For many people, Twitter is still a new thing that not everyone has caught onto yet. If you’re just starting out on Twitter, then this blog was made specially for you!
I will show you key terms that will make you feel like less of a n00b when exploring through the Twitter world.
Tweet – a message that you post on your page which can be seen by anyone in the world. The people who are most likely to read your tweet are the ones who follow you.
Following/followers – In terms of Twitter, people who you are following are ones that you knowingly subscribe to viewing their tweets. You may be interested in reading what’s on Justin Bieber’s mind, or perhaps you’re more interested in reading CNN’s Breaking News… maybe even both! Each time you click “follow” on someone’s account, their tweets will automatically pop up on your timeline.
Likewise, people can follow you. If you have tweets that you want to share with the world, then people can subscribe to you.
Timeline – The area on your main page where tweets appear. Also referred to as a “TL”
Hashtag – One of the most overused, underrated features of Twitter. A hashtag when you write a number symbol before a keyword in a tweet. It allows you to join a conversation with anyone else who has used that hashtag.
For example, I might tweet saying “Loved watching the #Grammy awards last night”. The word “Grammy” will turn into a link, and I can read what other people are saying about the Grammy awards as well. Likewise, they can view your tweet.
Avatar - No, not the movie… it’s your main photo. This is the one that appears beside every tweet that you say. I would recommend putting a picture of yourself so that people feel more comfortable connecting with a real live human being.
Trending – Topics that many people are tweeting about around the world. You can click on trending topics and see what people are saying about that topic. Recommended trends change according to your geographic location and your interests. Lately, Rob Ford has been appearing as a recommended trend for me because I am from Toronto and he has been a very popular point on discussion on Twitter.
Handle – This is your Twitter address, how people find you and mention you. My twitter handle is @jdellamora. If you want to message me, you’ll typing in “@jdellamora (insert message here)”. This will also show up as an extension page on Twitter… www.twitter.com/jdellamora.
Lists – Sometimes you may be bombarded with so many tweets from so many different sources that it becomes confusing. You may be reading about celebrities one minute, and the next thing you know, you’re reading about tips for expecting mothers. You can organize the people who you follow into your own customized lists. One may be “Advice for moms” another may be “News” another may be “Sports” and another may be “Celebrity gossip”
Well there you have it! A dictionary for all the twitter terms that you need to know!
If you have any comments or questions, you can get me on Twitter, Facebook, or comment below!
<3 Joseph Della Mora <3
