Twitter in 30 Minutes

Transcription

1 Building Communities Online: Twitter in 30 Minutes presented by: Susan Gill, Digital Content Specialist Lori Greiner, Communications Manager Information and Communications Technology Professional Development Series, Dec. 5, 2012

2 Overview What is Twitter and how to use it effectively? Steps for setting up your account Keys to posting engaging content and interacting with target audiences How to measure success

3 Twitter Basics A microblogging site launched in 2006 Messages called tweets of 140 characters or less Join conversations through replies (@), retweets (RT), and hashtags (#)

4 Twitter By the Numbers: As of July 1, there were more than 515 million registered users in the world, with more than 142 million in the U.S., who generate more than 340 million tweets per day The average user has 126 followers More than 40 percent of Twitter users do not tweet anything 71 percent of the millions of tweets each day attract no reaction Source: Wikipedia and thesocialskinny.com

5 Impact of Twitter Media Social Political

6 About Twitter Free to users Users can create feeds of information from other users Users can communicate through direct messages or mentions News feeds show you newest tweets first Can share photos easily Mobile-friendly with smartphone apps

7 Concepts/terminology #hashtags Used as a way to organize common ideas and topics Hashtags and topics that are used by enough users make a topic trend Extension Hashtags: #vacoopext, #cesvalue, #coopext VT Hashtags: #hokies, #vtag

8 Concepts/terminology Retweet (RT) Modified RT (MT) Reply Favorite

9 Profile Page Showcases a brief summary of your profile: picture, name, Twitter username, biography, links, tweets, followers, and who you follow

10 Getting Started

11 Setting up your account When you first sign up, you ll get a confirmation sent to the address you provided Click through the link provided on the to activate your account You ll be taken to your Twitter page To edit your profile information, click on the gear icon at the upper right and select Edit profile below your name

12 Profile Basics Your profile should contain the proper name(s) for your organization Choose a username that is short and appropriate for your organization s name In the Bio section of your profile, include the full name of your organization, along with a brief description in 160 characters or less Include your VT or VCE website in the Website section

13 Profile Basics Upload an appropriate profile picture Photos will crop to square, so choose an image that will read in a small square shape Include text if necessary, as long as it s readable in a small size

14 Privacy Privacy is not as controllable as it is in other social media You can choose to make your tweets protected, which means that you have to approve followers before they can see your tweets Your tweets can be unprotected, allowing anyone to see your content

15 Composing a tweet You are limited to 140 characters (including links) Long links will automatically be shortened by your tweet platform Utilize hashtags to make your tweets more widely visible Write in shorthand no need for prose in a small space

16 Best practices Your business Twitter account is not your personal account Know your voice and your audience and put content out there to reflect both Tweet everything from the point-of-view of your company and leave your personal biases out of it

17 Best practices How often should I tweet? At least once a day When you have something to promote Avoid sending back-to-back tweets It s best to stagger tweets throughout the day so that you re always visible on someone s feed You can schedule tweets using a 3 rd -party platform

18 Best practices How do I get followers? Follow other accounts and your followers Utilize things like #FF (Follow Friday) and promote others users you enjoy following Link to your Twitter page from your website and other social media

19 Best practices What sorts of things are appropriate to tweet and/or retweet? Upcoming events News stories related to your group Topics of broader interest to your followers Questions your customers have asked, with your reply included

20 Best practices Other things to keep in mind Establish the right tone based on how you want to be perceived Tweets with links and/or photos are more successful than plain text give people somewhere to go RESPOND! If you are asked a question by a follower, respond promptly the internet waits for no one

21 Best practices Using a mobile device Tweet quickly and often from an event Don t forget to utilize hashtags! Take a photo on your phone and instantly post it to Twitter Most built-in and top-rated apps will take care of your needs Check Twitter often on your phone to answer any outstanding questions or to post relevant news

22 3 rd -party software To schedule posts and track success using statistics, choose other ways to tweet Hootsuite (integrated with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+) Tweetdeck (integrated with Facebook) Twitterfeed (feeding outside blog posts to Twitter) Facebook (can connect accounts and publish from one to the other) Smartphone application

23 Maximizing reach You can integrate your tweets into other areas online Website feed Blog (sidebar) Facebook, Tumblr Promote your Twitter profile URL on your websites and other social media accounts Follow Us button Website address on other promotional materials

24 Measuring success There is no built-in analytics currently within Twitter itself You can keep track of your Twitter follower growth manually by writing down numbers regularly You can get reports for individual URL clicks within HootSuite The website compares many other sites that will help you track your usage

25 Keys for Success Post regularly with high-quality, relevant content Use visuals Ask questions Show your passion

26 Follow Virginia Tech

27 Resources & References About Twitter The Social Skinny Twitter s Global Impact Top 20 Twitter Clients of

28 Resources & References Individuals (build your individual brand, connect with clients, network) Keith Dickinson, Extension Educator Matt Lohr, Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Anne Adrian, Auburn Extension Professional Michele Payn-Knoper, Agricultural Social Media Advocate Organizations (Promote your organization, connect with students, stakeholders, potential funders, and partners) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Southwest Virginia 4-H Center Northern Virginia 4-H Center / Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Virginia Grain Producers National 4-H Virginia Tech Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics Ag Chat Foundation Programs (Promote the activities and impact of your programs) Shenandoah Valley Buy Fresh, Buy Local Virginia Soybean Virginia Tech Pomology VALOR Professional (Network with other professionals in your field) Families, Food and Fitness News & Information (stay informed, learn new information) University of Georgia Extension Publications Roanoke Times Virginia Tech News

29 Questions?