Are you part of the 40% of Twitter users who is rarely engaged and never tweets?

Do not fear, you are not alone.   Many people get intimidated by the not-so-intuitive Twitter language.  Confused by hashtags, usernames and re-tweets, many avoid tweeting for fear of doing it wrong.  They often end up abandoning their Twitter feed as too confusing to be worth their time.

But as Facebook becomes evermore complicated and populated with ads, you might find it’s worth re-visiting your Twitter account as a more resourceful and rich social media platform.

Here’s a quick look at a tweet and a Twitter glossary to get you up to speed on the basic elements of a tweet.

Hashtag (#)  –  The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a post.  It is created organically (anyone can create a hashtag) as a way to categorize messages or posts of similar natures.  Examples:  #DarienCT #KYDerby #selfie

Retweet (RT) – The act of sharing another user’s Tweet to all of your followers.

Note: When you “tag” other Twitter users, include “hashtags” or links in your Tweet, all of these elements (highlighted in blue) will be actionable links once posted.  Including these elements also makes your Tweet more engaging and findable.

Here are a few other articles to help bring you up to speed on the basics of Twitter:

• What the #### is a Hashtag?  – nancysheed.com
• A Newbie’s Guide to Twitter – connect.ly
• Twitter Unveils New Profile Page Design – CNN.com

Now you’ve got the lingo, I challenge you to give Twitter another try.  I’ll make it easy – tag me (@sheesalt) in a Tweet and I will reply or Retweet!

Let me know how it goes in the comments or ask about any other challenges you face on Twitter.  Also, please consider sharing this article if you found it useful.  Thanks.