Twitter

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a social networking service that allows you to share information, ask questions, and connect with people and organizations around common interests. You use your computer or mobile phone to send short messages, or “tweets,” that are limited to 140 characters. People can sign up on Twitter to follow your tweets. You can choose to follow people in order to receive their tweets too. The Library of Congress digitally archives every public tweet.¹

Who is Using Twitter?

• 8% of U.S. Internet users use Twitter on a typical day;
• 20.6 million U.S. adults access Twitter at least once a month;
• 24% of Twitter users check tweets several times a day; and
• 177 million tweets are sent every day.²

How Can I Use Twitter in Response to HIV?

• Promote HIV testing, services, and events.
• Participate in and see what people are saying right now about HIV topics and resources.
• Raise awareness about HIV and foster discussion.
• Share and receive live updates from HIV conferences and other events.

What are Some Examples from the Field?

• AIDS.gov
• PEPFAR
• HHS Office on Women’s Health
• POZ Magazine
• The Body
• AIDS Action Committee
• AIDSinfo
• Banyan Tree Project
• National Minority AIDS Council

Where Can I Learn More?

• Common Craft’s Video “Twitter in Plain English”
• Twitter’s “Twitter 101” page
• Mashable’s Twitter Guidebook

References

¹ Library of Congress blog, “How Tweet It is!: Library Acquires Entire Twitter Archive, “ http://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2010/04/how-tweet-it-is-library-acquires-entire-twitter-archive/. Accessed on 3/20/13.

² BuySellAds, “The Who, Why, and How of Twitter,” http://blog.buysellads.com/2011/05/the-who-why-and-how-of-twitter/. Accessed on 1/14/13.