A crash course on Twitter, as requested by our listeners

On last weekend’s episode of the Computer Guru Show, we had a few questions regarding Twitter, and specifically how to even use it. Since that would have been too much for the air, we’ve put together a quick crash course on how to get started.

The world is all a-Twitter and you’re ready to be a part of it, but in the ever-changing world of social media, you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by your twitter account. But before you delete that profile, read up on our simple tips to help you navigate the Twitter-sphere. Whether you’re promoting your business, following friends or ranting about the latest Marvel installation, with a little advice from the Guru, you’ll be tweeting like a pro.

Creating an Account

The first thing you’ll want to do is sign up for an account, if you don’t already have one. Head over to Twitter now to do that. Don’t worry, we’ll still be here when you get back.

Your Profile

Before you get tweeting, you’ll need to optimize your profile. Use a close up headshot as you profile photos; this will make you more easy to recognize. Keep your bio short n’ sweet while still showing off what makes you unique. Use positive language when describing yourself, people like to surround themselves with happy people. Skip the hashtags here, and save them for your tweets.

Getting started

Your account is set up, but dagnabbit, how do you make Twitter do the things you want to do? If you want to tag someone in a comment, complain to a business, keep up with Ruby Rose’s tweets, how do you accomplish all this? Here’s a few twitter-hacks to make is simple:

• To tag someone or something, just type @ before the name, like, @TheAmazingCatReynolds. For example, the next time you get food poisoning from a Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco Supreme (seriously, haven’t you learned yet?), you can just take your complaint directly to them, via the power of twitter:

-To see tweets from a celebrity or friend, just search for them in the search bar and hit the follow button. Shazaam, you’re now following someone and their tweets will appear in your feed for your viewing pleasure.

– Tweeting is pretty self explanatory, just type what you want to say and hit enter… but what about hashtags? Hashtags are words or phrases that are preceded by a hash or pound sign, like #CatRules, or #GuruShowRocksMySocks. When you click on a hashtag, it shows you what a\other people are tweeting about that same topic.

What to Tweet

This part is easy: tweet about anything. Let people know how tedious you found #50ShadesofGrey, or share a link to an interesting news story. If you’re looking to get more followers, keep it positive; too many complaints will have people clicking the unfollow button. People can just turn on the news for that kind of negativity. If you’re promoting your business, add funny or interesting content along with your business content to show some personality. Sharing images is another great way to increase engagement and gain a following.

Have more questions about Twitter or social media? Let us know in the comments, and maybe you’ll see it in a future article.