Getting Started with Twitter

We talked on Friday about 17 ways to use Twitter. So, you're ready to get started - now what? Here's some simple tips on what to do next.

Set Up a Twitter Account - This is the most basic step, obviously. First, go to Twitter.com, but don't create an account right away. Take a minute to think about what the best username will be to identify your company and brand. You can change the screen name later, but it's best if you get the right one the first time. One company who uses Twitter has changed their screen name 3 times in 6 months, making it difficult to remember who they are.

Next, take a few minutes to set up your picture and back ground for your page. Again, make sure it fits with your brand. Carnival Cruises has an excellent set up, as does M&Ms.

Read the Public Timeline - Take a look at what people say, how they use the system. Twitter now allows you to search for users, so look for your friends, colleges, and other businesses. But don't just look at businesses, look at individuals as well. This will help you get a good idea of what you can write yourself.

Get a Badge - Twitter provides badges that will update what you are doing on your normal page. You can plug this into your blog, Facebook/MySpace page, or even your home page. This badge will make it easier for people to see what you're doing with Twitter, as well as make it easy for them to find you.

If You Build It, They Will Come - Just having an account will attract followers from several places. If you want to boost your followers, put a notice about your account in your email newsletter, or start following other people who seem interesting to you.

Start Writing - Posting to Twitter takes a lot less effort than writing a blog. You're limited to 140 characters per post, so that isn't much you can say. A post (or tweet) could be a link to a new product, thoughts on something new your business is doing, or just whatever you're doing at the time.

Other things to keep in mind:

• Twitter is much easier to keep up with than some other social networking sites. I use Twitbin, a Firefox plug in that runs on the side of my browser, and keeps a running tab on who I'm following and allows me to quickly post. In addition, there are a number of free desktop clients that you can install.
  
• It's a good idea to read the Twitter Etiquette guide, so that you don't do anything to annoy the customers who are following you.


• Twitter can be used for more than a promotional tool. You can also use it to manage tasks and do other things around your work life, such as take notes. There are dozens of other apps for Twitter. Do some exploring and see which ones you find most useful.

When you sign up for your account, make sure to follow us!