Getting Started on Twitter

Twitter is the most popular micro-blogging service on the Web and one of the top 50 most popular websites worldwide. Users of Twitter can send messages of 140 characters or less to a network of "followers," either via a web browser, one of several third-party applications or from any cell phone capable of sending text messages. Since Twitter launched in 2006, it has rapidly gained members around the world, including numerous celebrities and other notable figures who use Twitter to reach out personally to their fans. For the average user, Twitter functions as a way to keep in touch with friends, build a business network and share links with like-minded users.

Creating a Twitter Account

To use Twitter, you'll need to create a free account. Head to Twitter's sign-up page and select a username and password. You'll also need to provide a valid email address and solve a "captcha" (type two words that appear as a slightly scrambled image) to prove that you're a real person, not a computer program creating accounts for spam purposes.

You can use your real name as your username--I do--or choose something else. Whatever you do, be sure about the username you want before working hard to build your network. If you end up changing your name later on Twitter, you'll confuse your followers.

Your Profile

Once you have an account, you'll need to fill out your profile. Go to your settings page and add or correct the information there. You can set your AC profile page as your "more info URL" so that new followers looking to learn more about you will check out your content on AC.

By navigating through the tabs at the top of your settings page, you can also change your password, customize your Twitter background, enable Twitter on your cell phone or other mobile SMS-capable device, and add a picture.

Posting Your First Tweet

When you're ready to Tweet for the first time, just click the box under "What are you doing?" and type a message of 140 characters or less. You don't need to actually answer the question above the text box--Tweets can be anything, just as long as it's under 140 characters.

Following Others

Now that you've got an account and a profile, you'll need to follow some other people on Twitter. Start by following Associated Content, also known as @acnews. When referring to another Twitter user by their username in a Tweet, preface the name with an @ sign to turn the username into a link to that person's Twitter page.

You can also find other AC contributors to follow on Twitter by checking out entrants in the AC Twitter Challenge. To find out who has Tweeted about the contest, search for #acsweeps. You can also use Twitter Search to look for terms like AC, Associated Content, freelance writing and more!

You're All Set!

Future posts will go into detail regarding the ethical and authentic use of Twitter as a promotional tool, but if you've followed the steps in this initial tutorial, you're ready to start exploring Twitter! Enjoy, and check back soon for more tips and tutorials.