Adviser Summer 2017 Annual Conference Recap | Page 20

One Voice Tweet Tweet (continued from page 17) Once you have gotten set up, follow your lawmakers on Facebook and Twitter. Start thanking them for their work in Albany and in your community. Let them know when you agree with them and even when you don’t – but always keep it respectful and friendly. Get a conversation started about the needs of your community and the people you care for and watch how quickly your voice gets amplified. Getting Started with Twitter Twitter is one of the biggest social networks on the Internet, and it’s fairly easy to get started. Let’s walk through some basic definitions so you can start Tweeting like a pro. Tweet: It all begins with a Tweet. A Tweet may contain photos, videos, links and up to 140 characters of text. Handle: Your unique username for twitter is preceded by an “@” symbol. You will use this name, along with a password, to log in to your account. Your handle can be used by others to search your account or to reference you in a specific post. Followers: Other Twitter users can choose to ‘follow’ your account in order to remain updated on your actions. Any tweets that you post will appear in your follower’s Twitter feed. Retweet: A retweet is a re-posting of someone else’s message, thought or image. Retweeting advances the message to a greater follower reach. Twitter App for Smartphone: This free app (for both Apple and Android) can be downloaded via the App Store. Simply search for ‘Twitter’ and then enter password to install. Once the Twitter app has been installed you will be able to sign in with your Twitter handle and password. Hashtag: When posting a tweet you can choose to include a related phrase as a hashtag. This is a search feature that allows Twitter users to find tweets on specific topics. Twitter’s own starter guide has great information to get you started: https://support.twitter.com/categories/281 Questions? Contact Jeff Diamond, government relations analyst, at [email protected] or 518-867-8821. 19 Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Summer 2017