How to Use Twitter

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What is Twitter?

Twitter is a social networking service that allows its users to send and receive

short messages (tweets) of 140 characters or less.

1. Finding Users to Follow:

Finding Twitter users to follow is an integral

part of the Twitter process as it allows you to

receive and interact with content from other

users.

Find users to follow by navigating to the

“# Discover” button on your homepage. Once there, click the “Who to follow”

button. This option will display suggestions from Twitter based on similarities

from current users you are following. You can also find followers using the “Find

friends” button. This option will allow you to search through your email contacts

for users you know who may be using Twitter. Lastly, select the “Browse

categories” button to find users based on specific categories of interest.

2. Composing a Tweet:

Compose a new Tweet by entering a

message of 140 characters or less in the

“Compose new Tweet…” box on your

homepage. After you’ve composed a

new tweet, it will be sent to the Twitter

feeds of users who follow you as well the

searchable Twitter database at search.twitter.com.

What to Tweet?

Links to interesting webpages, questions to engage your followers, inner

thoughts, company news, current events, etc.

3. @ Mention:

The “@” symbol is an operator used to reference a Twitter

user. Use the “@” symbol followed by a user’s Twitter handle to

directly contact them. EX: @FiveStarInst

You can compose a tweet to a twitter user using the “@”

symbol in the “Compose new Tweet…” box on your homepage.

You can also include a user in a general tweet to all of your followers.

EX: I just attended the Five Star Conference from @FiveStarInst.

Check @ mentions you may have received from other Twitter users by selecting

the “@ Connect” button on your homepage and navigating further to the

“Mentions” button.

4. Direct Messaging:

Sending a direct message allows you to contact a

Twitter user privately. Twitter messages do not

appear in your Twitter feed or your recipients’ Twitter

Feed.

You can send a direct message by clicking the profile

button on the profile page of the user you are messaging. You will be presented

with a drop down box. Select the option “Send a Direct Message.”

Note: You can only direct message Twitter users who follow you. If a Twitter user

is not following you, the “Send a Direct Message” option will not appear in the

drop down box when clicking the profile button on the Twitter users’ page.

5. # Hashtags:

The “#” symbol is referred to as a hashtag on Twitter and is used

to help categorize tweets and make them easier to be found in

Twitters’ search engine. Hashtags also help create exclusivity for

a particular keyword. EX: #fsc12 is the hashtag for all tweets

related to the Five Star Default Servicing Conference. Twitter users who would

like to follow and interact with updates about the Five Star Conference via Twitter

should add the hashtag #fsc12 in their tweets about the Five Star Conference

and search for updates about the event by searching #fsc12 on Twitter.

Note: Hashtags may not be separated with spaces.

6. Twitter Search:

The Twitter search function allows you to find real-time content from other Twitter

users. This is great for finding current events and real-time Tweets about specific

subjects of interest. EX: a search for “real estate” prompts the following tweet:

- Phoenix home prices up 32% in past year

7. Trending Topics:

Trending topics are the most popular

keyword/phrase topics of the moment.

Trending topics change regularly based upon

the amount of activity and interaction on those

keywords/phrases.

Trending topics are useful for staying updated

on current events, pop culture news, product

releases, and other real-time information.

8. Privacy:

Twitter is traditionally used as an open network in which users

post content (tweets) for the public to see and interact with. If you

would like to keep your tweets private, click your profile icon on

your homepage, navigate to the “settings” link, and click the

“Protect my Tweets” box. Protecting your tweets only allows users you approve

to view your tweets.

Note: Tweets posted prior to changing your privacy settings will remain publicly

posted.