Learn How to Create and Use a Twitter Account with Astek's Twitter Manual

1. A Manual for
Twitter by Johnny Moran
Digital Media Planner

2. Welcome to Astek’s manual for Twitter.
This is a step-by-step, comprehensive instruction manual designed to get
your Twitter account up and running as soon as possible.
We write about how to create an account, develop your profile, add
followers and create conversation.
You may have additional questions after finishing this manual, so feel free
to use the contact information on the last page to reach us. We’re always
happy to help.
Thanks again, and enjoy!

3. Social Media Strategy
Consider your social media strategy
• Before creating an account, take time to consider:
o Why is this channel used?
o What type of person/entities within your industry or related industries
use Twitter?
o What are examples of their activity?
o Do you have specific goals for this channel?
• Brand awareness?
• Information on your industry?
• Locate client leads?
• Establish your authority on your industry?
o What are your measurements for success?
• Increased followers?
• Re-tweets of your content?
• Successful client leads?’
o Strategic vision will increase efficiency & create actionable goals that can
be measured for ROI
Account Creation
Create a Twitter account
• Go to Twitter.com
• Enter the name you wish to be associated with the account
o This could be a business name, the business owner, or the head of your
social media department
• Enter an email address that can be easily accessed by those managing the
account
o A special email account can be created in this case, i.e.
socialmedia@mycompany.com
o An email connected to an individual on your staff can be used, as well
o However, if this person leaves the company, this information must be
changed and updated
• Enter a secure password
Choose a Username
• This is what is referred to as a “Twitter handle.” This is what will appear on your
profile and represent what your account stands for
• It is best to choose a username that reflects the entity that you are representing
on Twitter as closely as possible
o Examples: @Target, @BestBuy, @pizzahut

4. • You also may NOT be able to get an exact match username. You would then
choose a username that reflects what you do and who you are
o Examples below:
• This increases your relevancy to Twitter users and maintains the consistency of
your marketing effort
• Click “Create Account.”
Profile Design
• Your Twitter profile page design should be consistent with the look of your
website and social media platforms
• Include your logo on your profile, most likely as your cover image
• Design the background to reflect your website
• The description copy should also reflect your purpose and specialties, written
in your unique voice

5. Build Out Your Account
• Create your profile
o This is the first area of information that a visitor will see when clicking into
your account
o This should contain information that sums up who you are and what you
do, using strong, relevant keywords, as well as links to sites you wish your
followers to visit (home page, blog, etc.)
• Once the account is created, you now must increase your reach
• This is accomplished by “following” other Twitter users
• Twitter will assist you by suggesting whom you should follow
• Consider searching for your target audience first, either by name or industry
• Once you start to add connections, Twitter’s algorithm will start to suggest
connections more in line with your interests
• Find any of your current personal connections, either locally or through other
networks like LinkedIn
• Find your current clients and follow them
• Send them a tweet or a direct message to say hello and request that they
follow you back
• Deliver content that you have created with your network that is useful,
shareable and creates interest in your business (blogs, newsletters, etc.)

6. Twitter Tools
Twitter has a range of devices that can help streamline your social media strategy
• Twitter Lists
o A list is a managed group of Twitter users
o Viewing a list timeline (history of tweet activity) will show you a stream of
Tweets from only the users on that list
o You will need to indicate the list name, description and privacy settings.
Set privacy to either public or private
• Advantages to using lists (Source: http://bit.ly/10Ncr1P/)
o Saves time and effort
• Simply refer to the list to identify the individuals you wish to
address or monitor
o Arranges tweets properly
• Quick and easy pool of accounts that pertains to the same
subject matter, where tweets can be followed or shared
o Get the right information
• You can read posts and conversations among the people you
arrange on Twitter Lists so you can also attend to their concerns
and provide for their demands
o Increase visibility
• Meet some more experts and mentors in the industry and grow
your business continually by participating in their respective
activities and social media events

7. How to Create/Use Twitter Lists

9. Twitter Tools (Cont’d.)
• Hashtags
o The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a
Tweet. It was organically created by Twitter users as a way to categorize
messages and as search terms for conversations
o The Twitter hashtag is a powerful way to follow conversations on a topic
of interest. Similarly, the hashtag is a good way to create a Twitter
conversation (Source: http://learnitin5.com/Twitter-Hashtags)
• Advantages to using Hashtags (Source: http://bit.ly/12r4QIw)
o Gain more followers
• Hashtags build your reputation. Use these to talk about recent
issues and specific topics to drive people into the conversation.
You can also manage the conversation properly and build a
name for yourself in your chosen industry or field. Lastly,
hashtags allow you talk about activities or things that personally
appeal to you or those which you have a lot of knowledge
o Engage in conversation
• Hashtags are a great way to acquire new information regarding
various subjects from different parts of the globe, giving you the
opportunity to talk to people who also share the same interests
and or belong in the same field
o Exchanging content
• You can use hashtags concurrently with other social media tools
and features. You can upload links, photos and videos. Share
blogs and articles online related to the topic then add 1 to 2
hashtags
o Target users
• Hashtags will only lead relevant users to you and vice-versa.
Information can be shared and acquired by individuals who have
the same interests

10. How to Create/Use Hashtags

11. Twitter Tools (Cont’d.)
• Direct Messages
o Direct messages are private messages sent from one Twitterer to
another. They can’t be seen by other users.
o You can only send a direct message to a person who follows you
and they can only reply to your direct message if you also follow
them.
• Advantages to Using Direct Messages (Source: http://bit.ly/vqbf8f)
o This service allows you to respond to posts, follows, etc., over the life of
your account.
o Direct Messages allow you to share valuable content as you gain
followers. This can improve your image as a business.
o Direct Messages also allow you to tend to your audience’s needs or
problems.
Warning:
3rd
party automation tools can be used to send automated direct messages to
followers. However, according to Twitter’s best practices, this is not recommended.

12. Twitter Etiquette
Twitter, like any other social platform, is “social” first. Proper behavior and
consideration will protect your business’ reputation online. Below are some valuable
tips.
(Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227038)
• Always add value to the conversation
• Don’t overuse hashtags
• Don’t follow every follower that you receive. Look for more higher quality
connections
• Do not just tweet headlines or links. Add your opinion in order to create
conversation
• You are judged by the followers you keep
• Avoid automation
• Avoid negativity
• Do not over-promote yourself or your clients
• Do not become an annoyance

13. Posting Schedule
When deciding when and how often you should post, first consider your audience.
Do they monitor Twitter hourly, daily or weekly? What do they wish to learn or talk
about? Are they hoping to be constantly informed about a subject or industry?
Times of the day are pivotal in deciding when to post, as this is the most likely time
your Tweets will be clicked upon.
From Mashable: “The company (Twitter) revealed that posting links to Twitter between
the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. ET (or 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PT) will give you
the highest click rank, especially on days earlier in the week. Meanwhile, sending a
tweet with a link after 8:00 p.m. should be avoided — as should posting links after
3:00 p.m. on Fridays.”
Source: (http://mashable.com/2012/05/09/best-time-to-post-on-facebook/)
Included are the best days to post. Typically, your peak time will be Monday through
Thursday, and the traffic falls off dramatically after 3pm on Fridays through the
weekend.

14. Consider Using a Social Media Management System
• These are platforms that allow you to monitor traffic, post to all of your
networks, measure your activity and responses, and update your social media
profiles
• The advantage to using these tools are:
o Amount of saved time
o ROI measurement
o Saves data for year-on-year comparison
• There are several options to choose from:
o Sprout Social
o Argyle Social
o Hoote Suite
• Research each to determine which may be the best fit for your needs and
budget

15. F.A.Q. Section
How long do they last?
The average lifespan of a tweet is 18 minutes, according to SEOmoz. High follower
count users have a longer life than low follower count users. Also, the longer a tweet
sits at the top of your page, the longer its life. The more you tweet, the shorter the
lifespan of each individual tweet.

17. What's a MT?
Why does my link look different in the post than when I put it there?
Should I leave room in my message in case it's RTed?
Yes, you should, according to Media Bistro, a leading social media marketing site. “To
give yourself the best possible chance of a retweet, you need to make sure you leave
this many characters free.” The rule is, combine the number of characters in your
username and add 5 character spaces. “When sharing links and content,
I always ensure I leave a minimum…Otherwise, those wanting to retweet you are
forced to edit your submissions so that they can give the proper credit. Because f this
extra work, many times, they simply won’t bother retweeting you at all.”

18. Can I post the same thing more than once?
Yes you can. The Twitter feed has millions of tweets a week, so your followers may
not see your posts right when you poste them. By posting several times, you can
increase the chances of your posts being digested. This can be done very easily
through a social media management too, which will allow you to post a tweet at
several different times and days.
(Source: http://www.catalystmarketers.com/tweet-your-blog/)
How to I move someone from list to list?
Can I post a photo? How?

19. How do I start a conversation?
(Source: http://yhoo.it/13QmJwQ)
Can I change my twitter account name? How?

20. Should I have more than one account for my company?

21. When I start a tweet with the @, no one can see it? Why?
(Source: Hubspot.com)

22. •
Account Management
Log into Twitter
• Twitter.com
• Social media management platform (Argyle, Sprout Social, etc.)
Click into the “Connect” menu
• This area holds any kind of information on responses or new followers you have
received in your account
• This is information you can use to connect and respond to users that have
chosen to follow you
• (In a SMMP, click into the “Measure” or “Activity” menu. This contains the same
data as stated above. Repeat process.)
Examine each post or follower received
• Determine the source of the tweet or interaction
o Is this a bot, designed to accumulate followers?
o Is this a spamming account, which may infect your computer with a
virus?
o Is this a single individual how has related interests to yours?
o Is this a single individual that be served by your specialties?
o Is this an organization within your industry?
o Is this an organization outside of your industry that can be
complimented by your services?
o Is this an organization with a goal of simply adding followers?
• Determine how best to respond to the interaction
o Can you solve a problem this person might have with material you have
produced by sending a link or PDF?
o Can you learn something from them or interest them in writing a blog
post for you?
o Do they maintain a blog with material that your followers may find
useful?
o Are they a possible lead that can be approached with a top-of-funnel
approach?
• Follow up with any further response
o This is, after all, a tool to create conversation
o Be sure to respond in some form (a “hello, “thank you,” etc.)

23. Thank you for reading!
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about social
media marketing, we can be reached through the contacts below!