Twitter 101 for Workforce Professionals

Twitter_logo

 

Of all the mainstream social media tools, Twitter may be the hardest to explain to nonusers. It can also be one of the harder tools for people to master, in part because it carries its own vocabulary and lingo that can be difficult for new users to understand. 

However, Twitter is also a fantastic resource for finding great job search-related content. It also works well for providing people with reminders, quick links and inspirational quotes. 

What is It?

Twitter is a combination of a social network, instant messaging and "micro-blogging." Users sign up for a profile and a Twitter name, start "following" other users and then are able to share their own messages and see other people's messages, based on who they are following and who is following them. 

You can use Twitter through the Twitter website and through "apps" are your smart phone, iPad and even on your computer. 

Twitter is one of those tools you have to see and use to really understand, so let's use some visuals to try to break this down a little more. 

Twitter Profile

When you sign up for an account on Twitter, you create a profile for yourself. Twitter users can be individuals or organizations. In your profile, you include a photo or logo, a brief bio and a link to your main blog or website. You can also have customized backgrounds to further your branding. 

Naming on Twitter is a big thing. All Twitter names include the "@" sign--so my name on Twitter is @michelemmartin. The US Dept. of Labor Twitter account is @usdol. Whenever you refer to yourself on Twitter or to another Twitter user, you use that @name. 

Twitter 1

 

Followers and Following

Another aspect of Twitter is building your network. On Twitter, you have followers--these are people who want to see the messages and links that you post, so they start following you. You also have "following"--these are people whose messages and links interest you, so you want to follow them. 

On Twitter, you can follow people who don't follow you back. You can also have people following you that you don't follow. A little confusing, I know. The basic idea is that following on Twitter is not reciprocal. Just because someone follows you, you don't have to follow them back for them to see your messages. And vice versa. 

Messaging on Twitter--Tweets, Retweets, @replies and DMs

The Tweet

A basic message on Twitter is called a tweet. Tweets are limited to 140 characters, so clearly the tool is meant to encourage short format communications. You can tweet text only (such as a quote, question or comment) or you can also include a link to another site. Many people and organizations use Twitter to share links in this way. 

Twitter 2
Note in this Tweet that there is text and a reference to @ajlovesya, another Twitter user. When I include her name in my tweet, she gets a message that I've mentioned her in a Tweet. So @ajlovesya knows that I've said something that references her as another user. 

You can also see that I have a link in my tweet (hint, it start with bit.ly). Twitter automatically shortens links you put into your messages to cut down on characters. When people read your tweet, they are able to click on the link and it will take them to the site you want to refer them to. 

The Retweet

Another important convention on Twitter is the retweet. A retweet (always preceded with the letters "RT" for retweet) means that you are re-sharing something someone else said with everyone who is following you. You can retweet with no commentary or you can retweet with a comment, as I did in the example below.  

Twitter3
The @reply 

Remember that all Twitter usernames are preceded by the @sign. When you start your message with a Twitter username, you are speaking directly to that person.  In the example below, I'm thanking someone who shared a great post. Note that @replies are still public. Anyone can visit your Twitter profile and see them. 

Twitter5
The DM (Direct Message)

To directly communicate with someone privately through Twitter, you use the DM or direct message.  To send a DM, someone must be following you--you can't send private messages to people who do not follow you. 

If you use the DM feature, then the message is like email--it will not be displayed publicly in your Twitter stream (the list of all of your tweets that appears on your profile page). 

The Hashtag

Another important part of Twitter is the hashtag. A hashtag is preceded by the "#" sign (for example #career) and it's a way to string together tweets from various Twitter users that are related to a particular topic. So, for example, if I send out a tweet that is related to careers and include the hashtag #career in the tweet, anyone who does a Twitter search on that hashtag will find my tweet automatically aggregated. 

Hashtags are used for events and twitter chats. For example, #careerchat is a weekly Twitter discussion that anyone can participate in. Moderators put out questions and people can respond. Both the moderators and the respondents include the hashtag #careerchat in their tweets to indicate that the message is part of the discussion and so all tweets can be aggregated in one place. 

What Do I Need to Know?

Twitter has a somewhat higher learning curve than some of the other social media tools. Not because the technology itself is difficult, but because of some of the terminology and and cultural conventions associated with it. It can, however, be a great tool for connecting and quickly sharing information, so it is worth the effort to understand how it works. 

Here are some other key things to know if you are a workforce professional using Twitter.

  • You can get a lot out of Twitter simply by signing up for an account and following key people and organizations. You can actually use Twitter without ever sending out your own tweets. Simply sign up for an account and find great people and organizations to follow. Once you follow them, you can periodically check out your Twitter page to see what links they are sharing. This can be a great way to get very timely information.
  • Watch how other organizations use Twitter. When you sign up for Twitter, be sure to follow other organizations and learn from what they are doing. What kinds of messages do they send out? How are they engaging with people? Simply observing how people interact on Twitter can start to give you ideas for how you can use it with your own organization. 
  • Use Twitter to share quick tips and links to job postings and longer posts or online information. Because of the 140 character limit, Twitter is clearly not a tool for longer format information. But it's great for sharing quick tips with job seekers, memorable quotes and links to useful articles, videos, resources, etc. You can also use it to tweet out links to job postings. 
  • Treat Twitter as a two-tool, not just for broadcasting. Although it's tempting to use Twitter just to broadcast information, it's also a social network. Be sure to respond to people who send you messages and to thank people who retweet your information. Particularly if you are using Twitter to engage with businesses, you should make sure that you follow them back so that you see what they are talking about and can address any questions or issues they may have. 

Where Can I Learn More? 

Here are some links that can help you get started with Twitter:

  • Twitter 101--The basics from the folks at Twitter. Be sure to check out the links in the left sidebar, too.