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Twitter

Twitter is not quite the household name that sites like "Facebook" and "MySpace" are, but it's definitely on its way. From references in Sprint and Verizon commercials to articles on CNN.com, Twitter has sparked interest throughout the world of social networking, and beyond.

What It Is

Twitter is like a combination of a "status" on Facebook, a text message, and an IM. The technical term is "micro-blogging," but in basic terms, Twitter is yet another way to broadcast short messages to your friends.

Although the concept of Twitter is similar to that of a Facebook status, there are some differences:

• What would be called a "friend" on Facebook or MySpace, is called a "follower" on Twitter. Followers are people who subscribe to your "micro blogs."
• Relationships on Twitter are not reciprocal like they are on most other social networking sites; just because you're following someone, doesn't mean he's following you, and vice versa.
• Your updates on Twitter are called "Tweets." When you are sending out updates, you are "Tweeting," not twittering.

Why Use It

• Stay Informed – just like online communities, Twitter allows you to "follow" news outlets like CNN, NPR, or ESPN. You can have updates and messages from those outlets sent to your Twitter homepage or to your cell phone. You can also follow stores, organizations, or individuals.
• Inform Others – keep people posted on what you're doing. You can post messages on anything from what you're eating for lunch to quotes from the Keynote speaker at the conference you're attending.
• Doctors have "tweeted" during experimental surgeries to keep colleagues aware of the progress and to detail the steps taken during the procedure.
• Likewise, patients have used Twitter during surgery to let their friends and loved ones know how it was going and to let future patients know what to expect.
• Establish a Presence – whether you're a journalist, a guitarist, an inventor, or a politician, there's no better (or cheaper) way to get your name out there than by social networking.
• You can send a "tweet" out when you've published a new article or when you've posted a new blog entry. All of your followers will be notified.
• The more followers you get on Twitter, the more likely it is that links to your work will be posted and reposted within Twitter ("retweeting"), Facebook, Myspace, and beyond.
• Advertise – send alerts to your followers about new products, price specials, or sales! What's to lose? It's free and you could potentially reach millions of people with just a few minutes of effort.
• Many big-name companies have been very successful using Twitter to communicate to customers.
• Dell reported that the sales alerts it sent out over Twitter produced $1 million in revenue over a year and a half.

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How It Works

• Sign Up – Twitter is free. All you need is a username and a password. Go to Twitter.com and click "Join for free."
• If you use your real name when signing up, your friends will be able to find you more easily.
• Uploading a picture is also helpful. That way people can identify you by your name, your face, or both.
• If you select the "Protect my updates" box, people won't be able to read your Tweets unless you give them permission.
• Edit Your Settings – Your "tweets" can be private, so only friends you've authorized can see them, or they can be made public, which means anyone who knows your Twitter ID can read and subscribe to them.
• Think about how you want to use Twitter and which setting will allow you to get the most out of it.
• You can easily change your settings, so don't worry about making the "wrong choice."
• Find Your Friends – once you've set up your account, you can send friends your username or the URL to your Twitter page. You can even post it on your LinkedIn, Myspace, or Facebook page. Your page URL is twitter.com/username. So if your username is abc123, then your URL would be twitter.com/abc123.
• To find a friend from your computer, click on the "Find People" button at the top right corner of your Twitter page. Then type in your friend's name. Once your friend's name comes up, click on the "Follow" link.
• If you already have the link to your friend's page, then you can go directly to his or her Twitter page and press the "Follow" link at the top of the page, below your friend's picture.
• If you've added a friend and his account is public, you'll start to see his Tweets on your page immediately. If the account is private, Twitter will send a friend request. Your friend will then have to approve you before you can see his Tweets.
• Connect Twitter to Your Cell Phone & IM Account – you don't have to be in front of your computer to Tweet. You can connect your mobile phone and Instant Messaging account to Twitter, so you can send and receive updates on the go.
• Just go to Settings, Phone and IM. Messages will still be available from your Twitter homepage.
• You can ask Twitter to send you a message every time someone you're following tweets.
• Keep in mind that if you're following a lot of people, you are going to be getting a lot of alerts sent to your phone/IM.
• If, after a while, you decide that it's too much, you can text "stop," "off," or "sleep" to Twitter (40404) and Twitter will stop sending notifications.
• To turn it back on, you text "start," "on," or "wake" to Twitter (40404).
• You can also ask Twitter to alert you when someone sends a "Direct Message." Twitter will then send a notification to your phone or IM account if, and only if, someone sends a message to just you.
• Start Tweeting – Tweets are called "micro blogs" for a reason; you have to keep all messages to 140 characters or less. Messages are limited so that your entire Tweet can be sent as a single text message. To send a message:
• From your Twitter homepage, enter a message in the entry window at the top of the page, and press "update."
• From a mobile phone, send a text message to Twitter (40404). Your phone number is attached to your Twitter account, so Twitter will know it's from you.
• From AOL/AIM, send an instant message to TwitterIM (Twitter’s screen name). You can add TwitterIM to your buddy list for easy access.
• From GTalk (gmail’s IM tool), send an instant message to twitter@twitter.com.

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