A basic Twitter guide.

1. Twitter Guide
1. Get an Account
http://twitter.com/
- One Twitter Account per email address
- Ensure your username is consistent with your other social media sites
For example:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/LCBarnes
http://twitter.com/LCBarnes
2. Setup your profile
Go to the Settings Tab:
Account Tab
1 1. More Info URL: Add your LinkedIn page, blog, webpage, etc.
0 2. Bio - 160 Characters – try to be a bit transparent keeping it professional, but letting some
personality show through.
1 3. Location – By providing your location others can find you and you can be ranked by your
location.
2 4. Protect Your Updates – Not recommended. Basically if you do this no one can follow you
without your approval and people can’t read your tweets unless they are following you.
Picture Tab Upload a professional looking head shot (aka Avatar)
Design Tab You can choose a theme or upload your picture. It is recommended you create a custom
background using one of the free sites listed later.
*****If you need help with step 1 or 2. Myself, Paddy or Dave are available to give you a helping hand****
3. Work Out Why You Want to Use It
One of the key things to do early on is to work out what your goal is. It could take a little while to work this out
but the sooner you nail down what you’re going to use twitter for the better. There’s no right or wrong with
how to use Twitter – your focus might be:
• to use it on a personal level to share what you’re doing with real life friends and family
• to build up you and your blog’s profile in your niche
• to unwind and have fun with new friends
• to build up your network in a niche
The list could go on (and it could include multiple goals) – however knowing them up front will help you as you
explore how to use it.
4. Start Tweeting
The best way to build your Twitter network is to be active. Your Tweets are your best advertisement for people
to follow you – if you don’t have any (or many) what reason do people have to follow you?
So start updating your Twitter account. Don’t just write about anything – remember that every Tweet you
make can either take you closer to or further away from your Twitter goals.

2. 5. Start Following Others
This process is a bit of an experiment and involves following people and then seeing if their tweets ‘resonate’
with you. Sometimes it means you’ll follow someone for a while and then unfollow them – but you’ll eventually
find a group of people that you enjoy conversing with. Which leads me to my next point….
6. Get Interactive
The beauty of being as interactive as possible with other Twitter users is that you’re talking to them in public
and you’ll find your other followers and their other followers will chime in and make the conversation
a little more multi-dimensional – it’s a great way of finding new friends to follow also.
7. Don’t Spam
Don’t just promote your own links, promote others. Keep them on topic and interesting and your followers will
thank you for the links that you suggest.
8. Etiquette
Send out links & retweet
Add Value
Say Please & Thank You
Give Credit to the source
Be personal & somewhat transparent
Don’t auto-follow
Use Direct Message (DM) with CARE!
9. Upload Photos
http://www.twitpic.com/
http://yfrog.com/
10. Shorten Links
http://bit.ly/
http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url
11. Twitter Cheat Sheet
http://www.slideshare.net/matthewtommasi/twitter-cheat-sheet
Further Reading
http://mashable.com/2009/07/20/twitter-new-users/
http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/07/26/twitter-for-beginners-5-things-to-do-as-a-new-twitter-user/
http://www.twitip.com/category/twitter-for-beginners/
http://www.twitip.com/10-easy-steps-for-twitter-beginners/