Social media isn’t just for the young. It’s for everyone. It’s a resource for keeping in touch with friends and colleagues, news, and of course, trending topics. Twitter is one of the social giants—growing daily—that is exceptionally good at all of the mentioned. If you’ve felt a void with losing your RSS feeds, Twitter is a great compromise with its daily trending topics and constant evolving conversations. If you’ve neglected your account or only dabbled here and there finding yourself frustrated with the unique lingo, we encourage you to take some time this summer and explore the platform some more.
You either rave about Twitter, or you avoid it all costs. It’s one of those resources you love or you loath. But, there is no denying its power as a research and news tool. It’s networking in 140 characters or less. Short, sweet, and to the point.
What are the secrets to maximizing your Twitter efforts? (You’re going to be amazed by how simple these tips and tricks are.)
1. Visit http://hashonomy.com , a social bookmarking service for Twitter. This site will give you a good idea of trending topics, links, sources, users, and popular hashtags. This site is still in beta, so there are some areas that need improvement, but it’s a good starting point. And, as far as users are concerned, you’ll know who to follow once you start joining conversations and opening interesting links shared. You want to follow tweeters who inspire and add value to your online time.
2. Search a hashtag to see what people and organizations are saying. Join into the conversation by replying or quoting the tweet. (You can also retweet, but the secret to social media is to engage, and retweeting doesn’t really allow you to engage in the conversation.) Don’t forget to include your own hashtags! Here are a few good education tags to get you started:
- #edchat
- #teaching
- #GlobalEd
- #edtech (relating to technology in education)
- #Mlearning (relating to mobile technologies)
- #Bullying
- #ESDGC (education for sustainability and global citizenship)
- #gbl (Game-based learning)
- #cpchat (connected principals)
- #ptchat (parent-teacher chat)
- #k12media
- #cybersafety
- #edadmin
- #OLTips (online learning tips)
- #SMchat (social media chat)
- #SMmanners (social media manners)
3. Follow inspiring sources you come across. Take a quick glance at their profiles. Do they tweet often (perhaps too often?), have consistently related content that fits your interests, and a well-established presence? (Like any site, you want to scan for spammers and fraud accounts that will only pollute your newsfeed.) Try to follow a few new sources a week. Build your newsfeed with information that is going to keep you informed and engaged.
4. Invest time exploring. Twitter isn’t a site where you can create an account and than abandon it. Well, you can abandon it for days and weeks on end, but you’ll be missing out on the real reason you created the account—to stay connected. Give Twitter the 30-day challenge and see how it can impact your network. Schedule a few minutes a day to scroll down your newsfeed. You don’t need to invest a ton of time—this isn’t for marketing—it’s for you.
5. Challenge yourself. Give back to the followers you acquire as they give to you. Tweet images, inspiring quotes, links to resourceful articles, and answer questions.
Additional ISM articles of interest
ISM Monthly Update for Division Heads Vol. 9 No. 4 For Teachers on Twitter: Hashtags to Follow the Conversation
Private School News Vol. 10 No. 1 Teachers Use Twitter, Where Are All The Administrators?
ISM Monthly Update for School Heads Vol. 10 No. 3 Tweeting Your Brand, Engaging Your Friends
