Twitter is a free social networking service that can be compared to micro blogging. It was established in 2006 and took two years to really be used widely. The way Twitter works is that users send messages of 140 characters or shorter to each other that ultimately answer the question “What are you doing?”.
These messages or tweets can contain links to web pages, images, videos and other media that is then picked up and forwarded by those who follow one’s account. Though using Twitter is simple, there are a few rules and other guidelines that everyone using Twitter should know. Accurate Twitter etiquette and using Twitter lingo correctly will make sure that the social media experience is a successful one.
Twitter for Dummies: Basic Twitter Vocabulary
Though there is no hard and fast to Twitter language, there are a few basic Twitter terms that any user should know. New Twitter-related terms and phrases pop up everyday and the best ones will make it into everyday speech, on Twitter or elsewhere. Here’s a list of the most common Twitter terms:
- avatar: Twitter users don’t have usernames, they use avatars that best describe themselves or their business.
- follower: someone who follows a Twitter account
- hashtag: # indicates a topic or theme
- retweet: forwarding someone’s tweet
- tweet: sending a Twitter message, limited to 140 characters
- tweeting or twittering: writing a tweet
- TweetStream: a person’s flow of tweets
- Twingo: Twitter lingo
- Tweeter: a Twitter user
- Tweeple: people using Twitter
- Twitter: an application that revolutionized the way people exchange messages
- Twitterati: celebrity or popular Twitter users
- tword: Twitter word, usually starting with tw
Twittering: All About Staying Within 140 Characters
The idea behind Twitter is to provide an online SMS platform for everyone, worldwide, so the whole key to twittering is to be brief. There are, of course, useful abbreviations that will help one to stay within the limit. Note that Twitter speak does not include common SMS abbreviations like u for you, 4 for for, etc. Here’s a Twitter shortcuts overview:
- @: talking to/at someone or replying
- #: indicates a theme or topic, for example Best Tart Recipes #baking #tarts #recipes
- API: Application Programming Interface – a programming method used for Twitter applications, widgets, websites, etc.
- DM: a direct message that only the recipient can see
- FF: Follow Friday – recommend twitter users to follow
- RT: re-tweet – distribute another user’s tweet from your account
A general message like “Good morning everyone!”, for example, does not require any symbols or abbreviations. But be aware that tweets go out to all followers.
Twitter Theme Days
To structure tweets and Twitter conversations, Twitter users have introduced theme days like #Follow Friday (or #FF), #Eco Monday, #Music Monday and many others. Follow Fridays help Twitter users find cool people to follow and to recommend those whose tweets they enjoy or find helpful.
Hashtags work almost like keywords that enable anyone searching for a certain topic – tarts or baking, for example – to quickly narrow down the wealth of tweets there is to those most relevant for any given topic. The best way is to try it out and see how it works. Remember to use hashtags for discussions and general tweets as well.
Even for those who have not started twittering in the three years that Twitter has been around, it’s never too late to get started and see what Twitter mania is all about. The useful key Twitter phrases and terms above will help finding one’s way around and soon talk like and use Twitter like a pro.
Readers who found this article helpful might also be interested in What Is Google Wave?, Decoding Text Messaging Lingo or useful Keyboard Shortcuts when writing.
