These are some tools and tips on how PR students can get started on using Twitter. For more details, see the corresponding Toolkit on oneforty.com: http://bit.ly/TweetPR

1. www.oneforty.com
Twitter for PR Students
Twitter is a remarkably effective networking and learning opportunity for PR students.
Here are some tools and tips for those just getting started. Feel free to use this in your
classroom or in your PRSSA meetings.
1. Signing Up On Twitter.com
 Claim a Twitter handle using your real name, or your first initial and last name.
 Pick a professional looking picture, preferably one that is a close-up of your face.
 Complete all of your bio information. Say you are a PR student, what school you
go to, where you intern and if you are a member of PRSSA. This information will
help you seem relevant to potential followers.
 Use your blog for your URL. If you do not have a blog yet, put a link to your
LinkedIn profile.
 Don’t protect your Tweets – it’s easier to connect with more people by not
protecting your updates.
2. Find People To Follow
Use tools like Listorious to find Twitter lists of people listed in topics of your interest.
Mashable.com also has a great Twitter list directory. You can also check out WeFollow
and Twellow.
3. Good Tweeting & Basics
 RTs = ReTweets, or repeating someone else’s Tweet, to show you agree with
them
 @replies = a direct, public reply to another user
 Direct Messages = a direct, private message to another user
 Twitter search = bar at the top of Twitter.com. Use this to search what people are
saying about current events, trends, brands, topics, places, people, etc
 #hashtags = tagged terms, helpful for search
 Ask and answer questions. Use lots of @replies and be conversational.
 Subscribe to industry blogs with Google Reader. Leave thoughtful comments for
the writer and share the posts with your followers. (Shorten your URLS with
Bit.ly)
3. Use a Twitter Client
Download Tweetdeck or try Seesmic or Hootsuite. These clients split your Twitter stream
into separate columns, and are better equipped than the single-stream functionality of
Twitter.com to handle your ever-growing network.
4. Hashtags

2. Create a hashtag for your Intro to PR class or for your PRSSA chapter. Claim it on What
the Hashtag. Tweet comments on class discussions from a class hashtag as good
practice for participating at industry conferences. Set up a column on your client of
choice for an on-going search for your hashtag and share relevant articles and
discussions throughout the week. Participate in relevant industry hashtag chats:
#Journchat
#PRstudchat
#u30pro
#PR20chat
#blogchat
#imcchat
5. STICK WITH IT
Twitter is different than most social networks you’ve used before. This article is very
helpful in explaining what you will most likely go through when you first sign up:
http://on.mash.to/9tqZGw
You’ve probably tried Facebook or Myspace, which are based on following the updates
of people with whom you have existing connections. Twitter is different. Ignore that
“don’t talk to strangers” advice you got as a kid, and get used to the idea of networking
with people you don’t know yet. Once you get past the initial hump and gain followers to
interact with, you’ll lose that sense of your Tweets going into a black hole and start to
see how connected you are through Twitter.
For a more extensive guide, consider purchasing Twitter for Dummies, co-
authored by oneforty CEO/Founder Laura Fitton: http://amzn.to/bDVOLF
All of the tools mentioned in this guide are in this Toolkit here: http://bit.ly/93HZjP
For the web’s most comprehensive list of social media tools, visit oneforty.com