People often ask me how to get started on Twitter. The first step is setting up an account, and I’m going to explain how to set it up so you get the most out of your Twitter experience. It’s important to me that you enjoy your time on Twitter and the connections I know you’ll make very soon!
Quick Tips for How-To Set Up a Twitter Account
To begin, go to Twitter.com and enter your name, email, and a password.
Next, select a Username and Twitter will let you know if it is available. You will be able to change this later if you choose.
Twitter Tutorial
Twitter will guide you through some basic information and will suggest some people to follow. Take advantage of the Search feature. Put your target market and industry specific information in the search bar and then follow those people. In this example, I used “Health” as a search term and Twitter suggested some people to follow on Twitter related to that term.
Profile Pictures Versus Logos
Make sure you add a profile picture and write a bio when prompted. You can always add this information later and/or change it in your “settings”.
As a rule of thumb, try to use a nice photograph of yourself. Close-up head shots are best, and candid photos are fine as long as they are clear, crop well, and still maintain a level of professionalism. If you are creating an account for a company or organization, it’s still more personable and engaging to your followers if you use a warm photo of you, someone at your organization, etc. Logos used as profile pictures on Twitter put a large emphasis on brand recognition, and this should be done if it’s in your social media goals and company culture.
Anytime I’ve switched a profile picture from a logo to a person, I’ve seen the number of followers and engagement shoot up!
If you already have a gravatar that you use on your blog, Facebook, etc, you can use the same one. This is important if you are building a personal brand or want to maintain consistency for followers across various social media platforms.
Write Your Bio
You have 160 characters to use in the bio section of your Twitter profile. Use this space wisely to communicate who you are and what you are passionate about. Search engines like Google do index Twitter, so using keywords and business name (as appropriate) can be beneficial. It may also help people find and follow you based on similar interests.
Tweets
It seems counter-productive to start tweeting before you have followers. However, many Twitter users are leery of spammers and careful who they follow. Get started tweeting so you get the feel of it and let others know you are a legitimate person to follow on Twitter. You can tweet that you’re new to Twitter, how you plan to use Twitter, who you are looking to connect with, what interests you, or whatever news you have to share. There’s a fine line between being too personal on Twitter and being personable enough for people to want to engage in conversation. You’ll need to work to find that balance.
Get the Most Out of Twitter
Twitter allows you to link to your website or blog in your profile, add a geographic location, and more. To make these additions, click on silhouette image on the top right and then click on “settings”.
While in this section, you can change your background image to one that Twitter supplies or customize your own. Simply click on “Design” and follow the prompts.
NEXT STEP: Gain Some Quick Followers
Once you have your Twitter account set up, add a comment below with your Twitter username (also called a Twitter @handle) and we’ll follow you on Twitter. We’re excited to see your new Twitter page and start connecting with you on this exciting and fast growing social media site.
