To Tweet Or Not To Tweet On Twitter
By Sunshine625
Twitterverse isn't for everyone. You either love the social network site or hate it. I love it! Twitter allows me to challenge my brain with 140 characters and trust me when I say that's a challenge. Personally I like to talk. A lot. I have to transform words, use acronyms, abbreviate and omit punctuation but I get my point across. Most of the time.
I began using twitter 4 years ago on a whim. I'm still a fan. Im not a twitter quitter. It's not only entertaining there's always something new going on there. Being a news buff I get all the latest and top news within seconds from various media outlets. I've met many good friends over the years. Babies have been born. Children have grown. We have cried, cheered and supported each through memorable moments in our lives. We were there during times of sorrow of sorrow also.
Some people just aren't fans and that's fine. Whatever the reason they chose to not participate is to be respected. I admit it was a bit tricky getting the hang of the site. Hashtags, FF's, RT's etc. take some time to learn and develop the techniques. It takes patience.
If you twitter with constant tweets you have a chance of being placed in Twitter Jail and will have to take a time out before you are released. Twitter thinks constant tweets are spam so be careful. There is no bail or get out of jail free card.
Following twitter feed can be very interesting especially when something is going on in the world. If there is something hot in the media it will be on twitter and everyone can voice their opinions! It's always fun to be retweeted and a cordial thank you is always appreciated.
I've had random questions answered within seconds. Learned about other cultures and countries. Mourned over Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze among others. It's like a sports bar when a game is on. It's a reality show hang out where you can hook up with your friends and meet new friends! I guarantee once you get the hang of Twitter you will be hooked.
When you follow someone on Twitter it simply means that you can view their twitter updates. Some of my famous followers include: President Obama, Ellen Degeneres, Tim McGraw, Joe Nichols, Smokey Robinson and Mark NeJame. A good way to be unfollowed is to pester your celebrity followers with DM's so I suggest to stay away from that behavior.
To tweet or not to tweet? That is the question .... the answer is up to you.
Some tips.....
@ is always placed in front of a tweeter name to tweet someone @sunshine625 and there are no other characters in front or after it
FF - Follow Friday (used on Fridays to give a shout-out to your fellow twitter friends)
RT - Retweet
DM - Direct Message (can only be used if you are both following each other)
SMH - Shaking my head
FYI - For your information or heads up
IMO - In my opinion
Hashtag # - Place in front of a word that is trending or for the fun of it
Trending - Most popular word or phrase tweeting around
Twitter Feed - Stream of tweets
Twitter Help Center.....
Getting started with Twitter......
Your opinions or suggestions on Twitter are always appreciated....
Well it sounds like twitter is a great source of information,Sunshine 625. It might surprise you but I think I have a twitter account, it is not used much but just the other day I was helping my brother with some tweet questions. Great information and you make good solid points....maybe it is worth a second attempt to get hooked....voted up and useful.
Follow mentalist and I cogerson ... join us in twitterverse! :)@sunshine625 @mentalistacer
Thank you my peeps for stopping by ... soon we'll be tweeps! :))
I learned more in two minutes from your hub than in four years ! Sounds great and could be fun ? voted up and useful
What a Tweet HUB LOL good share :)
Good one Frank!!! You must be part of twitterverse to use the lingo so creatively :)
I'm all atwitter with this very helpful information--I think I'll break out in twitterverse. 140 character limit of course.
There once was a utility called Twitter
Which was not some kind of a critter.
It's how you stay close
To the ones you like most
Warm & toasty like a hot apple fritter.
Unapologetics .... Two words with 18 characters awwwwww priceless:)
You love your twitter! I like how you said "I'm not a twitter quitter." Nice rhyme ;)
You know I actually used to tweet way before I discovered fb and used to be on there alot, that is actually where I met a few of my fb friends. Sadly I dont get on there hardly ever, probably almost a yr now. I'll prob go pop in & see what the latest trend topic is:) great hub sunshine see ya on fb:) ge
I believe I am a Twitterholic :-) I love the immediacy of the tweets. I will tweet this Hub out lol
geegee and agvulpes ... follow me at @sunshine625 ... the more the merrier :)
I read (and enjoyed) your Hub in the hopes that it might punch a few cracks in my solid resistance and aversion to Twitter; but although I learned a little more about what people do on there, I have to still count myself among the non-Twitterers of the world. :)
Maybe one day you'll join Twitterville. The site might sound intimidating but it's quick to learn. Thank you for stopping by :)
Hey Sunshine, as a user of Twitter, I found your hub to be very useful for those who either don't use it or already use it(have little to no knowledge). Good job! :)
You are a rockstar on twitter, Thanks for following me HAHA.
This is a gr8 hub,thanks for sharing it
Voted up and awesome
Back at ya manthy :)
I love Twitter also, big social media addict! This is a great article, funny, witty but still informative. I'm going to share this so everyone can understand the basics of Twitter. You even taught me what SMH means! Thank you for sharing - voted up and awesome!
Thank you for sharing apple!!! Looking forward to following you here and on Twitter :))
Ourstanding Hub, Sunshine. Great tutorial for new users!
It really isn't that I'm old-fashioned (just old) or adverse to new technology. After all, I've embraced the Internet. However, I am not a fan of Twitter, and Facebook makes my blood run cold. I consider both time-wasters, but also have seen people make absolute fools of themselves writing things on FB that later returned to haunt them (and are forever "out there" in the ether).
That said, I recognize that I'm in a small minority regarding both social networks. Just call me a "dinosaur", but I'll continue to eschew both Twitter and Facebook while I hope the rest of you enjoy them and don't get caught writing something on either site that you will later regret but can't truly take back.
Jaye
Social Networking isn't for everyone Jaye....you either love it or don't. Most love it. I consider them more educational then time-wasters. I've learned a lot via Twitter and FB. Thank you for commenting :)
Thanks jeffries! Cya on FB! :)
Like I wrote, Sunshine, I'm in a distinct minority where Twitter and Facebook are concerned, but that isn't by any means a new experience for me! lol
Of course, Hubpages is also a social network of sorts, one for writers, and I enjoy the interaction here between myself and other writers. It's a matter of interest, I think. While I like reading comments by other writers (not only of my work, but of others'), I just don't care to read the "status" of a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend on Facebook, and doubt that every 140-character missive posted on Twitter can be considered interesting. That's just my opinion, though, and I have lots of those (as you've no doubt noticed!)
Jaye I truly appreciate your opinions. I agree regarding the status updates on FB which is why Im thankful for the "block" button. Keep your opinions coming :-)
Thanks for the hub and the meaning of the Twitter abbreviations. I'm still learning how to use Twitter properly so hubs like yours are a great help!
I don't use Twitter, but it sound like I should start. Thanks for the hub.
I did belong to twitter then stopped for some reason. Did you put a hubpages link in your twitter profile? or, don't you involve your tweeps with hubpages? Still new to the other social networks out there (except for fb which I spend quite a bit of time on). Good hub sunshine:) Thanks.
Hi pedrn, I'm sure I have a hubpage link with my twitter profile. My hubspages, Tweeps and Facebook are all intertwined. Invite info is on my profile page. Thanks for stopping by :)
Did you know i follow you on twitter? i love reading your post! you once said to me @adelekeaugustus look for quality not quantity, when i was complaining about my twitter follower. This is a great hub, voted useful, awesome and interesting.
Yes I do remember telling you followers were about "quality not quantity" and I stand by that. Thank you for the hubpages follow also, I got you back :)
Oh you know I needed this! LOL Funny - my 12 year old just said, "you always smile when you are writing your comments" haha - thats a pretty cute observaton:) ok = thank you so much! This is one I am going to print out and tape to my lapdesk. I am clicking on the learning link next too. This is awesome - really appreciate this help!
Your daughter is as sharp as you Real! Faith says the same thing to me...why are you laughing or smiling?!? You'll understand one day kid...for now go watch High School Musical! lol I'm glad this can help you! Any questions just let me know:)
Thank you - so much. We sure love our girls:) I have seen high school musical so many times! OMG!
I am going to mess around with twitter more tonight - and you know - I kept wondering what a hash tag was #! ha! I heard that word everywhere but I had no idea what they were talking about!
I've bookmarked this and will get back to it again. I'm trying to figure out this twitter thing, and it looks like you may have helped me alot. I'm going to be working on this this week, so thanks. I glad I saw this one go by!
Tweet Tweet Twitter Twitter There's something to learn about, and I have here at your hub. Thanks Sunshine :) I'll add you on Twitter :)
Thanks for this hub. I have had a twitter account for a wee while now, but I’m not very good at using it, either to check others’ feeds or to tweet. Mostly I just don’t feel like I know what to do with it. I think I need to read your tweets and others to see how to use it more effectively.
I tweet a lot and think its great, as is this hub! Voted up!
Look me up Bard!! @sunshine625
Wow.. I didn't know these things.. I will have to be careful about not going to twitter jail. They didn't tell me that when I signed up.. Opps.. I signed up so I could pimp myself and other hubbers. I was tickled to find William Shatner and other celebrities. Thanks for writing this. It is a blessing to those of who who are technologically slow!
Thanks for the heads up about twitter jail. I have been guilty of sending one too many tweets. I do agree that limiting your tweet to 140 characters can be a mind game. Its great to receive tweets that are concise and exact from various news medias. I love it. I have to say that I am a fairly new twitter. Great hub. Voted up.
You're welcome Jey! Be sure and look me up @sunshine625 :)
I sure will. Thanks.
great hub, linda. I'm still getting the hang of twitter. it's hard to keep up. I follow a lot and have lots of followers and I feel bad that it takes me days and weeks to retweet or to reply to someone. up and shared.
Just started twitter to launch my new website. I don't have a clue. Look out for a follow from @rastahealth
Nicely written hub Linda, I use twitter all the time and this explains it very well in straight forward terms.
Thank you for the share PDX!
Looking forward to the follow Rasta!
I'm glad this hub helped you Brian:)
Very useful Hub, especially the Twitter tips. I've gotten the @ and # down but the rest of it is still greek to me. Thanks for sharing. Voted up, useful, and shared.
I usually share my favourite hubs or on twitter - when I tweet it also appears on facebook so I get to share with everyone. I am a fan - sort of. I also use it to promote my books on Amazon and any good reads I come across.
I feel that it's hard to see things on Twitter. Maybe I just haven't quite figured it out yet or am following too many people. Facebook seems so much more user friendly. Still, I stumble over there every now and then. This hub was helpful as far as the lingo. I'll keep trying!!
@Jennifer, if you have any questions just let me know! Same to you @Vickie! Twitter is a breeze once you get used to it.
@Leni, I also use it for the same reason PLUS much more depending what's going on during my day:)
I loved this hub being I am not an avid tweeter and I dont really know what I am doing. Ha ha!
Thanks Sunshine : )
I hope this hub helps you out Calico! Any questions just ask, I'll do my best to answer them.
I've been on Twitter for a while but my tweets are sorely lacking. My addiction to HubPages seems to take up all my time. I did enjoy your hub though. Voted up and interesting.
This was a great explanaition of Twitter, which I feel is much better than Facebook. Its good you are spreading information of Twitter for those who are new to it!
Thanks Linda, this is really helpful. I had no idea how to tweet and the tweeting language is new to me...lol
I am definitely one of those people that does not get Twitter. I've had an account for 4 years. Every 6 months or so, I try to get into it, but I just can't. I just keep up with news and updates on Facebook instead. I am going to bookmark this hub since I am still confusing about all the codes on Twitter. When I do attempt Twitter again (which I will) I will be better informed. Great hub and voted up!
Thanks, Sunshine, for this information about Twitter. I can but only echo Jeannieinabottle's comment. Maybe one day I will get the time to use Twitter properly. At present I simply tweet my hubs, and only once. So this is not what I am supposed to do in there, although I follow mostly other hubbers?
Voted up, interesting and informative.
Thanks Sunshine! I've been stumped by some of the stuff I see on Twitter - therefore I dont use it much other than to post Hubs or bug one of my followers that's funnier than all get out :) Now I can actually follow people on FF!
The "hashtag" thing is really good advice....which I happened to be totally ignorant of for the longest time, and still don't use or utilize at all.
I just tweet stuff as a favour to ....every single person that has ever posted a hub that I've read and approved of....it's fairly difficult to make a hub that I won't tweet, really.
I just can't do "brief" or brevity in regards to text on the web....it's probably somewhat an art form....but it's not my chosen canvas or style.
In other words...I couldn't do it were I to try, so I just spit backlinks into the twitterverse almost all day every day that I'm around my computer....this un' included, of course.
No....I pretty much never get much of anything in regards to direct traffic from Twitter, but of course I've already said that I don't much try....I just always want that easy backlink on a popular social network for all the typical reasons.
Hi Tillsontitan, Thank you for stopping by and sharing your opinion. Wishing you much luck with Twitterverse!
Infoplanet and Cardisa...Twitter is a cool place to hang out and shoot the tweets (or shoot the breeze) ;)
Jeannie and Martie, If you need any pointers just let me know. Twitter is easier than you think. It's all about learning something new. Consider it a new challenge:)
Ardie ... the #FF is fun to do on Follow Fridays!
Wesman ... I have a difficult time with only being able to use 140 characters, but I adjust. The hashtags take some getting use to, but you could do it!:)
I might experiment. Do you get a lot of daily traffic from twitter?
Depends on your meaning of a lot. I get some, but I have met some cool followers along the way.
Nice new picture, Linda!
Thanks PDX! My daughter (the photographer) thought it was time for a change.
Linda, I used to tweet then I started getting problems with emails and suspected Twitter was to blame. I am starting again with a different name soon and will give it another try. It'll be a bloody miracle if I can say anything in 140 characters :o)
Mentalist acer 10 months ago
When I have time,I use twitter to keep up with tech and science news from science and tech posts.;;))