So how do you get started? We’re here to show you just that. Keep reading to get a grounded view of how to get going with Twitter. Why Twitter? Its simplicity is beautiful, yet its power to connect and broadcast is unmatched.

Foremost, you need to hop over to the Twitter website to get an account set up. Pick a relevant, direct, meaningful user name. Something keyword specific to the site’s identity is best.

Next, choose a picture for the site’s profile. A logo is best, but you can even use a photo of a prominent figure responsible for the site or even a photo of the site’s core subject matter, be it a person, place, thing, or idea.

After you’re all set up, you’ll be asking yourself “Now what?”. Easy. Pick up a 3rd party client to tweet with, as the web site itself (as you’ll soon find) does have its shortcomings.

As soon as you have the profile built and the tools to tweet with, you’re just about set. Now it’s time to start sharing, informing, communicating, and promoting just what it is your site is focused upon. Use caution in your tweets, as everyone on the Internet can see them, search them, and reference them. In short, don’t paint yourself into a corner and then find yourself trying to dig out; it’s too late to make mistakes in the web game, as you well know.

Now, for tweet styles, you kind of have to come up with this on your own. Twitter’s default interrogative “What are you doing?” is so generic and bland, you’d be sure to put followers off by telling them about your dental checkup or your recent fuel stop. Yawn. No one wants to experience those things themselves, let alone read about it second hand. Instead, answer the questions: “What has intrigued you?” “What did you find useful today?” “Whom did you meet that provided value in your experiences?” “Where did you find tool X to solve problem Y?”. From there, you’ll catch on quickly. The Twitter community is fast, fickle, and will quickly cast irrelevance to the side, so keep it simple, rich, and to the point.

Regarding Site Promotion

Twitter is a great venue for talking about news, happenings, polls, etc on your site or the web in general. If you elect to promote links on your site, please, please do so by expressing what is unique, what’s next, or what you think directly in the tweet … don’t just “link dump”. Bots can do this. No one likes bots. Tweeps (Twitter people) like to interact with–are you ready for this: people. Sounds overly simplistic, right? It is. Don’t be spammer, bot, or mindless postwhoring automaton. You’ll fall quickly to the bottom of the stack and will have wasted your time as well as your followers’ time.

Use Twitter yourself, on your site’s behalf. Follow interesting people or other businesses/sites/communities. You’ll be seen interacting with interesting people by other Tweeps and likely pick up followers along the way–and that’s the name of the game–get yourself (your site) in front of an audience.

Key Takeaways

Twitter gives a user:

• the power to communicate with followers (subscribers, visitors, and ultimately customers)
• the ability to track trends in the core market segments, interests, or news
• the capability of listening and responding to feedback & demands
• the time to “be there” for those who are interested in what’s said, have their own demands, or just want to reach out and connect with someone having a similar interest
• the medium of promotion, both at a commercial, informational, and personal level; all at the same time

So there you have it; an elementary approach to getting started with Twitter for the purpose of site (or self) discovery, promotion, and communication. Let us know if you have any questions!