Twitter: Part 3: Important Terms to Know
Twitter can sound like a totally different language! Here are some definitions for frequently used Twitter terms:
Twitter Lingo: Important Terms to Know
Handle (@)- a username/account, which allows you to mention or Tweet to other users.
Tweet- 140 character messages that show up on your Twitter stream and on the streams of those that Follow you.
Follower/Following- A Follower is someone who has “subscribed” to your Twitter account. If you Follow someone else, then they will show up on your Twitter account under “Following” and their Tweets will show up on your news stream.
Hashtag (#)- Similar to tags in a blog post or keywords. If you put a # in front of a word, phrase, or abbreviation, it will bring up your Tweet whenever anyone searches that #hashtag. Before you use one, see if it’s being used. Also, check to see if the subject you’re talking about has a designated hashtag. A lot of the time, specific topics, events, conferences, etc. have specific hashtags. Example: #sm4sg = social media for social good
The Fail Whale- sometimes Twitter becomes over capacity, so the server can’t handle all the activity. Wait a bit and you should be able to start using again.
URL Shorteners- If you want to fit a link into your Tweet, but it’s taking up too many characters, use a link shortener like bit.ly
Trending Topics- the most popular topics on Twitter that the most users are talking about
Promoted Tweets- paid Tweets that Twitter spreads to a larger audience
Abbreviated Terms:
RT- Retweet: when a user manually Retweets another user’s Tweet DM- Direct Message: found in your inbox, a private message between users FF- Follow Friday: every Friday, users suggest who other users should Follow HT- Hat Tip: crediting another user for something they used in a Tweet MT- Modified Tweet: a Tweet that has been manually changed by another user OH- Overheard: things someone hears in real life RLRT- Real Life Retweet: similar to OH PRT- Please Retweet TFTF- Thanks For the Follow: a quick way to thank someone for Following you
Did you miss Why Nonprofits Should Use Twitter? What about How to Get Started?
Tags: SMF 101, social media, social media for nonprofits, twitter