The Global Language Monitor just declared Twitter - the San Francisco-based micro-blogging site - to be the top English word of 2009. Twitter is clearly all the rage right now, but is it the right communications tool for your organization?
Twitter can be a powerful tool for any organization if used properly.
Here are a few tips on how to get started by using Twitter to communicate about Pick. Click. Give. today and to learn how to use Twitter for your organization as well.
1. Set up your Twitter account. Choose either your organization's name for the account name or a logical abbreviation (Twitter has a character limit for account names). Use a main email account that is not attached to any individual in your organization. We recommend setting up a Gmail account specifically for social media initatives to avoid spam. Remember to check it regularly for messages from your social media sites.
2. Follow Pick. Click. Give. Go to http://www.twitter.com/pickclickgive and follow us. We'll reciprocate, and following your organization back.
3. Find people to follow. Do a search on http://search.twitter.com for your target audience and follow a few of them to get started. Following someone is non-intrusive, and they can choose whether or not they want to follow you back.
4. Add a Twitter badge to your site. Get a Twitter badge for your web site, blog or MySpace page by going to http://twitter.com/badges. This is a way to show others that your organization is on Twitter to encourage others to follow you there.
5. Tweet regularly. Use your Twitter account to announce timely information; to link to new information on your web site or new posts on your blog; and to link to articles and blog posts you find online that are relevant to your organization and mission.
6. Retweet Pick. Click. Give. Please retweet relevant messages you see posted by Pick. Click. Give. on Twitter. This means either using the Retweet link or button on your Twitter application of choice or copying and pasting them as a message from your organization. Add “RT @pickclickgive” before the message you've copied and pasted to give proper credit. See the example of a retweet (RT) at the top of the image above. This is an example of a retweet:
RT @pickclickgive Alaskans have the unique opportunity to give to other Alaskans this January when applying for their 2010 PFD #pickclickgive
RT @rasmuson BP & Wells Fargo to match employee gifts made thru Pick. Click. Glive. Thanks 4 helping Alaskans give even more! #pickclickgive
7. Use the #pickclickgive Hashtag. On Twitter, Hashtags are used to help you organize and find related content. A Hastag is a keyword with a hash symbol or pound symbol in front of it. When you can, add #pickclickgive to the end of your tweets related to Pick. Click. Give. to make it easier for others – and for us – to locate these tweets.
Alaskans Can Support Pick. Click. Give. on Twitter, Too
Already on Twitter but not affiliated with an Alaska nonprofit? You can still support our efforts to get the word out about helping other Alaskans thorugh our PFDs.
First, go to http://www.twitter.com/pickclickgive and click to Follow us.
Then please retweet relevant messages you see posted by Pick. Click. Give. on Twitter. See the retweet examples above.
And don't forget that you, too, can use the #pickclickgive Hashtag!
Happy Tweeting!
Are you already on Twitter? If you're an Alaskan or Alaska nonprofit, post your Twitter address here so we can follow you!
