1. Getting Started: Tips and Tricks
Twitter for SME Owners
Getting Started: Tips and Tricks

2. What is Twitter?
A social networking site that allows you to send the equivalent of text messages
100% PUBLIC with +25M Twitterers!
ID: your name, and real work location
Istanbul, Turkey - not your personal address, per security reasons.
Your company website
You can “follow” anyone (receive people's updates).
There's no formal asking-and-accepting process.
Often breaks news faster than other sources.
Has value for human connections, can be used to build a network of advisers, advocates, and customers who really want to help your business grow.
Brings great minds together and gives you daily opportunities to learn.

3. The Concept of Micro-blogging
Tweets are limited to 140 characters, so you have to keep them very short and simple.
Thoughts, opinions and ideas are shared in near real-time.
The same rules than in real world social engagements :
Be friendly, be honest, be transparent, and most importantly be conversational.
When you sign up to follow someone's tweets, they see that you're following them.
They may decide to reciprocate and follow you too, which is something you want if you are trying to get noticed.

4. Customize Settings: Profile
Tips to help searchability
Public profile info is included in Search results.
Put a few lines about what you do professionally
Help people understand what to expect from your Twitter account by posting a little description.
Your Bio is 160 words, be descriptive and specific.
Examples: Father. Business. Microsoft. Technology. Middle East & Africa. Egyptian. Software. Golf..….etc.
Add your work location and real name.

5. Customize Settings: Notices
Under “Notices” decide when you want Twitter to send you s:
When a new person is following you? YES
When you receive a direct message? YES
updates about twitter? NO

6. Before you start Tweeting
Listening always comes first!
Use Twitter Search to:
Listen for your name
Your competitors' names
Other leaders in your industry
Search for specific topics or interests
Other potential professional contacts
Follow them. And follow whom they follow!

7. Customize Settings
Click “Settings” tab on the top right of your homepage
The following choices will appear:
Account
Password
Mobile
Notices
Profile
Design

8. Twitter Planning What do you want to accomplish?
Reinforce that you are a trusted leader
Present an image of openness
Subject matter expert in your industry
Advocate on social responsibility
Walk the innovation talk
What audience do you want to reach?
Press
Industry leaders
Policy-makers
Other Business Owners
Students/Young Professionals
How much time are you willing to allot to build your Twitter network?
Minimum – 1 tweet per day

9. What are you going to Tweet about?
Do you want to build deeper relationships?
Get on the radar of potential customers and partners?
Provide more responsive and immediate customer service?
Receive feedback on a product launch or new campaign?

10. Twitter is an intercom, not a megaphone…
Build relationships with followers, rather than just inundate them with information.
Twitter experience is like a water-cooler conversation - being relatable and fun is crucial.
Take people behind the scenes of your company, share the human side of your company.
You can ask questions, express ideas and solicit feedback on Twitter – expect pretty quick replies most of the time.
If you’ve just launched a product, ask users what they think or search for tweets of people talking about your product.
Offer your opinion on news, industry happenings and seminars.
Answer the question, “What has your attention?”

11. Build Relationships Talk to people about THEIR interests too!
Point out interesting things in your space, not just about you.
Allow people to ask you spontaneous questions of all kinds.
Share intriguing company insights they might find interesting.
Integrate with your existing communications channels.
Have friendly, public conversations with customers.
Listen regularly for comments about your company, brand, products.
Make sure you are prepared to address concerns, offer customer service or thank people for their praise.

12. Tips for Tweets DO DON’T
Engage with people. Take an interest in them, they’ll take an interest in you!
Watch grammar/spelling – 140 characters to make an impression - make it count!
Ask questions! Twitter is great for getting opinions…
Comment on other’s tweets.
Use a casual, friendly tone in your messages.
Use “Save this Search” on your homepage.
Post articles and sites you think people will find interesting.
Get into a long-winded discussion – others can see your feed - take it offline!
Get caught up in the apology loop – be helpful instead.
Spam folks – start gently & build up a reputation.
Brag too much!
Don’t sell!

13. Security on Twitter
You can mention the CITY, not the EXACT hotel or restaurant.
Be careful with privacy.
Be very careful about criticizing services or shops
Remember: You Can not DELETE: once a post is sent, no matter if intended to be deleted later, the post will never actually disappear. *

14. Microsoft Tweets to Follow

15. Retweet (RT)
If someone you follow, particularly an industry leader, says something controversial or interesting:
Retweet (re-post) it to your followers.
RETWEETS (RT) are important – they help build audience and visibility. Keep it personal.
RT: If you want to copy and paste someone else's tweet, that's both accepted and appreciated.
Just put in front of their tweet and post it yourself.

16. Direct Messaging (DM)
With Twitter's direct-messaging (DM) function, you can send a private 140-character message to another user.
Think of an abbreviated .
You can only direct message Twitter users that are following you.

17. Use the @ Sign to Reply @ Sign to Reply: To create a reply.
You can also show appreciation to someone.
Simply place sign in front of their Twitter name.
If it is a reply, sign must be the first character of the tweet.
To see replies to your own tweets, click from your profile page.

18. Shrink URLs One of the most common uses of Twitter is sharing links.
With only 140 characters, avoid sharing long URLs.
Use one of several URL-shortening services to shrink that link.
Example: - also measures traffic to links

19. Organize Tweets Categorize your Tweets for added visibility.
If you're tweeting about a popular subject putting a # in front of the subject makes it easy for others to find your tweet and perhaps they will want to follow you.

20. Share Pictures People love sharing their photos with the world.
Some even break important news with them such as earthquakes and important local events as they happen
Services like TwitPic let users easily upload their photos and post them directly to Twitter.

21. Tweet On-the-Go Tweet from your Phone.
Twitter allows you to update your status and receive updates via text message.
To start sending and receiving mobile tweets:
Under Settings Devices tab Enter your phone number.
To disable this option go back to the same panel and follow the same instructions.

22. Manage Topics
Pick a Good Desktop Client if you wish to follow many matters on your own computer.
With desktop clients such as TweetDeck, you can receive tweets in a much more manageable fashion.
Especially if you follow a lot of people, respond often, and use direct messages frequently.
TweetDeck allows you to create specific groups, if you want to split your feed into individual columns.

23. Pocket Tweets Download a Mobile Client.
May be a better option than using text messages.

24. Tips of the Trade
Even if you don’t actively play, you need to know what’s going on in the game. Know what people are saying about you.
Be yourself. You represent the brand, and you provide a human face for the company.
Write like an adult. Even though you only have 140 characters, people respond to strong, clear prose that’s written in real English.
If you commit to Twitter, you need to maintain a presence – at least once a day.
Don’t update on how you feel … share how you see things shaping up.
References, references, references. Point people to the most interesting and inspiring news, info, comment, thoughts that you see.
Follow people in diversely different fields, share your views on their views.
Don’t overshare, don’t talk personal details. Remember, you are a business owner.
Tweet a few times a day if you have stuff to say, once if you don’t. And don’t go a day without an update.

25. Be In-the-Know Check the right tab on your homepage
Trending: Topics Worldwide
Helps you know what others are talking about
How/where you can contribute
Click to see Tweets for each topic

26. Gives you global popularity!
Metrics
Gives you global popularity!

27. Customize Your Twitter Page
You can use any of your photos for the background design.
Browse and find the file to upload your very own personal background.

28. Find People by Searching

29. Get the Word Out! Add your account to your e-mail signature
Easy way to make sure people know you are on Twitter
Click of a mouse will bring them to your page where they can start following you
Quickly helps you follow a network of like-minded people
If you don’t want to show it in a particular , just delete it!

30. NOW HURRY UP AND START TWEETING!
THANK YOU
NOW HURRY UP AND START TWEETING!