A introduction to using Twitter for professional development or growing a business. Learn the difference between Facebook and Twitter, basic terminology, what to consider when creating a Tweet, and how you can use Twitter to research competitors and your customers.

1. How to Use Twitter for Professional Success
FOR PROFESSIONALS
Presented by: Melissa McGinnis

2. Uses for Twitter
• Professional Development
• Share your knowledge and expertise
• Promote your blog
• Build your brand as a professional
• Build Your Business
• Increase business exposure
• Increase traffic to your web site
• Engage your audience/customers
• Build your brand as the best in the business

3. Facebook VS Twitter
• Facebook Pages are like pubic
websites that anyone can
access
• To receive updated info, you
“like” the Facebook page
• The Twitter advantage is
EVERYTHING is public and
everyone is a part of the
conversation therefore you
can reach more people
without being “liked” or
“followed”
Source:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dwhEutOjYXU/TUna7rTIOVI/AAAAAAAABlo/
z0uu_d-jLeE/s1600/Zenitram_FacebookVsTwitter.jpg

4. Facebook Post: Scenario One
The goal is to always gain greater exposure
with QUALITY content.
Create
Interesting
Post
Appears on
friends’
newsfeed
If interesting
enough …
A Friend
Shares it
Person 1 Person 2
Person 1a Person 1b Person 2a Person 2b

5. Facebook Post: Scenario Two
The goal is to always gain greater exposure
with QUALITY content.
Create
Interesting
Post
Appears on
friends’
newsfeed
Appears on
your Page
Someone new
visits your page
Like Content
and Page
Receive
Updates in
Newsfeed

6. Twitter Allows Greater Exposure
Anyone can see your posts by:
• Searching keywords
• Commenting on the same
event or topic (#_____)
• Retweeted posts to the public
and followers
• Mentioning followers and
parading them
• And more!
Source:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dwhEutOjYXU/TUna7rTIOVI/AAAAAAAABlo/
z0uu_d-jLeE/s1600/Zenitram_FacebookVsTwitter.jpg

7. Twitter Post: Scenario One
The goal is to always gain greater exposure
with QUALITY content.
Create
Interesting
Post
Appears on
friends’
newsfeed
Someone
searches a key
word
Someone finds
your post
They decide
to follow you
They
receives
updates

8. Twitter Post: Scenario Two
The goal is to always gain greater exposure
with QUALITY content.
Create
Interesting
Post
Appears on
friends’
newsfeed
Follower sees it They retweet
Their
followers see
it
New
Follower
Public Sees it

9. Twitter Allows Greater Exposure
On Twitter,
the general public has a much greater
chance of seeing your post than on
Facebook!

10. Basic Terminology
Twitter
the social media site
Tweet
a post on Twitter; tweeting, tweeted
ReTweet (RT)
sending someone else’s Tweet
Reply
responding or commenting on someone else’s tweet

11. Basic Terminology
Follow
People or organizations you receive information
(or Tweets) from
Followers
People or or organizations that receive
information (or Tweets) from you
Remember … For business and professional purposes, it is
not the number but rather the quality of your followers
that is important!

12. Basic Terminology: Hashtag
#______
• A specific topic of discussion
• Used in a Tweet to categorize the Tweet for the
public
• When everyone uses the same hashtag in a Tweet
they are talking about, or commenting on, the
same topic.
• Hashtags are typically created by advertisers or
marketers, and sometimes created by creative
individuals for fun!

13. Basic Terminology: Handle
@______
Name of a person or organization on Twitter
When you add a handle to a tweet you are:
1.Addressing an individual or organization
publicly
2.Mentioning them; often giving accolades

14. Example: Gainesville Restaurant Week

15. Gainesville Restaurant Week on Twitter
Provides
Twitter
information
in a
magazine ad
Businesses can create a buzz by advertising the hashtag

16. Example Tweets about Restaurant Week
Tweet from an Individual:
@GNVEats I am so excited about restaurant week!
#GNVEats
@GNVEats How do I purchase tickets to participate?
At the event:
Napalatano’s stuffed mushrooms ROCK at Restaurant
Week! #GNVEats
Note: Napalatano’s does not have Twitter account so we can not
“mention” them in our Tweet. If they did, people could Tweet about
them and increase exposure at events like Restaurant Week.

17. Tweeting as a Business
• Recognize other businesses participating in Restaurant
week
• A consistent in-person presence in the community and
on Twitter increase your exposure
• Your tone, consistency, and presence online will help
build your brand and increase your exposure
• When mentioning others, your Tweets have the
potential to be Retweeted, expanding your audience

18. Example Tweets about Restaurant Week
Tweeting as a business:
Experience the joy of good food with us at
Restaurant Week in Gainesville this
weekend! #GNVEats
@GNVEats We had a great time at
Restaurant Week! #GNVEats
Great job @GnvChamber on Restaurant
Week! #GNVEats

19. Restaurant Week on Twitter
Restaurant Week can be used by the Gainesville Area Chamber
of Commerce to help local businesses in the food and beverage
industry
Twitter Can:
• Help to increase exposure of restaurants in Gainesville
• Brand Gainesville as a fun destination to “wine and dine”
• Promote Restaurant Week by providing information about
participating restaurants and encouraging positive hype
• Show how the Chamber can help local businesses
And more!

20. GNVEats on Twitter
Notice custom background, logo, description, pictures, and
tweets

21. Tweeting as GNVEats
Possible Strategies:
• Tweet about local restaurants – positive experiences,
special events, and deals
• Provide updated information about Restaurant Week,
reminding that it will occur and encourage hype
• Recognize participants positively
• Offer exclusive offers for GNVEats followers
• Encourage # conversations to build hype
• RT (retweet) positive feedback
• Tweet with links to website
• And more ….

22. http://printmediacentr.com/files/2011/08/twitter_best_practices_infographic.png

23. Accessing Twitter
Go to twitter.com to sign up or sign in

24. Tips for Creating an Account
• Create a “handle” that will be easy to
remember
• If you are using Twitter for:
• Professional Development use a professional
picture of yourself
• Promoting a business use the company logo

25. Potential People to Follow
• Mentors and Experts in your field
• Competitors
• Non-profit and Foundations with similar interests
• Customers
• Professional Organizations
• Other Local Companies
• Friends and Colleagues
• Former Clients
• Social Media Marketing Experts
• Events
• Conferences of interest
• Government organizations
• News Sources
And more!

26. Home
Home
button
Personal
Profile
Info

27. Changing Personal Settings
Click to
change your
personal
settings
Change background to include logo to
personalize, adjust information and

28. Home
Suggestions
on who to
follow based
on interest
and who you
are following
Top Tweets
on Twitter
Follow people and organizations that are of
interest to you

29. Researching
Explore
trends by
geographic
location and
more
Type in
keywords for
topics of
interest

30. Composing a Tweet
Click to
compose a
Tweet

31. Source: http://blog.thoughtpick.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/twitter-joke.jpg

32. Sources:
• Twitter Logo
http://blogs.loc.gov/loc/files/2010/04/twitter_logo.jpg
• Bird Cartoon http://blog.thoughtpick.com/wp-
content/uploads/2009/09/twitter-joke.jpg
• Best Practices Infograph
http://printmediacentr.com/files/2011/08/twitter_best_pr
actices_infographic.png

33. Thank You!
Melissa McGinnis
@MelissaMarleneM
mcginnis.m.melissa@gmail.com