Thursday 29 December 2011

Guide to Getting Started with Twitter

This blog explains the key benefits of using Twitter and provides a practical reference guide to get you started.

Twitter is a great source of knowledge and self-improvement
Used well, Twitter helps you efficiently
-     Access information to improve your skills in both work and life. The range of topics that are active on Twitter is huge. The information streams I tap into personally include
o   Productivity
o   Leadership
o   Social Media
o   Maths
o   Programming
o   Parenting
-     Gain inspiration to help you move projects forward more creatively
-     Keep an eye on competition
-     Stay informed of news and events, for example
o   Local conferences
o   Read your regular newspaper.
Overcoming common objections to getting started on Twitter
1.      I’m not interested in Justin Bieber
  •  No, me neither. Twitter isn’t just about the celebrities.
2.      My inbox is full enough already
  •  Please don’t treat Twitter as an Inbox to be processed. It isn’t important that you read every tweet. It is OK to dip in and out for inspiration.
3.      I don’t have time for Twitter
  •  Perhaps you should view it as an investment?  You may be missing out on the opportunity to do things better and more efficiently. Installing a 3rd party client on your smart-phone helps you fit Twitter into a free moment.
4.      I am a private person
  • It isn’t necessary for you to Tweet or share information about yourself on Twitter to benefit from the information Twitter has to offer.
How do I get started in less than 30 minutes?
1.      Sign up for an account at www.twitter.com . Key bits:
a.      Pick a username that no-one else has chosen. FirstnameLastname is a good start
b.      If you are a member of other networks such as LinkedIn and if you give it permission, then Twitter will suggest some people to follow
2.      If you have a smartphone, then download a 3rd party client such as TweetDeck, Seesmic, HootSuite or CoTweet and link it to your Twitter account. Personally I’m a fan of Tweetdeck. Download links
b.      Android
3.      Follow people or accounts of interest. For example, you could select some people from my public lists
a.      Skills
c.      News
4.      Read an article to get familiar with Twitter slang