To begin:-
Twitter is a mini-blog - a blog where you can only use 140 characters (letters and spaces) to create your masterpiece.
If you've been on Facebook recently its like Facebook "Whats on your Mind" without all the other stuff.
Its micro-blog.
Its minimalist blog.
And if your blog won’t go it’s because you're over the 140 limit, edit edit edit.
And if you want to add a url to your wonderful mini-blog use one of the url shortners (thats why you see all those weird tiny urls and 'bit.ly things) saves space.
Heres link for one (of the many); http://www.tiny.cc/
The best way to use Twitter is to tweet (write the mini-blog) and tweet and tweet and see if you can find someone to tweet with and then...well onward.
There's hundreds of twitter apps out there to enhance and confuse - so have at it, all.
For detailed explanation of Twitter, and its set up and all that - this Getting started guide by Al Ferretti et al. is excellent - link here -http://darrenmonroe.com/cooldwnlds/Jumpstart.pdf
And always - ALWAYS - keep in mind, Twitter is growing so fast , the application and Twitter.com is always being overwhelmed. So expect - hangs and stalls, plus your picture to suddenly disappear, your background to disappear, and when you try to reapply from "settings" nothing happens, then it does, then it doesn't - Twitter is very busy.
Then - the dreaded Fail Whale
That means Twitter is overloaded again. But it'll be back.
BTW great free background at twitbacks http://www.twitbacks.com/
And twitpics is where you post all your , well - pics http://twitpic.com/
But
But
The best way to see the "twitter world" is to use something like TweetDeck (its free).
Click on this link here to download it
http://www.tweetdeck.com/beta/
TweetDeck also allows you to tweet away (create small messages on Twitter) without 'hangs' 'crashes' or other annoying things the overworked Twitter program does.
Open Tweetdeck, open "All friends" "Direct Replies" and search your twitter name and open that column. Now you will see anything that relates to you. But, of course if you are not following anyone or anyone following you -its kinda empty.
So..
Start searching terms you are interested in, and you will see all 'tweets' that have that term being used.
On tweetdeck - on settings the spanner icon - check box in 'General tab so that "opens profile in web page"
Now get "social" - anyone, I mean anyone your interested in - "follow". On TweetDeck that means put your mouse on their picture or icon, and 4 boxes appear left-click on the * star box, bottom right and 'mouse over" user to "follow" - click - you are following that person.
If you want to see that person profile on Twitter itself, double click his picture or icon and the twitter page will open (you may have to sign in -again).
The thing about Twitter, the more people you follow, the more follow you back. They dont have to, but they probably will if you are not a complete - you know - loser - (but then the losers will follow you so...)
For how to block the annoyers - click here
Yea - But What should I tweet? What should I say?
If you use Facebook or other sites - that's not your question.
Just remember Twitter is a "micro-blog" so everything is happening very fast out there in Twitter World. So Tweet away and it will-maybe disappear instantly - or someone will reply or ReTweet or who knows. Most likely if your getting started - nothing will happen - you'll send it out there and...nothing...
But remember, there are other people, millions of other people out there, with their searches open looking for terms and phrases they are interested in - so Tweet what interest you (remember 140 characters - if the tweet isn't going when you click - too many characters - see its telling you - delete , be sparse
Like any activity that you are new to - do something. Make mistakes, do it wrong - justy do it. The more you do it, the more you learn
And there are a gazillion guides which you will stumble across as you move through the Twitter World - glance through some, ignore many - have fun
Remember it is a Social network - a communication network, so respond, reply (to anyone) and interact - its Social ( did I say that already?)
Here are some links to browse get some idea, and confidence.
http://davefleet.com/2008/10/practical-101s-getting-started-with-twitter/ Blog
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entries Twitter Home
Remember Best thing - Do something, write something, anything.
And give it (twitter) and you time to get to know each other
Check back here for more info, as you grow, and I grow.
If you want irregular email tips on twitter and all the twitter world, sign up for an email on the right - your right - other right -( I think its the right)-over there anyway-at the top - you'll find it.
Fill it in, and we'll send you stuff.
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