by J.L. Eck

Created on: March 08, 2010

Twitter.com is possibly one of the easiest sites to use on the Internet, but there are quite a few possibilities for the intentions of the user.  This social networking site has allowed people from all over the world to get together and say what's on their mind, tell what they have to offer the users, and share their social preferences. 

Sign Up!-Signing up for a Twitter membership is simple and free.  A valid email will be required and a username will need to be chosen.  Picking a catchy username is a great way to get others attention.  This may take a few attempts as Twitter has millions of users who have already taken a name or ten for themselves.

Set Up Your Account-For your Twitter identity to be appreciated by the community, one will need to set up their profile page.  A good, professional looking profile page is extremely important for those using Twitter as a marketing platform.  Use a clean picture and crop it to 73x73 pixels(I believe that is what size Twitter uses for the profile thumbnail.)  An impressive picture of yourself can go a long way and a drab or vague picture can chase away prospective followers.

Get Followers!-This is the social part.  Once the account and profile page are set up, it is necessary to get in touch with others in order to be a part of the Twitter community.  There are many ways to attract followers.  One easy way is to follow others.  Use the search bar to find the names of others or to search topics in the timeline that are "trending", which means hot topics.  Trending topics are generally marked with a hashmark or # symbol.  Trending topics can be used as a means to find others who are interested in the same things.  Inviting family and friends to "follow" is also a way to increase the size of your network.

Tweet it!-This is sending a message to the Twitter timeline.  Using no more than 140 characters, shell out what is on your mind to the world.  There are settings that can change the way a tweet is broadcast as well.  Most tweet their messages to the entire Twitter community.  This can attract random followers as well.  Remembering that spamming links all day will do no good is important as this can get an account suspended.  

Apps-There have been hundreds of apps designed for Twitter, few of which are endorsed directly by the company.  Many of the apps available can be fun and can make twittering a more user-friendly experience.  Apps can be searched in the Twitter help and FAQ sections.  Many of the questions a beginner can come up with are already answered in these sections as well.

Security-Most of the links sent out on the Twitter timeline are shortened or "cloaked."  Take measures to ensure the links being visited are safe.  It may be wise to adjust firewall settings for such surfing.  Its always a good idea to clear cookies and private information before clicking random links from strangers.  Have Fun and Tweet Safe!

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