How to Get Started on Twitter
The easiest way to get a real understanding of the power of Twitter is to create an account and get started. It only takes a few minutes to set up your account, so let’s get started.Setting up an Account
Go to http://www.twitter.com and click on the “Get Started – Join” link.
You’ll be taken to a form to create your account that looks like this, where you’ll enter your first and last name in the Full Name box. (Easy so far, right?)
Then follow the steps to create your username. Your user name is the name everyone will know you by, so give some thought to the name you choose.
Every time you post a message, known as a tweet, on Twitter, your name and profile picture will be displayed, so you definitely don’t want to choose a username made of random numbers and letters.
Twitter lets you use up to 15 characters (with no spaces) for your username, so use them wisely. If you choose not to use your actual name, try to create a name that tells people what you do. You can use your business name, but very often, something a little more personal is more effective. Remember the key to social media is the social part, so you want to choose a username that lets people relate to you as a person. Keep in mind, also, that if you choose a random username made up of assorted letters and numbers, people may think you are a spammer and block you.
Your next step is to enter your email address. Make sure you enter an actual email address that you use on a regular basis. Twitter will not send you spam email, but they will use your email address to alert you to new followers and direct messages, if you choose to be alerted later in your profile. You will also be notified, via email, if you lose or forget your username or password.
Once you create your account, you will be taken to a screen where you can check to see if anyone you know is already using twitter based on various email address. We’ll skip this step because well, almost everyone is using Twitter! ?
Next is a screen with some suggested followers. You can scan through if you’d like or you can choose to skip this step as well.
Now we’ve reached the area that will help you market yourself and your business. This is where you start personalizing your profile.
In the upper right hand corner is your navigation panel, with links to move around the backend of your Twitter account. Click on “Settings” to continue personalizing your Twitter account.
Once you reach the settings page, you’ll notice some things are already filled in for you. Your name, Username (this is what makes up the URL to your profile page) and your email address. If you want to change them feel free to do so now. You’ll need to re-enter your password if you do.
After you get those items they way you want them, there are two important fields you need to fill in so that people can find you and your business.
1. The first is the “More Info URL.” Use this to add a link to your website, blog, Facebook page or any other significant link you have that gives people an opportunity to find out more about you and/or your business.
2. The other field you need to fill in is the “One Line Bio” field. Here you have one line (160 characters) to share some more information about yourself. Make this as interesting as you can in the space allotted. This bio will be one of the ways people decide if they will follow you or not, so tell them who you are and what you do.
The settings page also allows you to add your time zone and your location. So be sure you complete those too.
Finally, on the bottom of the page is a box you can check if your want to protect your updates. If you check this box, people will only be able to see your updates if they have special permission. This option is not recommended – especially when you are trying to build a network of followers. Unless you plan to use your Twitter account to communicate only with a select group of people, you should leave this box empty.
When you are finished filling in your settings, be sure to click on “Save” at the bottom of the page. Let’s navigate back to your home page now.
Using Twitter with Your Cell Phone
On the right hand side of your home page, you will see section towards the bottom labeled Device Updates with a link “Set up SMS Device.”
If you want to send and receive your Twitter messages from your mobile phone or an instant messenger, you can add that information here. Keep in mind however, if you use your cell phone to communicate on Twitter, you may be charged standard text messaging rates for your tweets.
Notification Options
Click on the “Notices” tab and you will find options for receiving email notifications when people follow you or
when you receive a direct message. A direct message is a private message sent from one follower to another, without showing up in the general stream of tweets for others to see.
It’s a good idea to select the email option for direct messages (or DM’s, in Twitter-speak) as you don’t receive any other notification that you have one. All DM’s you receive do show up in a special section on your home page (labeled Direct Messages) but other than checking this area periodically, you won’t know they are accumulating without the email notifications.
It’s also nice to receive an email when you get a new follower so you have the opportunity to follow them back and/or send them a “welcome” message. (This is a great opportunity to let them know a bit more about you and your website, but don’t make it too sales pitchy. After all, you’ve just met! ?
Show ‘Em Who You Are
Your next step in preparing your Twitter profile is to upload a picture to be shown with your tweets and on your home page. Click the “Picture” tab and upload your photo of choice.
This isn’t the time to be shy. Use a real photo of yourself. You want your followers to see you as a real person, so they choose to interact with you and a real photo goes a long way toward helping people connect with you. It helps to use the same photo you use on other social media sites as well as on your own site or blog.
Give Your Page Some Personality
Finally, you can customize how your homepage looks under by clicking the “Design” tab. This feature allows you a small amount of flexibility in the look of your homepage.
There are a few default design backgrounds you can choose and you can change the colors of your background. It can be helpful to use colors that complement your website or blog colors as part of your branding strategy. The design feature in Twitter is pretty limited. If you are interested in a custom background, you can design your own in Photoshop, hire a designer or use a service like TwitterWebs.com or TwitDesign.com for a free custom Twitter background.
If you have a custom background made, you can share more links with the people who view it. Although these links are not clickable, your background is a place you can at least let people know how they can connect with you. It’s a great place to share your other social media profile names or links, like Facebook and LinkedIn. You can post a phone number if you like or any other information about your business. While it’s good to have clear information available so people can find you if they like, be careful not to let your background become too crowded or cluttered. Keeping it simple is the best route to go.
Now that you’ve created your account and customized your profile, you’re ready to get started using your Twitter account. In other words, it’s time to tweet!
