So there’s a lot of blog posts out there about how to use Twitter to your advantage, and they use a lot of fancy words like “Viral Marketing”, “Hash Tags”, and for some reason, everything has an “@” symbol in front of it. What’s that all about? Well, that’s what I’m here to tell you!

First, let’s go over some basic terms for using Twitter.

Username

The Username is how Twitter users are identified. You have a username and so does everyone else, and it’s one of several ways people can search for your Twitter account. When choosing a username it’s important to think about the purpose of your twitter account. For example, I have several Twitter accounts for different things, such as @arkwulf(My personal account) and @AWSnetwork(The account for Arkangel Wulf Studios and AWS Creative).

Twitter Feed

The Twitter Feed is the meat of the Twitter experience. Whenever you post a “tweet”, you’re posting it to your Twitter Feed. Likewise, when you’re viewing everyone else’s posted tweets, that is also called a Twitter Feed. Another term for this is Timeline.

Follow

Following someone on Twitter is similar to adding a friend on Facebook. Now all of their updates will be posted to the Twitter Feed on your Twitter homepage. In turn, you will also be followed by people who wish to view all of your posts in their Twitter Feed.

Reply

Here’s where it starts to get a little more complicated. @Replies(pronounced at-replies) are one of the more intimate ways to have a conversation through Twitter. By placing the “@” symbol as well as the desired Username, you can specifically send a tweet to anyone on Twitter. This allows you to respond directly to another user’s tweet, and they’ll be notified of your response, allowing them to @reply back to you! But be warned, everything you say in an @reply is 100% viewable by the public, so keep private conversations for the next method…

Direct Message

Direct Messages are a more private form of communication on Twitter. You can only send Direct Messages(or DM’s) to people you are following that also follow you. This is kind of like sending an email to your friends through Twitter. All of the same rules still apply. You’re restricted to 140 characters, and it appears in their timeline, but nobody but the two involved parties will see it. You do this by placing a “d” and then a space in front of the desired Username.

ReTweet

A ReTweet is when you want to share something you saw tweeted with everyone else who follows you. There’s no formal way of ReTweeting really, but it can be accomplished through twitter.com by clicking Retweet under the post.

Advanced Twittering

Hash Tag

Hash Tags are a great way of categorizing your tweets for specific groups of Users on Twitter. To use a Hash Tag, simply place a #(Number) symbol before a word in your tweet. Keep in mind that it needs to be all one word for the tag to recognize it. For example, if I wanted everyone who likes Star Wars to see one of my tweets, I would place #StarWars somewhere in the tweet.

RSS

Nobody is quite sure what RSS stands for, but most people commonly understand it to mean Really Simple Syndication. That’s just a fancy way of saying that it’s a way of putting information out on the internet that can be ready by a number of programs and applications. Most blogs and social network apps run off of RSS feeds, and it’s a great way to share info from one platform to another.

Widget

Widgets are small applications that run on websites. In reference to Twitter, there are several widgets that you can find out there to add your Twitter Feed to your website, whether it be static HTML, Wordpress or Blogger.

App

App is short for Application. If you’ve spent any time on Facebook or any of Apple’s products, you know this term pretty well. There are a number of Twitter Apps that allow you to use Twitter on your phone, or computer, without having to go to twitter.com.

Social Media is a tricky thing. These days it’s not just important that you be on the internet, but also that you have a way for people to interact with that web presence. With this in mind, I’m starting a series of entries on how to use different Social Media to your advantage, starting with Twitter.

Whether you’re a business or an individual, Twitter has a lot of features to take advantage of. But before we get into the technical aspects, let’s go over what Twitter is first.

Simply put, Twitter is a Micro-Blogging Platform. More simply put, it’s a way for people to see what you’re up to, and vice versa. You can use it to keep up to date with all your favorite celebrities, as an alternative to following RSS feeds, or just simply to keep in contact with family and friends all over the world.

The brilliance of Twitter comes in it’s simplicity. The service restricts you to 140 characters per post. Some would say this makes things more difficult to convey complex ideas, but one of my favorite follows, Kevin Smith, famous writer/director, puts it best when he says that Twitter forces you to self-edit, and thereby makes you a better communicator. But really, it comes down to a matter of opinion. Love it or hate it, it’s the thing that has made Twitter catch on so fast. Well, that and the flurry of celebrity support.

So now that you what Twitter is, how can you use it to your advantage? Well, this all depends on two factors; who are you, and who is your audience. For example, are the parties involved tech-savvy or technophobes? Either way, Twitter has features and support for both audiences, but the most important one is going to take a tech-leap-of-faith for the uninitiated; Twitter Clients.

Twitter Clients or Twitter Apps are programs built specifically to feed and recieve “Tweets” to the Twitter service. You can find them in a range of styles, from complex to simple, on a variety of devices, like your PC, Mac or even your phone! The most popular of these clients is Tweetdeck, which allows you to organize the people you follow into several columns, allowing for quick filtering of Tweets. You can even sync this client across multiple platforms, including the iPhone, with a shared online login! But if you’re looking for something a little more simple, there’s lots of other clients with less functionality. Personally, I like Twhirl. It has a simple interface, and can be easily tuned to not disturb your online workflow.

Check back next week for Part 2 of our Twitter series, in which I’ll explain some of the technical terms used when discussing Twitter.

DO: Take Time Writing Out Your Name Tag
DON’T: Place Your Name Tag Somewhere Innappropriate

Writing out your name tag is usually one of the first things you’re going to do when you arrive at a networking event, and it’s one of the most overlooked moments. Your name tag is often one of the first things people will look at when meeting you at an event, so making sure that it’s legible, informative and well-placed are all important. Chicken scratch does not scream succes, and neither does just writing your first name. Often times, including the name of your business, and in some specific instances, things like your twitter username are helpful pieces of info that help you stand apart from the other Mike standing two feet away. And of course, if your name tag is placed on your upper thigh, there’s a good chance nobody is going to see it. And if they do, you can be sure it’s gonna be an awkward moment when you catch them glancing at your crotch!

DO: Sample The Appetizers
DON’T: Stuff Your Face With Everything You Can Get Your Mitts On

There’s nothing wrong with having a snack at a networking event. Heck, that’s why they’re serving appetizers in the first place. But if you’re just there for the free food, chances are, people notice. A good rule of thumb is to try one of everything, but refrain from going back for seconds (Unless there’s something REALLY tasty, like mini-burgers!). And if you’re like me, have something to eat beforehand, so that when you show up and someone engages you in conversation, you’re listening, and not intent on snagging that server when she comes back around with those chicken wings…

DO: Relax And Have A Drink
DON’T: Relax And Get A Little Drunk

Nobody ever said there was a problem with having a drink or too. As a matter of fact, in a situation like business networking, it can even be helpful. I’ll admit that I’m a bit more keen to socialize after I’ve got a little alcohol in me, but know where to draw the line. Nothing can be more damaging to your budding reputation as getting a little tipsy and ending up being known as “That Guy Who’s Talking Really Loud And Saying Offensive Things”. Trust me, you might think everyone is laughing with you, but that’s the alcohol talking…they’re laughing at you.

DO: Shake Hands, Make Eye Contact And Speak Up!
DON’T: Mumble And Look At Your Feet

This one might be difficult, and feel awkward at first, but trust me, it says a lot about your business. There’s nothing wrong with being shy and reserved, but you’re certainly not going to make your first million by keeping all your great ideas to yourself. So get off that chair, walk over to that person that looks interesting, grab their hand, look them in the eye and introduce yourself! This may seem like remedial networking to most people, but seriously, it’s important. As a graphic designer, I’m well aware of the difference that appearances can make, but looking professional is only half of the equation. You need to walk the walk and talk the talk. For some people, this means having a rehearsed “Elevator Pitch” for their business, for others it may be as simple as just having a good conversation starter, and that leads me into final DO/DON’T…

DO: Bring Lots Of Business Cards
DON’T: Forget Your Card At Home

I may have left this one for last, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s the least important. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. A good business card is the key to that warm lead you’re hoping to develop at a networking event. If you forget your card, or worse yet, your card is forgettable, then you can say goodbye to that comfortable follow up call. It can be really disheartening to dial up a prospect only to have them completely forget who you are. This is where an AWESOME business card comes in handy. They work as great conversation starters, and that conversation can become something memorable. And remember, although you look at your business card every day, your prospects are seeing them for the first time, so don’t dampen the impact. If you’ve got a great business card, then you’ve got something to be proud of, and that goes a long way in attaining that heir of success we all look up to.

And don’t forget to follow us on twitter, facebook, and check out our other sites in the AWS Network!