Twitter for Newbies!
Michele Walfred
Communications Specialist
Mid-Atlantic Women in Agriculture
eXtension.org Learn
This webinar

Designed for those who do not have a Twitter account (YET!)

Had a Twitter and gave up!

Very basic!

Twitter Tier Two on April 22 will talk techniques and tricks

SHORT PowerPoint

Live step-by-step experience opening a new account
What do you want to be on Twitter?

Multiple accounts (one per email)

Company or business account?

Professional/Personal

Individual/Personal

Ultimately: What is your voice for the account?
What “tone” or “voice” do you want to convey?
This is an
organization’s
page. Could be
YOUR biz, non or
for profit.
It is your BRAND!!
Explain who you
are. Acknowledge
affiliates.
Use logo. Strong
images
Personal account has professional tone.
Avoids controversy. Full profile leads
audience to know what to expect.
Occasionally go off topic. Promote my other
accounts. Photo & personal header
What do you want?

Start a conversation?

Be a part of a larger conversation?

Increase business?

Serve as a resource to others?

Just have fun?

Business to business

Business to customer

Monitor the news
Before you get started
What you will need

Square image/logo “face”

Header image – landscape orientation

Email account

What your handle will be - your
official Twitter address

@MWalfred

@UDExtension

Case sensitive? No. Aesthetic, Yes!

Short is better

TRY to avoid numbers/symbols
Homework

Compose your profile (160
characters) & website

Determine who you want to follow

Look up their handles & write about
10-20 down

Similar to your business/org

Local government

Local news

National news

Thought leaders (search a hashtag)

Celebrities
Basic terms

HASHTAG. A “pound sign” or “number symbol” (#) before an important
keyword. Main subjects of your tweet. Used to find you, used to sort topics.
Examples: #foodie #ag #FarmDE #SuperBowl #DowntonPBS #4H (hobby or
interest)


Twitter etiquette: No more than three (3). At least one (1). Can be used within
the 140 character statement or tacked on at the end. NOT CASE SENSITIVE!!! But
caps do help with readability/meaning. #DeAgWeek or #deagweek No spaces
within. A space must proceed and follow each #hashtag like this.
HANDLE. Account name prefaced by an “at symbol” (@). Used to get
attention, tap someone on shoulder. Where it is placed in a Tweet matters.
Example: @MWalfred @udextension @agchat @MidAtlanticWIA @MyPlate
@eXtension4U

Not Case Sensitive. Visual help.
Study how other accounts use #’s & @’s
Basic terms
TWITTER
FACEBOOK

FOLLOWERS (who follows you)

Page fans or “LIKES”, Friends

FOLLOWING (who you follow)

Pages you like. Friends you accept

Reply (left turning arrow)

Comment

Retweet (RT) (up/down arrow)

Share

Favorite ( star symbol)

Like (thumbs up)
Facebook
News
Feed
You’ve
been
noticed
Careful.
pitches &
scams lurk
here!
Find out what
is trending!
How others use
hashtags!
Search people,
businesses,
hashtags
Change your
settings. Also
look for “gear”
symbol
Compose!
Shows up
differently
on devices
Twitter FYI

Only 140 characters allowed on Twitter

Abbreviations are allowed, even necessary

Post pictures first. Images take up 23 characters

Leave room to be retweeted or shared
(that takes up 10 characters)

Links need to be shortened (reserve 13-23)

Bit.ly.com

Hootsuite (free) offers a link shortener

You have a whopping 94 (or less) characters left to Tweet a picture
with a link!

Lenient abbreviation code!
140
-23
117
-10
107
-13
94
Link Shortener

http://extension.udel.edu/fcs/master-food-educator-volunteer-program/

http://bit.ly/1Ffz5Sm (22)
Let’s go live
And test this Twitter thing on for size