Why use Twitter?

It's global, easy, free networking

and

professional development.

Remember these? 

An Twitter account is like a business card.

Think of Twitter as a searchable online directory of important people all over the world. 

You want to be there. 

Getting started

In a matter of seconds, a Twitter user will scan your 160-character bio and determine if you are worth following.

Are you?

Prepare your bio

Choose a photo for your bio and your background image

Choose a photo

* related to your work and interests

* professional

photos... 

quotes... 

 data, graphs, stats... 

and behind-the-scenes moments.

Twitter is just like TV 

it uses pictures and words to tell a story.

4. Follow Twitter's advice 

• Tweet often

• Use hashtags

• Share photos

• Use Twitter to crowdsource

Tweet often. Especially during breaking news.  

SOURCE: The Boston Bombing: How journalists used Twitter to tell the story. Simon Rogers. Twitter Media Blog. 2013.

The more you tweet 

the more people follow you.

Aim for at least 10 tweets a day. 

10

Use hashtags. 

• Connect with other Twitter users
• Boost engagement by 100%
• Make tweets more visible

A compelling, well-cropped photo makes a tweet pop. 

Share photos. 

Use Twitter's advanced search 
Find local sources, capture reaction, stay updated.

https://twitter.com/search-advanced

5. Build our community. 

https://twitter.com/Global_Montreal/lists/global-montreal-team/members

Subscribe to this list. 

Follow your colleagues.  

Retweet their tweets. 

Share their stories. 

Promote their stuff. 

Twitter's just like real life 

if all you do is self-promote, people turn off.

5. Cite sources and mention people you meet.

Reach out to people 

start conversations, share information, make connections.

6. Mix it up. 
People want to feel you're a real person. 

Share stuff that interests you... 

Users look to you to curate the local news (and not just ours).

Connect with your community. 

You don't always have to share links or news. 

7. Words matter.  

"On Twitter, people often confuse a fact that you report with advocacy for the fact you're reporting.

For example, if you quote the mayor, they assume you approve of the quote."

John Dickerson

-- Slate's chief political correspondent

8. Get it right.  

• Be clear when information is unconfirmed
• Only share information you’ve verified
• Use quotation marks when quoting
• Attribute information to a reliable source, such as police
• Credit photos that aren't your own
• Don't use images without permission
• Use judgment when tweeting about contentious or upsetting topics
• Debunk incorrect information
• Show you care about getting it right

“X is reporting Y, but we haven’t been able to confirm this yet”  

“We're working on this story and will tweet updates as soon as we have them”

“Here’s what we do know …”

http://tinyurl.com/GNsocialpolicy

Follow our Journalistic Principles and Practices 

9. Follow up.  

• Check your notifications 
• Reply to tweets and comments
• Answer tweets directed at you 
• Thank followers for feedback
• Share links to other related content: liveblogs, explainers, Q&As, extended interviews, photo galleries, raw video
• Tweet links to your stories and videos AND those of your colleagues

10. Have fun.