1. Tweeting for Trees Twitter Basics to Better Your World
Melissa Gutierrez Education & Communications Program Manager

2. How Today Will Go Basic Explanation of How Twitter Works (slides)
Demonstrating What We’re Talking About on the Slides (internet)
Q&A – throughout (small group)
At the end: time for custom assistance with Twitter

3. Why Tweet?
Professionalism: shows you’re a legitimate 21st century organization
Character: allows you to be a real person
Timeliness: gives you a handle on current events and connect with partners in real time
Perk: It’s forgiving – goes away in a few days
Caveat: Even a tiny mistake can cause a big PR snafu!

4. Why I Love Twitter
It’s a microtool – a tiny thing you can start doing to make a big difference
One small interaction can turn into a big relationship
Easy way to check in on how/what people are doing
Streamlined – chronology makes it easy to know what happened when
Simple – in an overwhelming world, it’s nice to practice focusing and stringing together key points

5. Why should tree people love Twitter?
Makes the transition to paperless easy
It’s FREE
Other people love trees and Twitter is a great place to show off the trees you work with (a break from the regular vicious news cycle!)
Connecting cross-discipline (chats, etc) – if youre looking to connect with people you can directly do so, or join chats, etc
Connecting with tree people at state (CAL FIRE), national (USFS), and global levels (UK! AU! Canada!)

6. What’s in a tweet? 140 characters – short, sweet, and efficient
Tags – the sign allows you to connect with specific people/organizations
Hashtags – the “#” sign allows you to organize events, campaigns, and information

7. 140 Characters Stick to the point: omit everything unnecessary
Elements of Style by Strunk & White
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
Online tools: Tinyurl.com
&, abbreviations, etc – get creative!
Caveat: but not sloppy (“u,” “r,” – be careful to keep it professional)

8. Tags – “@” Also called a “handle” Who are we talking to?
How do we find people?
Their websites – look for the logo (if someone has Twitter, they will put it up)
Google – search by name and it will come up on Google
Twitter search – type in name, hit “Accounts”
Lists (make them, subscribe to them)
Who’s following who – do your stalking!

9. Tags Part 2 –
The photo secret: you can tag up to 10 people in a photo!
You need to know their handles
Great way to generate big group conversation and get a lot of people involved without using up character space

10. Hashtags – “#”
More than just a search mechanism: your content will come up in a Twitter search no matter what
Great for collecting thoughts about an event: #PCFIndy
Great for hosting a conversation: #treechat
Great for organizing your own campaigns or contributing to others’
#saveourwaterandourtrees
#UpliftCA
#GivingTuesday

11. Content 1/3 your content 1/3 others’ content – RT
Keep it simple: use the “rule of thirds” (idea borrowed from Uptown Studios):
1/3 your content
1/3 others’ content – RT
1/3 fun  (office, playing around, pictures, puppies, etc)

12. Your Content Decide what your priorities / areas of focus are Trees
Youth
Parks
Events
Decide what ISN’T important so you don’t get distracted or overwhelmed

13. Others’ Content Use your priorities list, but begin to expand
Share to show you’re interested (people love being RT’d)
Think about the message it sends to your audience
What do you find intere

14. Retweeting – “RT” Regular RT Quote RT Respects the source Add comments
Ask questions
Add enthusiasm

15. Fun Content  Your office Your park Tree Fact Friday Puppies, babies
Lighten the mood – if you’re having fun doing what you’re doing, people will be attracted to that!

16. Where do I start?
ReLeaf is so small & busy we are just beginning this, but it is valuable
Goal for small orgs: 1x a week
Goal for bigger orgs: 1x a day
Goal for taking it to the next step: 2-4x a day
Don’t worry about the numbers – but pay attention
GET OUT THERE!!!

17. More Resources: 1-hour “Twitter 101” Webinar from Uptown Studios
1-hour “Social Media 101” Webinar from Uptown Studios
1-hour “Social Media Advocacy” Webinar from Uptown Studios