Twitter Beginner's Guide

You already know by now that Twitter is all the rage. But what the heck is it and how will it help your business?

Watch "Twitter in Plain English" below:

So how do you get started on Twitter?

Here's 10 tips for Twitter beginners. It's super-simple to get going in the right direction and it doesn't have to waste hours of your workday.

Create a brief but interesting profile free of a sales pitch. The goal is to build relationships and network, not sell to your followers.
Upload a real photo to your profile. A real photo is far better than a cartoon or logo. People want to know they’re communicating with a person, not a company (or fictional character!).
Add your website or blog to your profile. Letting people know where to find you is fine, but stuffing your site down their throats will alienate you fast. Add just one link to your site in your profile.
Before you start marketing yourself, get ahead and write out 10-15 messages or “tweets.” Start off by communicating about yourself or joining the conversation. It’s a good idea because it will give people a great impression of who you are and why they should follow you.
Follow people who catch your interest and respond to their tweets whenever relevant. Don’t just pitch your website, but actually discuss your interests, hobbies and ideas. Doing so will get your name out there and build your own followers.
For every one “promotional” tweet, you should have at least 10 conversational tweets. If you think that a series of promotional pitches will drive you traffic, you’re wrong. Remember, Twitter isn’t about selling, it’s about building relationships and entering into the conversation that’s already happening.
Use a desktop or mobile version of Twitter. Once you get comfortable with how Twitter works, use desktop or mobile phone applications to keep up. Take a look at: Twhirl or TweetDeck for your computer, or Tweetie for the iPhone.
Know when others are talking about you. To keep track of the conversation, there are a number of tools that will alert you when someone tweets about you, your keywords, or your website. Use tools like TweetLater, TweetBeep, or TweeTree.
Start or join the conversation. It’s easy to find something to tweet about, just ask questions, answer other people’s questions, or join conversations that are already going on. Soon enough, you’ll build your reputation and following.
Limit your time. Twitter may be addictive, but don’t let it waste your day.