HOW TO USE TWITTER

 

Twitter for Beginners: The Complete Guide

Thinking about joining the Twitterverse, but a bit intimidated? Don’t be. This unique social media platform has a lot of perks – and it’s easier to set up and start tweeting than you might think.

Step 1: Set Up Your Profile

Choose your profile name (aka handle). This is how you’ll be seen on Twitter, so make it count! We suggest keeping it short so it’s memorable and doesn’t eat up too many characters. Wix’s Twitter handle is @Wix – but yours might look more like @cupcakecrazy or @JimDoe. Feel free to use capital letters for visual emphasis, but know that people can use all lower case letters and they’ll still be able to find you (and that’s a good thing.)

Upload Images. Twitter gives you two spaces to make an impact – your cover and profile photo. There’s nothing worse than seeing an account that still has an egg for a profile pic. To avoid this “hasn’t hatched” look, upload a photo of yourself or use your logo for your profile photo. As for your cover photo, it’s a great big space to show what it is you or your business are all about. For info on sizes, check out this guide.

Select a Color Palette. This isn’t critical to your Twitter profile’s set up, but it can be a great way to personalize your own account and bring in your brand’s colors. Just click on ‘Edit Profile’ and then click on the ‘Theme Color’ button on the left side. From there, you can choose different colors or add your own swatch that matches your brand’s exactly.

Complete Your Bio. This is the area on your profile that lets you tell other people a bit about yourself. And when we say a bit, we mean it – you only get 160 characters to do so. Make every one count by only including the most important and interesting details in this spot. Once you’re done with that, feel free to fill out your birthday (or your business’ b-day) as well as your location.

Add Your Website. Twitter gives you a great place to showcase your website – so don’t miss this one! Don’t have a website yet? Create a stunning website you’ll want everyone on Twitter to know about.

Step 2: Follow Some People

This is important for two reasons. One, you can learn a lot from following other accounts that are similar to yours (we’re not just talking celebs here). Two, in order to get followed, you have to follow. Savvy? It’s a great way to announce you’re on Twitter, and will likely get followed back by some of the accounts you showed interest in. Don’t be shy – say hello!

Step 3: Understand the Twitter Lingo

This particular social network has some key elements you’ll want to familiarize yourself with. Let’s get down to it:

Hashtags

Those things that start with the pound symbol? Hashtags are a great way to tap into conversations happening on Twitter. More on that below.Handles. We covered this one up top, but here’s a reminder: it’s your profile name. For example, our’s is @Wix.

Retweets

Much like a share on FB, retweets are like gold for your content. You can retweet content you see on Twitter by simply clicking the button below the text. Once you start tweeting, you’ll soon be hoping that people retweet your own content.

Mentions

When someone talks to you on Twitter, or talks about you, it’s called a mention. It’s something you’ll want to check for when you’re maintaining your channel (more on that, too, below).

Step 3: Decide What Content to Tweet About

What will you be saying on Twitter? Will you be using it to promote your products and services, or will you be using it to provide commentary on things that involve your brand? All of the above? This may evolve over time, but deciding what you will be saying on this social channel is one of the important first steps. It’ll take some trial and error until you figure out what works best, but coming up with some preliminary content ideas will be very helpful.

Once you’ve started tweeting, be sure to utilize the Pinned tweet option. Basically, it lets you decided which tweet you want people to see most. So, when they visit your profile they’ll see it first and get a good idea what you’re about. For example, here’s @Wix’s pinned tweet.

Step 4: Join Trending Hashtags

One of the best things about Twitter is that you don’t have to spend money to join the conversation and potentially go viral. Every day, every hour, people are joining in on trending topics – and you can, too. It can be very effective way to introduce your brand on Twitter to people you might not have come into contact with. Depending on your business, you may want to play with your location settings or use Twitter Advanced Search to see what hashtags have the most engagement. If your brand has products that ship nationwide, you can choose the United States. If you only service the Savannah area, you may want to localize to this specific geo.

To do so, just click the ‘change’ text that sits next to your trending hashtag banner on the right side of your profile.

Step 5: Maintain Your Channel

Maintenance maintenance maintenance. Coming up with a tweeting schedule will get you off to the right start. The second part though, is seeing it through. If people visit your profile and see that the last time you tweeted was 4 months ago, they’ll likely decide to move on or unfollow you. In order to avoid this, you don’t necessarily need to tweet 20x a day – the frequency can be as little as once a week, just make sure you stick to it. For best results? We suggest tweeting at the very least once every couple of days and varying your content. Don’t be afraid to throw in some funny tweets – you’ll see the love in the retweets.

HOW TO MAKE THE EASIEST PANCAKE

 Pancakes are often considered a weekend-only treat, but there’s no denying that the other five days would be substantially better if they, too, started with a warm short stack. To make this an actually feasible option on hectic mornings, you have a few options. You can make and freeze pancakes in advance (or even freeze the batter), or you could master this one-bowl recipe that requires just six pantry ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes or less.

this is how to make the pancake

                                                INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
• Powdered sugar or maple syrup, for serving

• EQUIPMENT

  • Measuring cups and spoons

  • Large mixing bowl

  • Large cast iron or nonstick frying pan

  • Spatula

  • Whisk

  INSTRUCTIONS

  • 1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

    2. Add the wet ingredients. Add 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 large eggs, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Whisk until almost smooth, a few small lumps are fine.

    3. Let the batter rest while you heat a pan. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

    4. Fry 3 pancakes for 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add 2-tablespoon portions of the batter to the pan, cooking 3 at a time. Cook on the first side until bubbles appear on the surface, the edges begin to look dry, and the bottoms are golden-brown, about 3 minutes.

    5. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes. Cook until the second sides are golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a warm oven or plate. Repeat using more oil and cooking the remaining batter.

HOW TO DO WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR PENPAL

Do you enjoy writing? Do you want to make new friends without ever leaving the comfort of your own home? Corresponding with a pen pal allows you to do just that! Thinking about what kind of pen pal you want, sharing your life with them in prose, and developing a genuine interest in them is the surest way to build a solid foundation for many years of happy letter-writing

Getting to Know a New Pen Pal

2. 
   
   1
   Choose an appropriate format for your letter. While there are no hard rules regarding how to structure your letters, many people choose to employ a three-part format. A well-written letter will have a greeting, a body paragraph (or paragraphs), and a closing. For example:^[1]

   • Start your greeting or salutation at the top of the page with the words, “Dear [pen pal’s name].”
   • Next, develop the body of the letter. This is where you'll communicate at length with your pen pal. It can be 2 to 5 paragraphs.
   • Finish with a closing. It usually consists of a final paragraph and a signatory phrase like “Sincerely,” followed by your signature.
3. 
   2
   Reveal facts about yourself gradually over time. Introduce yourself in your first letter with the basics, like your hobbies and interests. Don’t reveal everything at once; you'll have plenty of time to share things as you grow closer. If you reveal too much at first, you won't have much to write about later.

   • Be specific. Don’t say that you like "film, crafts, and exercise." Instead, say that you enjoy "Marvel movies, knitting and needlework, and riding your bike."
   • As you get to know your pen pal better, you 'll get a sense for their interests and sense of humor. You'll also feel more comfortable expressing yourself.
4. 
   3
   Be cautious about what you share. If writing to a pen pal in prison, do not include self-incriminating information. Prison mail is screened carefully and you might get in trouble when prison staff discovers your secrets. If you are an undocumented immigrant, do not include this fact in your letters -- you never know who your pen pal is sharing their correspondence with. Information about your income or wages should also remain confidential.

   • Do not share too much too soon, especially information that might give away your identity, like your full name and looks.
   • If you don't feel comfortable with a stranger knowing your address, rent a PO box.
5. 
   4
   Ask lots of questions. Show an interest in your pen pal’s life. Ask questions about your pen pal’s work, hobbies, and family. Invite your pen pal to share their feelings on a variety of common interests. Develop a genuine curiosity about your pen pal and don’t be shy when writing.

   • For instance, if they mention that they do track and field, ask how fast they can run, if they’ve ever participated in a relay race, and what the furthest distance they’ve ever run is.
6. 
   5
   Don’t be invasive. While you will have lots of questions about their life, you need to stay cognizant of their boundaries. If you’re writing to a pen pal overseas, they might assume a different level of familiarity and comfort with you than you do with them. It may be awkward for them to talk candidly about certain topics. If you sense some reticence on the part of your pen pal, avoid snooping into their habits and life. If your pen pal doesn’t answer certain questions, don’t ask them again and assume the topic is sensitive.

   • If your pen pal insists on certain boundaries, respect them. For instance, if they don't want to talk about their sexuality or family life, don't insist on it.
   • Similarly, don't feel obligated to talk about things you're not comfortable with. Let your pen pal know of any topics which you don't want to talk about.
7. 
   6
   Close your letter with a question. Instead of just saying goodbye and leaving it at that, ask a question in addition to your goodbye. This give them something to answer in their next letter. Rather than asking a random question, however, ask something that relates back to the topic of your letter.^[2]

   • For example, if you wrote about how excited you are for summer, you might ask, “How about you? Do you like swimming, too? Hope to hear from you soon!”
   • At the very end, skip 2 lines, then write “Sincerely,” “Take it easy,” or “Until next time.” Sign your name right under that.
8. 
   7
   Address your envelope, then send it out. Write your address in the upper left corner of the envelope, and your pen pal's address in the middle of the envelope. The address should consist of 3 lines. Your name (or your pen pal's name) goes on the first line. The street address goes on the second line, and the city, state, and zip code go on the final line.

   • International letters may require additional lines for the country. Ask your post office for help, if needed.
   • Don’t forget to add postage. It’s a good idea to take your letter to the post office the first time you send it out so that you know which stamps you need to mail it.
   • If your pen pal lives the US, use forever stamps, which will cover the postage regardless of any changes in price.
9. 
   8
   Be patient when waiting for a reply. Your pen pal, like you, is a busy person. Don’t expect a reply overnight. Wait at least two weeks for a reply. If your pen pal doesn’t write back within two weeks, send them another letter or -- assuming you have their email address -- an email.

   • Many people are used to instantaneous communication, like texting and phones, and consider writing letters as a waste of time. However, one of the virtues of writing letters is that it does take time and thus requires (and instills) patience