What is Twitter?

"I don't get Twitter."

I hear a lot of people saying that.  From Facebook experts to the person brand new to social networking.  I'm going to help with a "Beginners Guide to Twitter" to help you get to using this social network like an All-Star.

The Basics
Twitter is a lot of short bursts of information.  Imagine, just the "News Feed" of your Facebook page.  You are limited to 140 characters, and you can communicate directly with brands, celebrities, and more.  Will they respond back?  Who knows?  (There are millions of Twitter users, so if you are trying to send a message to Conan O'Brien ... there are probably thousands of others trying to do the same thing.

Your user name
Your user name is important, as you want something that is easy to remember.  For example, "BiggestBark" is a simple name, easy to remember.  "Bark283894," not so much.  Keep this in mind when setting up your user name. 

"Mentioning" someone else in your Tweet
This is the most common way of trying to get ahold of someone.  Your mention is public, so keep that in mind.  Simply use the @ sign in front of your username.  Example:  If you tweeted "@biggestbark - You are the coolest person ever.", I would get a notice through email saying that you mentioned me in a tweet. 

Directly messaging someone on Twitter.
You can directly message a follower on Twitter.  You can't send a direct message to Hope Solo, Steve Martin, or any other celebrities that do not follow you ... so don't try.  Depending on the platform you are using to access Twitter (using a computer, iPhone, Android), the method is just a little bit different. 

What is the deal with the pound sign?  (# - hashtags)
A hash tag is a way to categorize tweets into a search, so you can see what others are saying about the subject.  Example: If you tweeted "Tina Fey is awesome! #30rock."  You will notice that your "#30rock" turns into a link upon submission to Twitter.  By clicking on that link, you will what other people are saying about 30 Rock, assuming they are using the hash tag as well.

I looked up a certain celebrity, and there are about 74 different records with that Celebrity
Unfortunately, there are a lot of fakes out there in the Twitterverse.  Sometimes funny, sometimes obscene, be careful on who you follow.  If you do not know the official Twitter user name for your favorite celebrity, I would check their official web site.  That is probably the safest way to make sure you are following the right person.  Also, some celebs have "verified status" - a blue circle with a white checkmark ... this is the real person.  Take a look at the screen grab to the right, as I searched for Jennifer Love Hewitt. 

In conclusion ...
These are the basics for Twitter.  It is a very fun, sometimes addicting, way to keep up on your news.  Your small business can take advantage of this social network, and reach out to current and potential customers to help drive business to your company.  You can also use Twitter as a customer service outlet to ensure that your current customers remain happy and loyal.  Biggest Bark can help you develop a social media strategy to achieve whatever goals you wish.  Contact us today for more information about how Biggest Bark can help you get noticed among the big dogs in your business.