All You Need to Know to Tweet on Tweeter

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By PAUL BOUTIN
Published: May 6, 2009

OPRAH WINFREY granted pop superstardom in April not to another fraudulent memoirist, but to Twitter, the online social network that has lured both Hollywood celebrities and basement amateurs away from their blogs.
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TweetDeck, a Twitter app, breaks out multiple columns for different kinds of tweets and different groups of friends.
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Spreadtweet is a desktop Twitter app that mimics an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet's rows are actually tweets.

To the Internet hipsters who discovered Twitter in 2006, Oprah’s inaugural tweet — FEELING REALLY 21st CENTURY, she typed — was the end of the era, the shark jump. But that’s like saying the Beatles were over after they appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Twittermania has only begun. In the days after Oprah’s show, Twitter’s traffic growth is accelerating. The ratings service HitWise now ranks twitter.com as America’s No. 38 Web site. It’s about to rocket past CNN and Wells Fargo.

Because it’s kept simple, most users figure out Twitter quickly. If you began tweeting the day of Oprah’s show, it’s a safe bet you already know how to DM a private message to a friend, and how to R.T. a joke worth retweeting. You search for #swineflu every few hours, and know it’s called a hashtag. You’ve learned how to follow Demi Moore and block online marketers.

Assuming you’ve got these basics down, there are many less obvious tips and tweaks to get more from tweeting. They all can be Googled, but the online version of this article has the links.


Advanced Search

Twitter has some powerful search options, but good luck trying to find them. If you use the search box built into Twitter’s Web interface, it won’t tell you there’s also an advanced search tool, and special characters — “operators” in search jargon — that you can use to search for, say, “Bush OR Cheney since:2009-01-20.”

To find the Advanced Search, scroll to the bottom of any page at twitter.com and look for the link “Search” hiding there. Click it and you’ll be taken to search.twitter.com. Click the Advanced Search link. I suggest bookmarking the Advanced page on your browser. There’s another link there that lists all search operators, like “within:10mi.”


Twitter via S.M.S.

Twitter’s architects deliberately limited tweets to 140 characters, so that they could be sent and received as short message service text messages (S.M.S. allows 160 characters, but the Twitter people left room for user names.) Many newcomers are unaware they can operate Twitter by texting. Login at twitter.com and click Settings, then go to Devices and add your phone.

At first, you’ll get nothing. That’s because, by default, updates from the users you follow aren’t texted to your phone, so you don’t run up a bill. Instead, the interface at twitter.com adds buttons next to each user you follow, so you can turn updates on or off.

You can tweet from your phone by texting a message to 40404. You can also text commands to Twitter, like “help” or more important, “off.”


Twitter/Facebook Integration

Are you a Facebook user who also tweets? Wish you could type only one status update, and have it appear in your profile on both social networks? Go to twitter.com/widgets/facebook and click the button at the bottom of the page that says “Install Twitter in Facebook.” You’ll then have to click through a few pages of configuration.

You can use the connection in either direction. I suggest updating Twitter and letting it pass the tweet along to Facebook. It takes fewer steps, and you’ll be kept within the 140-character limit.


Favorites

Another hidden feature: If you like a tweet and want to preserve it for eternity, mouse over it. A star-shaped icon appears at the right of the text. Click that. Then, you can click the Favorites link on your home page to see all the tweets whose stars you’ve clicked, no matter how long ago you saved them. You can also go to other users’ pages and browse through their Favorites.


Sharing Photos

You can’t send photos through Twitter, but you can send the URL for a photo hosted on a Web site. TwitPic plugs the gap with a Web site that both holds your photos and creates URLs for them. You login to twitpic.com with your Twitter username and password, then upload a photo from your computer. You and other users can then share the picture by going to the TwitPic page for your photo and tweeting from there. TwitPic forwards them to Twitter with the correct photo URL automatically appended.


Desktop Twitter Apps

If you’re still using a browser window open to twitter.com to tweet from your computer, try using a desktop (or laptop) client instead, to make sending and reading tweets more like using AOL Instant Messenger.

On Windows machines, Digsby is an application that displays Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and all of your e-mail accounts in a long, tall window that looks like a buffed-up A.I.M..

Mac users can try Twitterrific, which has been praised for a visual aesthetic that resembles Apple’s slick Aperture photo editor.

Both these applications tuck Twitter into the side of your display. If you’d rather it cover your screen, try TweetDeck, a free program that runs on both PCs and Macs. Instead of one column of tweets, TweetDeck breaks out multiple columns for different kinds of tweets and different groups of friends. It has plenty of extra features, too, like photo uploads to TwitPic, a Facebook tie-in and a ticker of stock market tweets.


Phone Apps

Like desktop apps, Twitter clients for smartphones are also proliferating faster than reviewers can track them. And again, there’s no obvious Best in Show. I suggest TwitterBerry for BlackBerry, Tweetie for iPhones, and Twidroid for G1 Android phones. Why? Because these three make it easy to post photos from your phone’s camera to TwitPic without thinking about it.


Another Phone Use

TweetCall is a recently introduced voice-recognition system that takes calls to 1-877-TWEETCALL from your phone, converts your spoken words to text, then tweets the result through your account.

TweetCall correctly parsed “How was the amuse-bouche at French Laundry?” But it still misses words and can’t parse my friends’ user names. The company claims that in a few weeks, the system will have many more Twitter-centric features including support for user names and hashtags.


Sneaking Office Tweets

Spreadtweet is a cheeky desktop app that mimics a boring Excel spreadsheet. Coworkers who don’t look too closely won’t realize your spreadsheet’s rows are actually tweets. I use it at home because it packs a lot of tweets into a small space, with no distracting visuals.

OutTwit is a more serious application that adds Twitter support into Microsoft Outlook. You can send and read tweets from inside Outlook, and then archive, group and search them as if they were e-mail messages.


Save Time for Tweeting

TweetBeep.com does what the I.T. guys call alerts. Once programmed, it will search Twitter once an hour and shoot you an e-mail if it finds, say, the name of your company or the latest batch of #swineflu tweets. TweetBeep saves you from spending your day hovering over the Advanced Search page.

Then again, who am I kidding? One of Twitter’s primary attractions is that it gives obsessive webheads something to reload that updates faster than Google News. All these power tools make using Twitter more flexible and more fun. But they aren’t going to send any of us scurrying back to work any sooner.

Has Twitter Fallen Out of Favor Already?

Shortly after Oprah signed up for Twitter everyone was singing Twitter's praises. But lately news stories are focusing on how Twitter users are just tire kickers and leaving a short while after signing up.

Is it true? Has Twitter lost its marketing power for entrepreneurs already?

Your Twitter Opportunity

Misty of Twitter Money Tree says, "Twitter's growing pains are a good thing. If you're using Twitter for business purposes Twitter is still the most powerful social media channel and it's going to be even better now that the people who didn't take it seriously are leaving."

Twitter may have been fun up until now but it's time to start using new strategies and start making real money from Twitter.

How You Need to use Twitter Differently Now

Gone are the days when you could put spam in an introductory Direct Message or clog your tweet stream with self-promotions. People are jaded to that now and you have to start using Twitter differently.

You now need to focus on having actual conversations and communicating with real people.

.

Misty Twitter Money Tree has a Twitter system that will show you how to use Twitter the right way to both improve your social interactions on Twitter and increase your business' profits.

Here's what you'll learn from Twitter Money Tree:

*How to sign up for Twitter and choose the right username.

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* Which little-known Twitter rule you must follow to the letter so you don't get banned.

* How to auto-follow your followers and unfollow those who unfollow you.

* A directory where you can add your profile and maximize your exposure and find new followers.

* Where to find the top Twitter users and which ones you should follow.

* Why you need to unfollow people who unfollow you and how to do so automatically.

* How to create a private Twitter page that only your team members or membership site members will see.

* How to save all your passwords if you have multiple Twitter accounts.

* Plus much more.

Best of all, these principles can apply to all social networking sites.

Misty from Twitter Money Tree is making this program available for a limited time.

Visit http://donumdei2.twittertre.hop.clickbank.net for further information.

TWITTER... Anyone?

What Is Twitter?

Do you know what Twitter is about? Twitter is a free social networking service in which people can post quick updates on their Twitter site. Many people are taking advantage of this because it’s a way to get to know other people that have the same interests as you.

In order to start, you have to sign up for a free account. It is simple to do and only takes a few minutes to set up. In order to get traffic to your Twitter website, you have to send “tweets”.

Tweets are short posts that you send to your account for others to see. You are only allowed to write your tweets with using 140 characters. Other people that see your tweets are called followers. If they are interested in what you have to say, they in turn, will tweet back to you.

You can tweet on Twitter about different things. Some of the topics include sports, advertising, cooking, weight loss and the list goes on and on. There is no set way as to how you should tweet.

However, when you do tweet, it’s better if your posts are meaningful and have substance. People like to read about things that interest them. With 140 characters to work with for each tweet, you are hard pressed to send something that will peak your follower’s interest.

Twitter can also be used for marketing and promoting of your business. However, you must be subtle about it when you are doing this. You don’t want to start out promoting your business as soon as you sign up for an account.

Your motives will be easily discovered and you won’t have many followers. It’s better if you establish a relationship with your followers and then promote your business. They will appreciate that you thought that much of them not to take advantage of the situation.

With Twitter, everyone is not going to reciprocate when you send out a tweet. Whenever you are tweeting, it’s important not to complain or gripe about other people to your followers. They get turned off very quickly and will not come back to your site.

Twitter is a good tool for networking and cultivating relationships. People like it because they are able to connect with others in ways that they may not be able to do otherwise. You will be able to make connections all around the world by continuing to tweet posts that are of interest to others. It has become the new way of effectively communicating through social networking.

"Follow Me on Twitter" Concept

How To Use The Follow Me On Twitter Concept

It only takes a few minutes to follow someone on Twitter. The “follow me on Twitter” concept is what people use to get people to communicate with them on their Twitter website. This is the way that people will get to know you as you participate in conversation with them.

Using the “follow me on Twitter” concept is the connection that holds the Twitter relationships together. All it takes is a simple tweet to post to your site. It has to be short and to the point because Twitter only allows 140 characters to use for each tweet.

The first thing you need to do is to sign up for a Twitter account. Follow the instructions for signing up. It only takes a few minutes and is simple to do. Anyone can do it in a matter of a few minutes.

After you have signed up with Twitter, you should be logged in already. If you’re not, then activate the sign in link to enter your username and password. It will then take you to your Twitter site.

Look for members that have already signed up and follow them first. If you need to find followers you can either invite them to join Twitter or choose the “Public Timeline” link. You will see other twitters listed. You can select their username and activate the “Follow” button of those you want to follow.

Most of the followers that you have followed will follow you back. Using the “follow me on Twitter” concept is the best way to get followers to your site and to also build Twitter traffic. If a follower sees that you have the same interest, they can use the “Follow” button and invite you to follow them.

As long as you and the other followers provide information that is beneficial and meaningful, then you will get more people to activate the “follow me on Twitter” concept. Not only will using this concept get you Twitter traffic, but it can also help you to access contacts for future business transactions.

When you use the “follow me on Twitter” concept, you cannot blatantly promote your business. Followers will stop following you very quickly. You should not spam your followers when you are using this option. You can promote your business, but there is a certain place and time to do that. You have to first establish relationships with your other followers.

The “follow me on Twitter” concept is so simple, that you can have lots of followers in no time flat.

Want to Make Money with Twitter?

How To Make Money With Twitter

If you thought using Twitter was only for social networking, think again. People are starting to tap in to the concept of making money with their Twitter website. You can make money with Twitter, but there are certain things you have to do in order to make a profit.

Of course, you must have a Twitter account in order to make money with Twitter. Signing up for a Twitter account does not cost you anything. When you get your Twitter site set up, you will want to start posting tweets to your site. Posting tweets will help you get followers. When followers tweet posts to you, you should respond in kind.

It is not necessary to have a gigantic following in order to make money with Twitter. It’s better to have followers that have the same interests than hundreds of followers that are not interested in cultivating a relationship with you on your Twitter site.

You don’t want to be too quick about promoting things in the very beginning. It’s better to get to know the followers on your site. You should want to establish a trust with them. They should also want to establish a trust with you. When it’s time for you to make money with Twitter, it will be easier for you because the relationship has been established.

When you are ready to make money with Twitter, don’t blatantly promote your products or services. Some people could think that you are trying to spam them. It’s not a good idea to mention your product to your followers every time you send a tweet.

However, when the time is right, here are some ways that you can make money with Twitter:

· Product recommendation – You could write a recommendation of a product to your followers. Encourage them to check it out and take action. It’s a good idea if you actually tried out the product yourself before you recommend it to them. It will make you the expert on it, and they will be more inclined to purchase.

· Affiliate marketing – If you are recommending a product on behalf of someone else, you can place your affiliate link in your tweet post.

· Your product – You can promote your own product and sell it from your sales page.

Any of these ideas are ways that you can make money from Twitter. The key to doing it is not to constantly throw it in their face everytime you tweet. Your followers will be turned off because they will start thinking that your main motive for being on Twitter is to sell your product. The easier way to lead up to this is to provide quality and meaningful content to your followers.

People Are Making Money Using Twitter... Are You?

How To Get Twitter Traffic

One of the newest ways in social marketing is Twitter. It is the newest craze that a lot of people are using now. Not only is it a way to get to know more people, it can also be used to get traffic. Getting Twitter traffic can maximize your exposure in ways you may have never imagined.

If you don’t have a Twitter account, then you will need to sign up for one. It’s easy and it only takes a few minutes. The best part about having one is that it is free. In order to get Twitter traffic, you must follow proper etiquette. There are things that you should and should not do in order to make your Twitter site effective.

First you want to build a list of followers to your Twitter site. Twitter traffic depends on getting followers. Followers can help you get exposure and vice versa. Take time to build your list of followers and cultivate a relationship with them. Get to know them and allow them to get to know you. You want their trust just as much as they want your trust.

When you are posting tweets to your Twitter site, provide the posts with substance and meaning. Your followers will be interested in what you have to say and will continue to come back for more. You can get more Twitter traffic as long as you are sincere and honest with your posts.

Continue to participate and observe your followers. If you don’t post tweets, then your followers will think that you are not interested anymore and will stop tweeting at your Twitter website. Getting the most out of Twitter traffic hinges on whether or not you participate in engaging with your followers.

To keep the relationship going, you can tweet on comments that were sent to you from previous tweets. This way, you can post your tweet again and include your link. This is a subtle way that you can use to promote your business. It would not be considered spam because your purpose was to comment on the tweets. If you have a lot of followers, then your chances are greater for people to visit your website.

One thing that you should not do is to overtweet. If you send too many tweets, followers will be turned off and go elsewhere. Also, if your tweets are not interesting, followers will not stick around. It’s important to keep the momentum going if you want to continue getting Twitter traffic.