Quick Twitter Tips: A Twitter Guide For Beginners

Twitter can be an intimidating jumble of # symbols, RTs, DMs, @'s, and other code-like shorthand to a Twitter newbie.

To help get the hang of it, we've put together a Twitter guide for Twitter beginners with nine tips for how to communicate on Twitter, make sense of it, and make the most of it.

Tricks and tips aside, some users suggest the best thing a new tweeter can do is just start sharing. "Just jump in and start engaging (for lack of better cliche word) - and not just with people you know," suggested @Agrinavich. @BrunuM suggested Twitter newbies should just "tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet and tweet."

Have other Twitter tips you'd like to share? Click "Add a slide" or "Send a tip" below to share them with us.

 

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The various Twitter shorthand--from DMs and RTs to #'s--can be puzzling to Twitter newbies. Here's the basic terminology you need to know: "RT" stands for "retweet," in which a user shares another tweeter's post, verbatim, while crediting the original tweeter. A retweet appears as "RT @[username]" followed by the tweet. A "DM" is a direct message--a message up to 140 characters in length that is sent only to another specific user, not to all of a user's Twitter followers. (A "DM fail" describes direct messages that were supposed to be private, but that were accidentally shared with all of a tweeter's followers.) A hashtag is created by using the # symbol ahead of a word or term. As Twitter explains, a hashtag "is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages." Hashtags might be used to add color or personality to a tweet (like "#fail") or it could be used to tie a tweet to a specific, broader topic ("#Jan25"). Some use hashtags to track all tweets from a specific event (i.e. "#SXSW")

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The various Twitter shorthand--from DMs and RTs to #'s--can be puzzling to Twitter newbies.

Here's the basic terminology you need to know:

"RT" stands for "retweet," in which a user shares another tweeter's post, verbatim, while crediting the original tweeter. A retweet appears as "RT @[username]" followed by the tweet.

A "DM" is a direct message--a message up to 140 characters in length that is sent only to another specific user, not to all of a user's Twitter followers. (A "DM fail" describes direct messages that were supposed to be private, but that were accidentally shared with all of a tweeter's followers.)

A hashtag is created by using the # symbol ahead of a word or term. As Twitter explains, a hashtag "is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages." Hashtags might be used to add color or personality to a tweet (like "#fail") or it could be used to tie a tweet to a specific, broader topic ("#Jan25"). Some use hashtags to track all tweets from a specific event (i.e. "#SXSW")

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Comments

[CubanVoice]

07:31 PM on 04/10/2011

Im teaching mass media so I had to become (at the very least) familiar with how to use twitter. So I signed up abput a month ago, Could be fun and informative. But I can also see how anyone can lose it. Not my fave mode of communicstions by far, but also can be very useful.

[Gentleman Agitator]

09:19 AM on 04/10/2011

The WORST form of human communication ever invented.

[wonmean]

07:55 PM on 04/08/2011

Those are some good advice.

I'm not nearly interesting enough to start using Twitter and Facebook regularly, however.

[Gentleman Agitator]

09:23 AM on 04/10/2011

No one else is either. Not me, not you, not anyone. And that is ok. Facebook has its uses, but twitter is just verbal pollution in digital form. These things should be tools, not lifestyles. We are all unique individuals and the technology does not make us more valuable.

[chrismwyman]

06:24 PM on 04/02/2011

I love using Twitter on my phone, but find it very frustrating that I need to remember someones @name exactly if I want to send them a message. Is there a way that Twitter Mobile can hint at @name like on the actual website. please if anyone knows lt me know

[lilylee86]

11:53 PM on 04/01/2011

just want to say thanks for the tips..
joy fax

[Skygazer]

02:50 PM on 04/01/2011

Well this was helpful. I'm sorta a bit amazed that such an unintuitive service with such a poor user experience has gained such a massive following, but it's utilitarian value for time sensitive issues (Revolutions, protest marches, news etc..) is apparent.

Any other tips would be appreciated by this newbie.

For example, how do you get Twitter to make you a sandwich and do your laundry.

[Vickie Rock]

01:14 PM on 04/01/2011

I use Tweetz desktop gadget for easy tweeting. It uses minimum space on my desktop and has a built-in URL shortener.

[ramsaytroy]

01:11 PM on 04/01/2011

Also don't lock your account unless there is a real reason to do so.

[mandymarleyandme]

12:58 PM on 04/01/2011

# 11 for "journalists": don't do any actual research into a topic, just reiterate tweets so we know what the twahts are saying.

[Stuzzadelic]

12:49 PM on 04/01/2011

Most twitter feed seems to be people repeating other news that they have nothing to do with.

[Stuzzadelic]

12:47 PM on 04/01/2011

1. Don't Waste Your Time.

[LightShadow62]

12:21 PM on 04/01/2011

Tip 1: If you have a life you do not need Twitter.
Tip 2 though 9: See Tip 1

[Aries Warrior]

12:47 PM on 04/01/2011

...but I need to know what you had for breakfast and how you feel about the weather today.

It`s reallly important...duh.

[imonlyhereforthelaughs]

12:08 PM on 04/01/2011

Whatever happened to the old adage abut not airing your dirty laundry? With any luck, Twitter will soon fail and my short sell will pay off big.

[johnjohn1234]

11:28 AM on 04/01/2011

Twitter is stupid. All you need to know.......

[baomike]

11:09 AM on 04/01/2011

"9 Can't Miss Twitter Tips For Newbies"
So be sure that there are 10 of you and you can ignore the whole thing.