How to Set Up Your Twitter Profile

Maybe you have heard about this tiny, little social networking site called Twitter and you have come to realize that it could be a simple and easy way for you to connect with members of your audience.  If this is you and you don't know where to begin, I'm here to help.  I'll be walking you through everything you need to do and know in order to be ready to start tweeting immediately.

1.  Create Your Twitter Account - This is simple, just fill out your desired username, real name, password, and email address.

2.  Post a Photo or Logo - I prefer a photo here as people want to see what the person they are following looks like.  To upload your photo go to Settings, then the Picture tab.

3.  Change Background Image - Do not just select one of the default backgrounds provided by the system.  You need to have one made that is custom to your account.  This means adding a few things to the background, such as a URL, larger photo of you or your brand, and any other company information that you want to the visitor to know.  Make it look professional, and also unique so you can stand out from the crowd.  This is done by going to Settings and then the Design tab.  Check out our cool Twitter backgrounds article for sites that can help you design something specifically for you or your company.

4.  Account Settings - You want to make sure the "more info URL" points back to your site so visitors know where to find more information about you.  Also your bio needs to be short and sweet (See Twitter bio tips for help on this).  You don't have a lot of space or time to engage the viewer which means you need a bio that is interesting, humorous, stands out from the crowd, etc.  This will increase your chances of the visitor clicking your follow button.  Also in the account settings section, don't check the box that says protect updates or only your followers will be able to see your tweets.  This will inhibit some people from following you in the first place since they can't see what you are about beforehand.

5.  Device Settings - Here you can set up your mobile phone to send tweets via text message.  I have a smartphone so I just use a Twitter app, but you can also use the web as well.  This is up to you and your own personal preference.

6.  Notice Settings - I like knowing when someone sends me a direct message so I can respond to it quickly.  If you plan on taking your Twitter marketing seriously, you'll gain a lot of followers and getting email updates when that happens will get annoying quickly, so I recommend unchecking that box.  You should also stay on Twitter's newsletter list so you can keep up to date with site changes.

After following these steps, you will have your Twitter profile set up to become a power user!

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