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Are You A Twitter Beginner? Start Here

March 21, 2013
Twitter is one of the largest social media networks in the world. It features millions of users from various countries and focuses on micro-blogs mainly. Companies and casual users resort to the website to get quick news and updates on specific topics and the latest issues. If you don?t have an existing Twitter account yet, you have to learn the basics first and learn the many features, apps and commands you can utilize to promote your brand, or even just get more followers. Learning how to use Twitter will only take a few minutes each day. Here are great starter guidelines.

About Twitter

Twitter is a social media platform wherein family, friends, colleagues and companies can communicate and share and acquire information through short messages, known as ?tweets?. Tweets have a maximum limit of 140 characters -- so online users need to compress and simplify their message within the allotted space. This is also called micro-blogging. beg1 The posts will appear on the user?s profile and forwarded to followers or the people who wish to get updates from your account. You can choose to follow other Twitter users online, while your followers list is built as more people choose to follow you online. To access and use Twitter, you only need an Internet connection and a computer or mobile device that links to the Net. You can immediately set up an account which will be ready for use within minutes. When you log in, you can start adding people or browsing accounts based on your online objectives and interests. Twitter will also suggest a number of accounts to follow, depending on your social media activities and specific interests. Read more about Choosing Who To Follow.

Tweets and Tweeting

Twitter primarily revolves around Tweets or micro-blogs, which can be typed in the update box. You will find a character count to determine how much of the 140-character limit has been used up already. beg2 A Tweet button is available at the bottom of the update box so you can post the tweet when you?re done. This will be visible to followers immediately. Many social media experts suggest that you keep Tweets short but informative. Ideally, Twitter users should only limit their message to 100 to 120 characters. The rest can be reserved for putting their name, a hashtag, a link or other useful remarks or sources of information. beg3 Tweets should also be of good quality, which means that these should spark the interest of online users as well as provide relevant details about a specific topic, industry or issue. Posting casual Tweets sometimes is also acceptable. Read more about Tweeting Basics.

About People to Follow and Followers

Finding the right people to follow is important so that you will properly be led to the right places and conversations online. These key individuals should be relevant to your industry, interests and objectives. They can provide you with useful updates and other sources of information online to improve your network and boost your business or marketing campaign. You will also come across other relevant online users followed by or following the relevant Twitter user. It is normal for beginners to follow their friends or family first. Look for certain individuals via the search function on Twitter. beg4 Twitter users will only follow you if they find your account interesting and informative. If you?re a beginner, people won?t usually follow or follow back, considering that you only have a few Tweets and your follower to following ratio is rather low or negative. The best way to bring in more followers is to start posting relevant and unique content. Look for interesting things to share and create original posts and ideas that pertain to specific topics. Post regularly and stay visible to grab people?s attention. One of your main objectives on Twitter is to keep your following to follower ratio positive. Read more about Getting Followers.

More Follower Details

When you follow an account on Twitter, you subscribe to their Twitter updates and get to see each message that they post throughout the day or whenever you log in. You can view the list of people you?re currently following as well as the list of individuals following you by clicking on the Following and Followers link on the profile page or sidebar of the home page. beg5 There are follow limits, too. You can only send 250 direct messages every day, otherwise you could be reported as spam and your account will be suspended. The follow limit is 1,000 each day. You can also tweet up to a maximum of 1,000 posts per day. Retweets are also counted as Tweets. Read the rules and guidelines on tweeting and always be reminded of the company policies to avoid suspension or banning. Read more about Twitter Etiquette.

Basic Twitter Use

Tweets cannot be edited once posted, although you can delete it by clicking on the trash icon beside the post. You will also discover other functions and commands on Twitter such as a Retweet which involves reposting another user?s Tweet. You can reply to someone?s Tweet to begin a conversation, upload pictures and include links to related websites. Also practice safety and protection techniques when using Twitter. Report any unscrupulous accounts and activities. Over time, you will appreciate the convenience and efficiency offered by the social media platform. Read more about Protecting Your Privacy.

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