Twitter for the AETC Network

*Since Twitter settings and capabilities are constantly changing, we recommend tracking the latest updates on a monthly basis. This document was last updated in September of 2011.

What is Twitter?

Twitter is an information-sharing network that has many applications to the work of the AETC community. Twitter was founded in 2006, and currently has over 200 million users. Members use the site to send and resend text messages (known as "tweets") of up to 140 characters to their followers. The AETCs are just beginning to use Twitter to promote trainings, post noteworthy news articles, and share new resources. One reason that Twitter is popular is that sending and receiving messages is possible via the phone even without an internet connection.

What are the Benefits of Joining Twitter?

	Your AETC can connect with like-minded organizations
	Twitter provides the opportunity to promote AETC resources and trainings
	You can ask frequent questions via your page
	Twitter allows your AETC to update its audience in real time
	Twitter builds awareness about the AETC network

Managing your Account

To keep your Twitter page updated, social media experts recommend that you post at least once a day and spend an average of 1.5 - 2 hours per week managing your page. If possible, it is best to include management of social media activities within the job description of a staff member at your AETC.

Significant Lessons Learned

	Ask related organizations to re-tweet any important tweet you post (thank people when they re-tweet your posts)
	When an organization or person follows your page, follow them back, and send them a message with links to your other social media sites (your Facebook page, blog, etc.)
	Make your tweets interesting by including links to pictures, newspaper articles, etc.
	Insert your Twitter link into your signature, and post it on your website
	Only re-tweet very relevant, high-quality information
	When re-tweeting, include your perspective in the tweet (this personalizes the tweet for your particular audience)
	Regularly monitor the comments made about your AETC

Please Note: It is important that you be selective in who you choose to follow on Twitter. Following many more people than you have following you marks you as a spammer. Also, be sure to only follow reputable organizations.

How to Set-Up an Account for your AETC

1. Log on to http://twitter.com/, fill-out the name of your organization, email, and password, and click "sign up"
2. Check over your user information and click "Create my account"
3. Confirm your email address by clicking on the link in your email
4. Once you are in your account, click on your account name in the upper-right of the page, choose "settings", choose "profile", and add a picture, bio, etc. to your account
5. Under "Settings" choose "Design" to change the background of your page, "Notifications" to control how often you receive emails from Twitter, "Mobile" to connect your phone to your Twitter account, and "Account" to update your time zone and privacy settings

   Please Note: It is recommended that you leave the "Tweet Privacy" box unchecked. Checking this box only allows followers to view your tweets, and therefore limits the reach of your tweets.

6. Choose "Who to Follow" to find recommended organizations to follow and to search for organizations
7. You are ready to start tweeting!

Evaluation Strategies

Evaluation is always an important step when incorporating social media into your AETC activities. To evaluate your progress, you can track your number of followers, the number of people who retweet your tweets (go to "Home", "Retweets", and "Your Tweets Retweeted"), and your number of weekly tweets. Tweetstats (http://tweetstats.com) is a useful tool as it graphs items such as how often you tweet, who you retweet, and your tweet timeline. Another useful evaluation strategy is to ask participants of your trainings if they found out about your event via Twitter.

Examples of Twitter Feeds

Related Resources

	How to use Twitter Effectively
	Five Indispensible Lessons for Twitter Success
	33 Reasons to Use Twitter: A Guide to Finding Value in the Service
	10 Rules for how Nonprofits Should Use Twitter
	Twenty Tips for Nonprofits Using Twitter

Workgroup Members and Contributors