Twitter does provide its own official guide. However, we decided to provide you with a shorter version so you can get started in record time. We'll begin with a brief background information.
Twitter was originally labeled as being a "micro-blogging" service, but now calls itself a messaging platform. But the system really hasn't changed all that drastically since the beginning. It remains primarily a service where anyone can post short status messages on their profile page. Other people who want to know what's going on with that user can then subscribed to the message feed. Updates are received instantly by followers.
Twitter forces a message length limit of 140 character that corresponds to the specifications of cell phone SMS (short message service, also known as text messaging). The site is connecting people everywhere from celebrities and fans, businesses and customers and everyone in between.
This guide focuses strictly on the mechanics of Twitter, not strategies for acquiring followers or etiquette for business. We won't walk you through creating an account because it's so easy. But we do recommend filling out as much information as possible including your bio, profile image, website and location. In additiion, customize the colors and create a personalized Twitter background.
So what can you do on Twitter?
Tweet
The most basic element of Twitter. A tweet is the short 140 character message being posted. You can post messages from the website, your cell phone or any number of 3rd party applications. It's usually to keep your followers up to date with what's on your mind, where you are, what you are doing/reading, what's new with the company or anything else interesting you want to share.
Re-tweet
If you're not sure what to say, you can always re-tweet other people's messages. These particular Tweets are prefixed with "RT".
Follow (and un-follow)
If you want to subscribe to someone else's Tweets, you need to follow them by clicking the "follow" button on their profile page. They can just as easily be un-followed from the tools menu, also on their profile page.
Mention
Twitter is a friendly place where conversations take place. When addressing someone, prefix their user name with the "@" symbol. For example, you could tweet "Thank you @webdesignjob for the beginner's Twitter guide!". If we're following you, that message appears in our feed, otherwise it goes to the "mentions" folder. If a user is following both of us, it appears in their feed as well.
Direct message
You can send a tweet directly to one person without it appearing in either person's feed. These are prefixed "DM" and is conceptually similar to sending an email.
Trend
Twitter is the king of real-time, and things that are hot right now are called "trending". The best way to show your support for a trend is to use the appropriate "hashtag". For example, people in Montreal who want to cheer on the the Canadiens use the #gohabsgo hashtag like this "Montréal is playing tonight #gohabsgo".
Link
You can post links on Twitter, however, they should be run through a URL shortening service first in order to respect the character limitation. Most people use bit.ly.
List
You can create a directory of users grouped by any theme of your choosing. Other users can then follow the entire list, rather than just one user at a time.
Remember, you have only a few characters that leave no room for context! So you have to keep your Tweets on-topic at all times. Establish a clear theme for your profile, and explain the topic in your bio text.