Hi all. It’s Twitter time again and below you’ll find a list of Twitter terms, suggestions and some do’s and don’ts.
Tweet – a tweet is a public message posted, up to 140 characters in length, that all of your followers see.
Following – is subscribing to a Twitter user to get all of their tweets.
Followers – are the people who subscribe to you and see your tweets. You do not have to follow someone for them to follow you.
@– the @ symbol followed by the Twitter handle or username “tags” that user. They’ll know you’ve mentioned them as this as this appears in their mentions.
@replies– when you hit “reply” in the tweet, the @username automatically pops up. They are public and visible to all your followers.
DM or Direct Message – is a private message sent directly to a user, seen only by you and the other person. Direct messaging only works when the user follows you back.
RT or Retweet– reposts a tweet or message. Nothing makes someone feel better than being retweeted; it’s a compliment. And people are more willing to engage in a conversation when you do this.
# or Hashtag – is used to designate a topic, category or interest. For instance, you’re a frustrated Minnesota Vikings fan and interested in tracking them. You can search for all tweets related to #Vikings or #Vikes by typing this in the search bar. This # or hashtag allows you to easily find others who share the same interest. It’s also very helpful in finding useful information.
Twitter Lists – use lists to keep track of the people and businesses you want to stay connected with. Organize your lists by industry, topic, demographics, etc. For example, I have a “Virtual Assistants” Twitter list and a “Nordeast Minneapolis” list.
Favorites– use this feature to save your favorite tweets. I use this as a handy bookmarking tab and favorite (save) the tweets I may want to retweet or read more in depth at a later time.
Tending Topics– are the most mentioned topics on Twitter at the current time. Events are chatted about in real time with anyone and everyone using the # sign. For instance, the Superbowl became a TT or trending topic and twitterers watched and commented on the game in real time.
Tweetup – a meeting organized on Twitter where users meet to chat about a certain subject. This has also been used to launch a new product or service.
Do’s & Don’ts
Good Content – post topics your followers want to read and know about.
Be Real – it’s okay to blend personal with business and show your personality. And it’s okay to automate a few tweets to promote a product, site, or service. Be sure to go deeper than that by interacting, starting conversations, and asking questions. It’s social networking, not automated networking.
Be Smart – stay away from commenting on the controversial topics. Don’t do it, period. Your comments may offend potential customers.
Follow Relevant People – be strategic about who you follow. Do follow other people in your industry and those who do business with your customers. It’s a great way to gain knowledge and see what they are doing social media wise.
Retweet– show some Twitter love and retweet. If someone retweets you, thank them.
Hope you’ve found this information helpful in making your Twitter time productive time.
Let’s Connect