Twitter 101

The original intent of this week’s OnMouseClick was to serve as a how-to guide on using Twitter. However, the more I wrote, the more it became apparent that explaining how to use Twitter is not an easy task, and the column slowly devolved into a stew of confusion, necessitating a re-write. 

Twitter is a powerful, time-saving tool, providing a fast and efficient way to relay information. It is not as simple as sending email and can at times seem counterintuitive — at least for those of us schooled in the last century. Twitter can be used through the website, twitter.com, or with a mobile app. It has its own vocabulary, and before beginning to use Twitter you should understand a few crucial terms: timeline, at sign (@), username, tweet, mention, hashtag (#), and follow.

Timeline

Log in to Twitter and you land on your home timeline. The timeline appears on both the website and mobile apps, and tweets sent to you appear on your timeline.

At Sign (@)

The @ sign is how a tweet is directed to a specific user.

Username

A username is how everyone identified on Twitter, and is always preceded immediately by the @ symbol. Usernames can be your name or anything else you wish to be known as. For example, the username of Southwest Airlines is “southwestair.” Note — with millions of Twitter users there is a chance that the name you want is taken.www.socialfresh.com/twitter-handle-hacks offers a  list of creative username examples and suggestions on how you can make adaptations.  

Tweet

A tweet is a message of up to 140 characters and may also contain photos, videos, and links. A tweet can be read by anyone with a Twitter account unless it begins with an @, followed directly by a username. Example: “@southwestair what is the departure time of flight 23?” can only be read by Southwest Airlines, while “Flight delay on the tarmac @southwestair flight 23” can be read by anyone.

Mention

A mention is a tweet that includes the @ sign followed directly by a username in the text of a tweet. Mentions can be read by all Twitter users and will appear on the Twitter page of the person mentioned. In the second example in the previous paragraph, @southwestair is considered a mention.

Hashtag (#)

A hashtag is any word or phrase immediately preceded by the # symbol denotes specific topic. Clicking on a hashtag links to other tweets with the same keyword or topic. Make “Flight delay” one word and add a hashtag and it links to other tweets about flight delays  — “#Flightdelay on the tarmac @southwestair flight 23.”

Follow

Subscribing to a Twitter account is called “following.”  Start following someone by clicking the Follow button next to their username and there tweets will post to your timeline. You choose to follow other Twitter accounts and others can choose to follow you. For more information on who can read and receive tweets visit https://support.twitter.com/articles/119138

The complete The Twitter Glossary can be found at support.twitter.com/articles/166337).

Rather than go into details on how to actually create a Twitter account, I recommend visiting the Twitter support website at support.twitter.com/articles/100990. This webpage takes you through the steps of creating a Twitter account online; the steps are basically the same if you sign up through the mobile app.

Once your account is activated you are ready begin using the service. The following are ideas on how and why to use Twitter: 

1. Customer Support — It is often possible to get a faster response by tweeting than by phoning customer service. To find the appropriate Twitter handle use the search box at the top of your home timeline. Some organizations have a username specifically for customer service. Our cable company in New York is Optimum. The results for a search of OPTIMUM shows both @optimum, and @optimumhelp for 24/7service.
2. Breaking News — Read up-to-the-minute reports about a breaking news event by using the search box to find tweets about the event. If something major is occurring, you can be certain there are people tweeting about it in real time, often before the news media.
3. Notice of Software and Hardware Updates — Choose to follow the manufacturer of your favorite software or mobile device. Search for the name of the company, and then click on the little icon of a person with a plus next to it and you will be subscribed to their tweets —  an excellent way to learn about updates and new product offerings. 

It wasn't long ago that Facebook, text messaging, email and cell phones were a mystery to many of us, but over time we've learned to use and embrace them. Learning Twitter is an investment in time and brainpower, but the reward is worth it. Just think how cool it would be to have your grandchildren following you on Twitter. 

You can send me a tweet @LindaQPhotos.

For more information on learning to use Twitter, visit  https://support.twitter.com/articles/215585 and https://www.wired.com/2016/05/twitter-onboarding-tips-for-new-users/.