The Twitter Book

About the Authors......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Introduction......Page 14
What is Twitter?......Page 16
Ambient intimacy......Page 18
Sharing news and commentary......Page 20
Breaking news and shared experiences......Page 22
Mind reading......Page 24
Business conversations......Page 26
CHAPTER 1. Get Started......Page 28
Sign up......Page 30
Quickly create a compelling profile......Page 32
Understand what “following” means......Page 34
Find the people you know on Twitter......Page 36
Get suggestions for cool people to follow......Page 38
Twitter from the road......Page 40
Test-drive the 140-character limit......Page 42
Trim messages that are too long......Page 44
The secret to linking in Twitter......Page 46
Figure out how many people to follow......Page 48
Join a conversation:the hashtag (#) demystified......Page 50
Key Twitter jargon: tweet......Page 52
Key Twitter jargon: @messages......Page 54
Key Twitter jargon: retweet......Page 56
Key Twitter jargon: DM......Page 58
Key Twitter jargon: tweetup......Page 60
Twitter jargon: Fail Whale......Page 62
Try it for three weeks oryour money back—guaranteed!......Page 64
Get help from Twitter......Page 66
CHAPTER 2. Listen In......Page 68
Use Twitter Search......Page 70
Keep on an eye on hot topics......Page 72
Four cool tools for tracking trends: #1......Page 74
Four cool tools for tracking trends: #2......Page 76
Four cool tools for tracking trends: #3......Page 78
Four cool tools for tracking trends: #4......Page 80
Take advantage of advanced search......Page 82
Four important things to search for......Page 84
Advance your advanced search......Page 86
Track searches with RSS......Page 88
Track search with email alerts......Page 90
Track twittered links to your website......Page 92
Find out what people are reading......Page 94
Bookmark links to read later......Page 96
Use a life-changing third-party program......Page 98
Life-changing program #1: Twhirl......Page 100
Life-changing program #2: TweetDeck......Page 102
Use a great mobile client......Page 104
Follow smart people you don’t know......Page 106
Figure out who’s influential on Twitter......Page 108
CHAPTER 3. Hold Great Conversations......Page 110
Get great followers......Page 112
Reply to your @messages......Page 114
Retweet clearly and classily: Part 1......Page 116
Retweet clearly and classily: Part 2......Page 118
When via is better than RT......Page 120
What to retweet......Page 122
Troubleshoot your retweets......Page 124
Ask questions......Page 126
Answer questions......Page 128
Send smart @replies......Page 130
Twitter often...but not too often......Page 132
Three cool hashtag tricks......Page 134
Know your new followers......Page 136
Three tools to figure out your followers......Page 138
Unfollow graciously......Page 140
Don’t auto-DM (for crying out loud)......Page 142
Don’t spam anyone......Page 144
Fight spam......Page 146
CHAPTER 4. Share Information and Ideas......Page 148
Be interesting to other people......Page 150
Make sure your messages get seen......Page 152
Link to interesting stuff around the Web......Page 154
Link appealingly to your blog or site......Page 156
Link to a tweet......Page 158
Post pictures......Page 160
Live-twitter an event......Page 162
Overhear things......Page 164
Publish on Twitter......Page 166
Participate in fundraising campaigns......Page 168
Make smart suggestions on FollowFriday......Page 170
Post on the right days......Page 172
Repost important messages......Page 174
CHAPTER 5. Reveal Yourself......Page 176
Post personal updates......Page 178
Go beyond “What are you doing?”......Page 180
Use the right icon......Page 182
Fill out your full bio (it takes two seconds)......Page 184
Spiff up your background: Part 1......Page 186
Spiff up your background: Part 2......Page 188
Cross-post to your Facebook account......Page 190
Keep track of friends and family......Page 192
CHAPTER 6. Twitter for Business: Special Considerations and Ideas......Page 194
Listen first......Page 196
Have clear goals......Page 198
Integrate with your other channels......Page 200
Start slow, then build......Page 202
Figure out who does the twittering......Page 204
Reveal the person behind the curtain......Page 206
Manage multiple staff Twitterers......Page 208
Coordinate multiple accounts......Page 210
Make sure you’re findable......Page 212
Be conversational......Page 214
Retweet your customers......Page 216
Offer solid customer support......Page 218
Post mostly NOT about your company......Page 220
Link creatively to your own sites......Page 222
Make money with Twitter......Page 224
Report problems…and resolutions......Page 226
Post personal updates......Page 228
Use URL shorteners to track click-throughs......Page 230
Engage journalists and PR people......Page 232
Integrate Twitter with your products......Page 234
Follow everyone who follows you(almost)......Page 236
Three key tools for business accounts......Page 238
Continuing the conversation......Page 240
G......Page 241
S......Page 242
Z......Page 243