2. What is Twitter?
• From the Twitter website:
o ―Twitter is a real-time information network that
connects you to the latest information that you find
interesting. Simply find the public streams you find
most compelling and follow the conversations.‖
• In summary:
o Live updates about anything and everything, from
where you are to what’s happening on tv. Also a
cool place to connect with celebrities and get
discounts from businesses.
3. How is Twitter used?
• What is a ―Tweet‖?
o "At the heart of Twitter are small bursts of information called Tweets. Each
Tweet is 140 characters in length, but don’t let the small size fool you—you
can share a lot with a little space. You can tell your story within your
Tweet, or you can think of a Tweet as the headline, and use the details
pane to tell the rest with photos, videos and other media content.‖
Twitter.com
o Basically: You can send out 140 characters at a time, use them wisely.
• Who uses Twitter?
o People (celebrities and the average Joe)
o Businesses & brands (including organizations & non-profits)
o Places (museums, etc.)
4. Why Tweet?
• What Twitter offers
o Real-time updates & interaction
o Microblogging – an easy way to share small doses of content
o Ideal for mobile phone use
o 200 million registered users (via Mashable, as of 9/8/11)
• 100 million active at least once a month
• 50 million active once a day
• 230 million tweets per day
o 90% follow at least one brand (via Lab42, as of 8/20/11)
• 66% follow to get discounts
• 48% follow to participate in contests
• 47% follow because they have interesting tweets
• 30% follow for customer service
5. Twitter Terminology, Pt. 1
• Mention
o Mention a Twitter account, preceded by ―@‖, e.g. ―Thanks for
sharing, @HaywardAreaHist!‖ Good way to get the attention of that
user.
• Retweet (RT)
o Forward someone else’s tweet to your followers.
• Message (DM)
o Privately send a message to another account; also known as ―direct
message.‖
• Hashtag
o A hashtag before a word or phrase marks it as a theme or topic, e.g.
―Today I’m learning about #Twitter for non-profits‖
6. Twitter Terminology, Pt. 2
• Follow/Follower
o When you click on the ―follow‖ button, you are subscribing to that
account’s tweets. A ―follower‖ is someone who is subscribed to
your tweets.
• Feed
o Your Twitter feed is what you see when you log in, a chronological
list of the tweets of the users you follow.
• List
o Users can add accounts they are following to lists they have
created. Each list shows the feeds from the accounts on that list.
• Trending
o Topics trending on Twitter are the current most talked about
topics. Sometimes hashtagged words/phrases, or just keywords.
7. Best Practices
• How often should I tweet? (via SimplyZesty)
o No more than 35 times per day
• When should I tweet? (via AllTwitter)
o Weekdays have the highest volume, particularly Wednesdays
• What should I tweet? (via SimplyZesty)
o 80% of those with more than 500 followers prefer to follow a focused
account
o People are most likely to RT interesting or humorous content
o People are most likely to unfollow if you tweet too much or if your
tweets appear automated
18. Tools & Tips
• URL shortener
o Bit.ly, TinyURL
• Scheduling tweets
o HootSuite, TweetDeck, Social Oomph, Buffer, etc.
• Learning the lingo
o Tagdef – tagdef.com - Definitions for different hashtags
o Twittonary – twittonary.com – Definitions for various Twitter-
related words.
• Analytics
o Tweetreach – shows average number of people reached per
tweet
o Twitter Grader – check how influential you are on Twitter; can
also search by location
19. Building a following
• Cross-promote
o Website, Facebook, e-newsletter, business cards, flyers
• Use RT & hashtags
o Increases visibility
• Find others to follow
o Some will follow back!
o Twellow – search for Twitter users by location
• Always respond
o Engagement builds followers
20. Resources
• Social Media/Twitter:
o @nonprofitorgs – Information about other nonprofits on Twitter
o @SM4Nonprofits – Tips for using social media
o @npquarterly – Tweets from the Nonprofit Quarterly journal
o @Change4aDollar – Tweets about online marketing, targeted for small
businesses and nonprofits
• Local Tweeters:
o @HaywardChamber, @cityofhayward, @FESCOshelter, @EdenMedCen
ter, @HaywardLib, @chabot_college, @CSUEBnews, @HaywardAreaH
ist
• Websites:
o Nonprofit Tech 2.0: nonprofitorgs.wordpress.com
o AllTwitter: www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter
21. E-newsletters
• What is e-news?
o A means of regularly communicating with a large number
of people via email
• What is in an e-newsletter?
o Updates on events, your mission, what you are doing
• Why use an e-newsletter?
o A great tool for fundraising
o Easy way to build your base
o Inexpensive way to instantly communicate with a lot of
people
22. How it works
• Sign up for an email marketing service
o Constant Contact, Vertical Response, Mail Chimp
• Why use a service?
o Helps make it look professional
o Minimizes spam reports
o Easier list maintenance
o Provides email analytics
• Is it expensive?
o Most have non-profit rates
25. Building your list
• Start with any current contact list
• Collect email addresses at your events
• Post on your website & social media
26. E-news best practices
• Make sure your list is opt-in
• Send once a month or less
o Unless you want to maintain multiple lists by
topic, e.g. Meek Mansion tours
• Link back to your website
o Keep text in the e-news short and simple
27. Thank you!
Heather Mellon
Marketing Coordinator
Hayward Area Historical Society
(510) 581-2428
h.mellon@haywardareahistory.org
@HaywardAreaHist