New to Twitter? No problem!

Basics of Twitter

Click here to create a Twitter account. You can use Twitter on any device using your web browser or the app (on both iPhone and Android).

Twitter lets you post text, picture and video for others to see. These posts are called tweets.
You can comment, retweet, like, or share a tweet (retweeting means sharing it on your twitter while sharing lets you share it outside of twitter).

What are hashtags and handles?

A hashtag is a word or phrase with no spaces beginning with the # symbol. By putting one in your post, you create a link between your post and all the other posts that have used that hashtag, which you can click on to see a collection of posts with that hashtag. You can create new hashtags or reference existing ones at any time just by typing it out. Hashtags are useful for building a united movement online. When a hashtag is popular enough, it might appear as trending meaning it will be on the front page of twitter, bringing in even more publicity.

A handle is a way to mention or tag someone in your post, in the same way you can mention someone in a Facebook post. When you use the @ symbol and then type a username, it will link that person in your tweet and they will get a notification. It’s a good way to directly interact with politicians, public figures, or organizations in a public way.