 1
August 29, 2012

2. Agenda
• What is Twitter?
• Basics of Twitter
o Hashtags
o Retweets
o Shortening Links for Tweets (and other purposes)
o How to find people to follow
o How to get people to follow you
• Twitter as a Personal Learning Network
o Keep up on newest research, happenings and training
events
o Find peers
o Follow Conferences even when you cannot attend
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3. Twitter.com
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4. What Can You Say in 140 Characters?
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5. Retweeting
• RT @Username
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6. HashTags
#DigLit #GED2014
#AdultEd # GED
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7. Hashtags vs Mentions
• Hashtags have # in front of them (no spaces allowed)
• Hashtags are like signposts to content
• Mentions start with @ followed by a person or organization’s
twitter name (no spaces allowed)
• Mentions help connect people who tweet (tweeple?)
• Mentions are like sign posts to other people who tweet
• So mention the LAC using @theLACNYC and hashtag topics
like #GED and #AdultEd
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8. Anatomy of a Good Tweet
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9. Shortened URLS
• http://ipadeducators.ning.com/profiles/blogs/preparing
-your-school-for-an (73 characters)
• Bit.ly/3FjhpX (13 characters)

10. Shortening Links for Your Tweets
You can use BitLy to
shorten URL’s
without creating an
account.
https://bitly.com/
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11. QR Code
And with or without an
account you can make
any of the shortened
URLS into a QR Code
by adding .qr at the
end
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12. Finding People to Follow
• In Twitter.com search hashtags and words
#AdultEd
• See who experts follow
• Look for Twitter links on websites you
like
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13. Sending and Receiving Tweets
• Twitter.com
• Texts via your cell phone
• Applications on computers & smart phones
o Tweetdeck
o HootSuite
o Seesmic
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14. Before You Join Twitter
• Come up with possible Twitter names
o Have options incase your first choice is taken
o Short is better
• Develop a list of five people/places to follow
• Have a picture to upload as your avatar
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15. Once you Join
• Follow at least five people
o @theLACNYC, @LACNYCNell, @TonyLAC2,
@VenuThelakkat for example
o Search for people using #AdultEd
o Search for your favorite hobby, writer, singer,
actor, comic, political figure, tv show, magazine,
organization
• Retweet one tweet and create one of your own
tweets. Remember to use hashtags
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16. What to Do in the Next Few Weeks
• Spend 15 minutes on Twitter every morning
(or some other time)
o reading Tweets
o retweeting
o following new people
• Try TweetDeck or receiving tweets as sms text
messages on your cellphone
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17. Comedy
• https://twitter.com/PlioceneBloke
• https://twitter.com/DothTheDoth
• https://twitter.com/FakeMTA
Useful Tips
• https://twitter.com/nycgov
• https://twitter.com/MTAInsider
• https://twitter.com/NY1noticias
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18. TweetDeck
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