The document provides an overview of Twitter and tips for getting started using the platform in 5 steps. It notes that Twitter has over 10 million users and growth of over 1,382% year-over-year. The majority of users are 35 years old or older. The 5 steps include identifying goals for using Twitter, developing a network by following others and trends, dipping toes in to understand community norms, starting conversations, and building a network through hashtags and personal profiles on other platforms. Helpful tools and parting advice are also mentioned.

1. Shedding Light on Twitter in 5 Easy-to-“Follow” Steps Heather Whaling @prtini

4. Response to columnist Leonard Pitts: Still Not Sure?

5. Getting Started

6. Twitter Basics Tweet Posting a message to Twitter @ + name The command which allows tweets to be sent; proceeds username (i.e. @journchat) Following You choose to receive someone's updates Followers People who choose to receive your updates Direct Message Private message sent between two people Block Preventing someone from reading your updates Favorites A public area to save your favorite tweets Fail Whale Too many people are tweeting! Hashtag The # next to a word allows for conversation tracking (#otweet) Tweetup A face-to-face gathering of those who tweet Twitter Basics Credit: @prsarahevans

11. Step 4: Start Talking “ Find the people that you would like to have conversations with, and start having conversations with them. Just because they’re not following you, doesn’t mean you can’t start conversations with them. If you’re a consumer brand, it’s important to create a large following. If you’re business-to-business, having just the right 50 people following you is important.” -- Geoff Livingston (@geoffliving)

12. Step 4: Start Talking

14. Helpful Hints