This is the 140 character information you type into the "What Are You Doing" area. Also known on other social sites as:

• a post
• an update
• what are you doing
• status update
• status

DM or Direct Message

Direct Messages are Twitters equivalant to email.

To DM another user they have to be following you back. If they are fiollowing you back there are 2 ways you can DM them

1. On their profile page in the right sidebar about half way down you will see an area called actions. There you will see an option to "Message" the user. Click the button and send them a message

2. Under followers or following (if you can find the user) the drop down box has an option to DM the user if they are following you.

3. On your home page (not profile page) in the right sidebar you will see a tab for Direct Messages. That takes you into the email section. At the top of that page you will see a drop down menu to DM a user. Only users that you have DM'ed in the past will be listed here.

4. In the What Are You Doing Area you can type DM before your message to the user:

• EXAMPLE: DM @atisocialmktg This is how you would send a DM in the update area

5. Tweetdeck: Hover over the user's profile picture and click on the envelope, that will insert a DM and the users name in the update area, now all you have to do is type the message

@username =

What is the @ sign? How and why should I use it?

Yet another powerful Twitter tool. The @ sign is designed to keep track of a user and any mention of the user. Any time the @ sign is used before the username, Twitter will add a live link to the username that will link directly to their Twitter profile.

1. @username is always used in an RT. This gives credit to the person who originally posted the good info.

• EXAMPLE: RT @mcort Want to See What a Trillion Dollars Looks Like? http://bit.ly/2b1q

2. @username can be used if you want to post something to a specific user but, you don’t need it to be private.

• EXAMPLE: @shaneinman I Need an Interior Designer; I Hear You Are the Best One This Side the Mississippi! Now, although this message is meant for Shane, my whole Twitter universe now knows he is the bomb when it comes to Interior Design (and, he is, by the way).

3. @username is used in reply’s

• Original post to me: @mcort When is ATI’s next Social Media class for business class? #nwmi
• EXAMPLE:  My reply;  @kevinendres Saturday April 25TH. We also have the Social Media 101 that  day! Sign up here: http://bit.ly/bWtnH  (In this example, this user asked me when our next Social Media class was. It was okay for everyone to see my answer, maybe even smart, so I replied using @username.

Replying to a Post:

There are 2 ways to do this:

1. Hand type the @ sign in front of their username and then type your post

2. Use the reply button: When you hover over a post there will be a gray arrow to the right for replying. Clicking this will automatically add the @ to your post

 RT or ReTweet =

What is a re-tweet and why should I use this feature?

ReTweeting or "RT" is the proper way to re-post a tweet that you see as valuable, fun or desired content and still give the original person credit for the post. It is good Twitter etiquette and it helps deem you as an expert in your industry. Here is how:

Let's just say you have poison ivy and you put a post out in Social Media that says, Anyone know a good cure for poison ivy? A follower of yours answers back with a link to an artlcle that has a cure that you use and it works. Who do you think you view as the "expert" .... the person who gave you the link or the person who wroite it? I have asked that question many times and it ALWAYS comes down to ..... the person who gave you the info.

In addition:

•  It broadens the reach of the original message to your followers and followers of your followers (a network that the original tweet may not have reached)
• It shows you as someone who will share good info and give credit to the original person, this will quickly make your posts a favorite to retweet. Twitter community back scratching!
• The @username in your retweet gives the originator the opportunity to pick up followers by the reader clicking on their user name. The same will happen to you as people retweet your good info.
• When you retweet, the @username that you gave original credit to will get a notice in their @replies box letting them know you retweeted their content. This makes it more likely for them to follow you and share your tweets, spreading your brand much faster.

EXAMPLE:

RT @mcort (This is where their original post should get pasted =

RT @mcort 6 Helpful Twitter Lingo Tips

# Hash Tags =

What is a hash tag and why should I use them?

Hash tags (symbolized by the # sign) are a Twitter users way of categorizing a topic, location, keyword etc. Hash tags are used to group people and make it easy to follow like minded people. For instance, we live in Northern Michigan so you will see posts from us with a #NWMI (north west Michigan) when we want people around here to see our posts. By adding the #NWMI tag, we are able to target who gets our message better.

One of the most used hash tag’s is #followfriday. You will see this everywhere on Friday’s. It was established as a way to send out referrals of people you follow to others…very powerful.

Hint: Hash tags are a great way to begin finding people you want to target! You can search for different hash tags using the search tools found in the Twitter Tools section of this guide. (make sure you use the #)

Hint: In order to have hash tags tracked, start following @hashtags on Twitter. It will follow you automatically and your use of hash tags will be tracked.

Hash tags became popular during the San Diego fire, when Nate Ritter used the hash tag #sandiegofire to chronicle his updates of the event. Since then they have been used to track specific events in real time on a regular basis.

EXAMPLE: We Are Excited to be Training the #DSWA on How To Use Twitter!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Hashtags are all one word, no spaces. For instance, Jims Used Cars would read #jimsusedcars