Twitter Alerts: A guide for communicators by Rachel Miller
1. A guide for communicators
Rachel Miller
Internal communication and
social media strategist
www.allthingsic.com @AllthingsIC
2. What are Twitter Alerts?
• During times of crisis, disaster or emergency,
your choice of communication channel is key
• Twitter Alerts are available to local, national and
international institutions that provide critical information
to the general public e.g. public safety and law
enforcement agencies and Government bodies.
• The tool makes the most of public, real-time and widedistribution capabilities of Twitter to enable fast and
easy dissemination of vital, time-sensitive information.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
3. Twitter Alerts:
• can be published from desktop computer
or a mobile device.
• are immediately delivered as notifications or text
messages to all your subscribers.
• have a distinct look to stand out in Twitter timelines and
public Tweet links.
• are seamlessly integrated into the Twitter experience, so
your audience won’t need to download a separate app
or get used to a new service.
• can be retweeted, favourited and replied to.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
4. Why would you use
Twitter Alerts?
• Broadcast critical information on
the go
• Makes your critical content easier
to distinguish (displays differently
in timeline)
• Tip: Remember to encourage your
audience
to receive your alerts
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
5. Who is using Twitter Alerts?
47 Police forces across the UK and Ireland plus
Government departments and charities
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
6. What does using Twitter Alerts
mean?
• As a Twitter Alerts account, you will be exempted
from Twitter’s spam rate limits. While you should
only send your highest priority Tweets as Alerts, you
will be able to tweet organically as often as the crisis
situation requires.
• As a Twitter Alerts account, you will also get access
to the Bing-powered automatic translation feature.
Users will be able to see translations for your
Tweets by clicking on a “View Translation” option.
• No cost attached to using Twitter Alerts, either for
you as a publisher or your audience as consumers.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
7. How to receive Twitter Alerts
Go to the URL of the company you wish to receive
alerts from.
For example Metropolitan Police:
www.twitter.com/metpoliceuk/alerts
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
10. It will ask you to confirm your
mobile number
Your number is
displayed here
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
11. That’s it - you’re set to receive
alerts to your phone as SMS
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
12. To receive Twitter Alerts as app
notifications you need to download
from same screen
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
13. Step-by-step guide to using Twitter
Alerts if you have already enrolled
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
14. Content creation
Using a specialised Tweet
composer, craft a Tweet and tag it
as critical from any computer or
mobile device.
Note: As an enrolled organisation you’ll see
a Twitter Alerts icon on your Tweet
composer. Tapping or clicking on this icon
will automatically add “#alert” to the body of
your Tweet, transforming it into a Twitter
Alert.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
15. Delivery
This critical Tweet will be
instantly delivered to your
subscribers as a push notification
or text message, putting your
must-know information directly in
front of them
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
16. Distribution
Twitter Alerts will be distributed
directly to subscribers’ phones.
Twitter Alerts are designed to
draw attention, standing out
from other Tweets on your
followers’ Timelines and across
twitter.com and the Twitter
mobile apps.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
17. Dos from Twitter
• Do use Twitter Alerts sparingly, when
conditions merit their use.
• Do include relevant media along with your Alerts,
such as photos and maps.
• Do point and encourage your audience, off and on
Twitter, to visit your custom “/Alerts” URL and start
receiving your Twitter Alerts. You can do this online
by tweeting, emailing or otherwise sharing this
custom link — or offline by printing or announcing it.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
18. Don’ts from Twitter
• Don’t send multiple Twitter Alerts
restating the same or substantially
similar content.
• Don’t use Twitter Alerts for updates
that aren’t critical. For example,
Twitter Alerts should not be used
for general updates about your
organisation or fundraising
requests.
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
19. How can my company
sign up to send Twitter
Alerts?
If you think you’re eligible,
contact Twitter and complete this
form:
https://about.twitter.com/products
/alerts/enroll
Further reading:
https://about.twitter.com/products
/alerts/guidelines-faq
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC
20. I hope you found this short
guide useful.
You can read more
information about corporate
communication, social media
and much more via my blog,
All Things IC
www.allthingsic.com
Rachel Miller
@AllthingsIC
Rachel Miller @AllthingsIC