Twitter 101 - SLU Style

Twitter, I am sure you have heard about it by now but probably don't understand the purpose of it.  I spend a great deal of time on campus educating students, faculty, and staff on the uses and power of twitter.  So many people don't understand why they should care what Ashton Kutcher is having for breakfast, because that is what you tweet about right?  Twitter is just for entertainment and serves no real functional purpose right?  Wrong and wrong. 

The first thing I suggest is just to listen, find people to follow and just listen to the conversation.  Finding people to follow can be tough and this is actually why this blog post is being written, at the bottom of the post you will find a list of suggested people to follow and hashtags (what's a hashtag?  That's coming later in the post).  I often suggest people follow news organizations, sports teams, and their favorite band.  Twitter is where I get my news, anything from cycling, higher ed, my perpetually failing Buffalo Bills, to social media marketing.  The other great way to listen to conversations is with hashtags.

What is a hashtag?  It is simply the "#" sign that you see typed out in many posts.  A perfect example is the hashtag used for our incoming first year class, #SLU2015.  If someone writes a tweet about orientation, a first year cup event, or anything relevant to the first year class they can include this hashtag for other to find their post by search twitter for #SLU2015.  Makes sense? 

This is the list of twitter accounts and hashtags I would recommend you follow to get the latest about SLU.  I will try and keep this list updated so if you have suggestions to add please leave a comment or tell me @stlawu.  

Twitter accounts that everyone at SLU should follow:

• @stlawu  -Tim Akers (me) over in the Admissions Office
• @stlawrenceu - The official university account
• @thelmoSLU -  Our student government
• @JRGGlass - Thelmo President 
• @MarkArmstrong95-  He plays hockey - catch up with the team
• @SLUCwells- Coach Wells-  Womens Hockey coach
• @Blitzwells - The Wells family is so into Twitter that even the family dog has an account
• @SLUsaints-  The offical athletic department account
• @StLawrenceIT - our IT department, have a questions about computers?  They can help

Hashtags

• #SLU2015 -  For our incoming first year class.  Have something to say about orientation, announcing a FYC event?  Use this tag
• #greatdaytobeasaint - Are you pumped about SLU?  Tell us why
• #SLU - I often see this used.  I would shy away from it a bit because it is used by St Louis Univ a lot as well.  Use one of these other hashtags or even #stlawu
• #ff -  Follow Friday.  Every Friday list your favorite accounts so others know who to follow.  

* Here are two great lists of more twitter accounts on campus to follow- St Lawrence list by @thelmoSLU has 45 SLU twitter accounts listed and the St Lawrence University list by Rob Meacham (@RMeacham) has 211 SLU twitter accounts listed as of this post.