Twitter in itself can be very overwhelming, and that’s without worrying what tools and resources you need to manage your account properly. So we’ve done the hard work for you and compiled a list of our favourites.
Twitter for Beginners
We’ve divided our list into two parts; this one for fledgling tweeters and one for fully-fledged users (keep an eagle eye out for more advanced tools in Part 2, coming soon), but it’s worth checking them both to make sure there’s nothing you miss.
1. Twitter’s Help Guide
If you’re just getting started, Twitter’s help guide is a great, if obvious, place to start. It’s clearly laid out and organised, so you can find the information you need quickly.
2. Top 10 Twitter Tips for Beginners
PC Mag’s succinct Top 10 Twitter Tips for Beginners also provides useful tips including how to shorten your URL , share pictures and tweet from your phone.
3. Twitter Glossary
Once you’ve set up your account, sent a few tweets and got some followers, it’s worth browsing the Twitter Glossary, or simply bookmarking it for when you come across unfamiliar terms. The Twitter Glossary also contains some interesting links to explain how certain features operate, so even seasoned tweeters can learn something new by going back to basics.
4. Twitter Backgrounds
Personalising your profile generates more interest, so don’t stick to the defaults. Google throws up a range of Twitter background websites for you to choose from, but we’ve picked out Twitr Backgrounds because there are lots of high-quality, free backgrounds to choose from and it’s easy to use. Simply select the background you like and enter your Twitter account details to set it automatically. Or, if you have time, it’s easy enough to create your own background and set it in your account.
5. Add Twitter to your website or Facebook account
Just follow the simple instructions here to display your tweets and help your website’s visitors find you quickly and easily. A word of warning: don’t display your Twitter feed on your website if you might go long periods without tweeting because it doesn’t give visitors a good impression.
6. Find your friends
It’s more than likely your friends have Twitter accounts. Using Facebook’s Twitter application, you can also find and manage your Facebook friends using Twitter.
7. Find other people to follow
Browse your favourite websites and keep a look out for their Twitter accounts, or have a quick search if you know the company or website name. You can also search for people via the We Follow directory, and add your own account so people can find you.
8. Keep track with Tweetdeck
Once you start to develop your follower base, it’s difficult to keep track of what’s going on with your Twitter timeline alone. Tweetdeck is a free desktop client with hundreds of of useful features, including support for Twitter lists, scheduled tweets, a spam button and support for Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Google Buzz and Foursquare…to name just a few. But don’t worry about getting to grips with it all – the learning curve is small as Tweetdeck is based around a clear, easy-to-use interface.
What now?
Now you’ve got all the basics down, you’re probably still asking some questions. How do I get more followers on Twitter? What advanced Twitter tools are available? How can I use Twitter to promote my website? Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts covering all this and more…
