I just wanted to help out some of the folks who are new to Twitter from some of the major TV coverage. So I started tweeting out a few tips to new folks and thought I’d put them here. While the Oprha show was live. This post is a bit rough, I have taken the twelve 140 characte rmessages or ‘tweets’ that I sent out and added them here, then edited them to add a bit more info. I’ll come back and edit it later, but wanted to get it up to help folks learn a few of the ins and outs of “How Does Twitter Work.”

#NewToTwitter? 1: Welcome, fill in bio, add website link if you have one, add a photo, & hometown.

2: to follow someone, hover over @name, click link, read bio & recent tweets. If they seem cool, hit follow

3: Remember to check your @username tab to the right 2 see messages/tweets folks R sending 2 you

4: Under your username & photo click followers to see who followed you & decide to follow back or not.

5a how to Retweet – if you like what someone says, and want 2 show yr followers that message – 3 steps… It’s also a nice way to find new people to follow.

5b how to Retweet – copy the tweet (not username), then hit grey arrow 2 reply, add ‘RT’ b4 @username

5c how 2 Retweet. put one space after @username & paste original tweet. If it is to long, U can edit, but only 4 space

retweet example:

RT @CathyWebSavvyPR #NewToTwitter ? 1: Welcome, fill in bio, add website link if you have one, add a photo, & hometown

5d Here’s a good guide 4 how to Retweet: http://bit.ly/h9je thanks to @duzins

5e if you think a link or point you are making is worh rtweeting, try stopping at with 20 characters left  – that leave room for the other persons username & the symbol RT.

6 If see a tweet or cool link, hover over it & hit star – that puts it in your Favorites tab for later

7a advanced: go to bottom of page, click search. Put in phrase #NewToTwitter & see all tweets using that # or tag

7b advanced: Tw search put in any phrase or @username 2 see all tweets using that @username # or ‘hashtag’

8 don’t forget to hit your browser refresh button, it will bring new tweets 2 yr screen, but be sure to follow/favorite 1st

9 Direct messages – if two people follow each other, you can send a message that only they see. click direct messages tab to the right, select a name from drop down box

10 some help? in order for Oprah to “see your message” you need to use the @ sign b4 her name try @Oprah

11 What to tweet about: answering “what am I doing now” is a part of Twitter, but only a part. Tweet about your interests; what you are reading online (include a link);, what fascinates you. Tweet something to help folks that have similar interests find you.

12 Check out my earlier Blog post on why Twitter is useful “How to Use Twitter – One POV. Each of us uses it differently, there is no one way, but here is my Point of View. http://websavvypr.com/how-do-you-tweet-how-to-use-twitter-one-pov/pr/admin/2009/01/

#NewtoTwitter #13 Check out @twitter’s help, just above your photo on right or click link http://help.twitter.com/portal

Tip # 15 – remember to have fun, explore, follow folks just because, tweet things you and others might find funny, useful, or interesting. Also if someone’s tweets get to busy, follow a few more people, and their tweets will get spread out by those of others.

Here are a couple of other articles on getting started from other folks:

http://www.10000words.net/2009/03/top-7-mistakes-new-twitter-users-make.html

to find me on twitter: http://twitter.com/CathyWebSavvyPR

http://www.briansolis.com/2009/02/finding-tweet-spot-top-tips-for.html

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How do you Tweet asked the bird to the beast?

When I use the social networking site Twitter, and when I counsel my clients to use sites like Twitter, I seek balance in the type of a variety of the items that I post on all of my social networking sites. I’m posting this as, “How do you use Twitter” is a frequent question from my clients.

I don’t calculate how often I take each action listed below, but I do know that they are the type of things that cause me to follow, friend or link to others as well. I also know that I tweet more often about others than about myself:

• Things that show who I am; personal tweets, often in reaction to something someone else has tweeted
• Messages that connect me with others, asking questions, answering questions, learning about who people are and what is important to them
• Helping people solve small problems – PR, social media, tech, life, & generally being supportive
• Links to interesting, amusing, useful info, tips, tools, ideas, resources etc.
• Passing along interesting links from others in my twitter stream
• Linking to other’s blog posts etc.
• Links to my own work, blog posts, articles, press releases
• Linking to or retweeting client info, posts, cool tweets. I believe in transparency; I always note when a tweet includes client info, although it can sometimes we a challenge to fit into 140 characters or less. (I always say if it is from a client, but I usually have cool clients with interesting projects, so it’s not usually problematic or Spammy – Tell me if I’m wrong.  I won’t link to a client’s item, if it won’t be useful/interesting for others in my audience ).

How do you tweet?

• Have I missed an important/useful type of tweeting?
• Which of these do you do the most? honestly.
• I probably retweet others links the most.  But I try and tweet those that haven’t been retweeted a hundred times already.
• Which of the above annoys you most? Or should this post have been how not to use twitter or what not to tweet?

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WebSavvyPRTip # 2 Give your last message on a SN site value, it may B 1st/last thing a follower sees http://websavvypr.com 4 more

Short expansion of the idea – How to Make Social Networking Messages Work For Your Readers:

Many of us talk about content being king, and about giving value to your audience in the social media realm; and many of you may be sick of hearing those overused words. But it is a part of why we follow, friend and link to one another – it’s human nature.

In addition to giving good value, we also have to balance that with being real, showing who we are, being authentic and building trust – that’s the nature of the social media tools we are using to communicate with each other. On Twitter in particular, all of that that can be hard to squeeze into 140 characters or less (this would help explain the volume of messages many of us send on a daily basis). But one tip I try and remember to follow myself, is to be sure that the last message I leave on the Social networking site http://Twitter.com (and others) before I head off to other work (or play), is one that gives some value to my audience, rather than the last message on the screen be the one about the blueberry pie I made from scratch over the holidays.

Longer look at the subject:

It is easy to fire back a response on these sites that is fun and engaging. And that is good, it is a part of why these Web 2.0 sites and tools work – they are after all, by nature social networks. And is a part of the way friendships and relationships are built. I have followed many people because what they said was funny or engaging, or because I liked their style or their spunk, their upbeat or even grouchy but forthright attitude, but more often I choose to follow or befriend them because something in their information stream was interesting, useful or provided value to me, or my clients (both is better, but usually the value is what catches my eye). You never know when someone will walk down the path into your corner of this social media jungle, and I want them to find a nugget of value in what they first read from me; so it doesn’t become the last thing they read from me.

I do enjoy the social aspects of the networks, for two reasons:

1) I primarily work out of my home office

2) I love to learn, and I enjoy teaching and helping others learn.

So Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc. are my coffee break, or water cooler stop (okay – so long has it been since offices actually have something called a water cooler anyway?). These sites also allow me toget a quick pick-me-up helping other people during the day to learn a tip or trick about one of the social networking sites or find the right tool or WordPress plugin etc. to help solve their problem. While

In addition to the social aspects of these sites, I hate to admit it, but I am also here to do work:

• to use the tools myself so I can show clients how they work,
• to find the newest links to cool tools and useful info for clients,
• to connect with potential new clients out here,
• to share useful info with current clients who follow me,
• to share my client’s info with my followers (always transparently – if I link to client info I always say so, though it is sometimes tough to squeeze that into particularly twitter’s 140 character limit),
• and to expand the reach of my brand as a web savvy PR pro and Social Media Guide.

I do not follow my advice 100% of the time, but I try to do so.Do you ever pay attention to the last status message or tweet you send? Another reason why I pay more attention now, is that I have recently added a Twitter widget on my website – it shows my last twitter message on my blog’s homepage. Since many people are not using twitter, some of my tweets could seem strange, or out of context. So I try and remember when I shift out of twitter mode, to leave something of value for those who might stumble upon my corner of the social networking jungle.

P.S. I’m putting short versions of these on Twitter and expanding on them here on my blog – for the Web Savvy PR Intro go to http://websavvypr.com/cathy-larkin-web-savvy-pr-tips-series/pr-tips/admin/2008/12/

Or check out the conversation on twitter as the series grows – http://search.twitter.com/ Then you’ll have to copy and paste or type in the # sign like so:  #websavvyprtip to see the series and any conversations around the posts on that service, as the series grows.

About Cathy Larkin:

In her Web Savvy PR business, Cathy Larkin acts as a PR Professional and Social Media Guide using her 18 + years of PR experience, combined with an intense study of social media, to assist small businesses, non-profits, authors, bloggers, consltants, and speakers get online and use the tools that are right for them, to help expand their brands, build their businesses and have a blast while doing so. Also check http://www.linkedin.com/in/cathylarkin for more on her background. Check out her short posts on the micro blogging service Twitter too http://twitter.com/CathyWebSavvyPR.

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