Are you someone who joined Twitter ages ago, and all you have is an abandoned account to show for your efforts? Or have you recently joined and have no clue where to begin? Don’t feel bad! Twitter is an extremely simple interactive tool to use once you get the hang of it! Using this popular social media app is easier than you think…just follow my guide to get started:

1. Creating your Twitter handle. Every username starts with an @. For example @StaffStatSuds is StaffStat’s username. Be sure to choose one that is easy to remember and easy to read. Also, pick something that is creative, and if you have multiple social media platforms, try to be consistent with your usernames. If your Facebook username is BlogsRUs, check to see if the same username is available on Twitter.
2. Pay attention to the details. Fill out your profile and keep it concise. Add information that is relevant. Add a website URL (link) if you have one. And remember, don’t remain an egg; add a picture to your profile ASAP!  Twitter accounts with profile pictures have 10 x as many followers than those that don’t.
3. Start following! Use the search bar to find accounts that interest you. If you know the specific handle of a user, simply type “@” followed by the username. You can also search for brands, organizations, people, etc., simply by typing their name; typing “StaffStat” will return a variety of results—StaffStat’s Twitter account, Tweets, mentions, photos, videos, and more. Be sure to follow accounts that align with your company’s vision as it can be a direct reflection of your brand and image.
4. Get organized. When you log in to Twitter, the page you land on is your home stream. Any Tweets from accounts you follow will populate and automatically refresh in real-time. This feed can easily become flooded with Tweets which can cause you to miss activity from specific accounts you’d like to see on a more frequent basis. The solution? Create a Twitter list. From the desktop site, simply click on your profile photo in the upper right hand corner of the screen and select “Lists”. The page will then show you any lists that you have subscribed to (when viewing others’ accounts you can check out their lists and subscribe to any that interest you) and lists that you are a member of (those that others have added you to). You also have the option of creating your own list, naming it, and adding accounts you exclusively would like to group together. For example, you can use keywords such as “entrepreneurship” or “quotes” and group similar accounts under their respective lists. To view lists, go to your personal Twitter timeline and select “lists” from the bar that portrays all your other Twitter-related stats, such as Tweets, Following, Followers etc.
5. Understand what “@” means. As mentioned, the @ symbol is always displayed next to each and every username, but it is also how you will communicate on Twitter. If you compose a Tweet and begin it with someone’s @username, not everyone will see the Tweet. For example, “@StaffStatSuds I love filling shifts in seconds!” will be seen only by users who follow you and the user you are mentioning. Adding the username anywhere else in the Tweet is called a mention and the Tweet is visible and public to all. For example, “Wow! I love using @StaffStatSuds to fill shifts in seconds!” will ensure the account mentioned and all others will see your Tweet.
6. #HashtagSparingly. Placing a # before a string of text will turn it into a clickable keyword, allowing users to view other activity surrounding that specific keyword.  For example “#Marketing” populates a variety of results, from top news, live Tweets, accounts, photos, etcetera. Don’t use an abundance of hashtags in a single Tweet; try to use one or two at most, and only hashtag keywords people are likely to search for. “#TwitterTips for beginners!” is more specific than “#Twitter #Tips #For #Beginners”.

There you have it…a few starters to help get you on the path to becoming a #TwitterExpert. Want to learn more? Consider reading my other posts about Twitter found here:

• 5 Twitter Tips for Any Business
• How to Use Hashtags

Good luck!