Twitter Signup Tutorial



TwitterAre you setting up a Twitter Account for the first time? Here's a quick 10 step process with pictorials and suggestions.

The first thing you'll want to do after setting up an Account is Protect Your Updates. This will keep your Twitter Profile private while you get things in order. This is a temporary measure to prevent prying eyes from seeing what you're up to in regards to testing, posting Updates, garnering Followers and Following, e.g. general Twitter Profile information that is available if your Updates are NOT Protected.

This tutorial on setting up a Twitter Account assumes that you know the basic terminology associated with the Twitter community. If not, I'll do my best to provide insights and tips during each of the steps below. I've set up an actual account @AccountSetup for this pictorial.

Twitter Account Setup

You'll need the following ingredients to setup a Twitter Profile.

  1. Full Name - This could be your real name, a nickname/moniker, company name, etc. You may even use the same Full Name that you utilize for your Username. Note that Usernames cannot contain spaces. You can use an _ (underscore) as a separator.

    Suggestions - Treat this area with extreme care. Your Full Name and Username are displayed in your Twitter Profile <title> Element. For this tutorial our Twitter Profile page title looks like this...

    Account Setup (AccountSetup) on Twitter - Mozilla Firefox
    <title>Account Setup (AccountSetup) on Twitter</title>

  2. Username 1 (up to 15 characters)
    • Username 2 (up to 15 characters) - JIC Username 1 is taken
    • Username 3 (up to 15 characters) - JIC Username 2 is taken

    Suggestions - Common usernames are scarce. You can ONLY USE letters A thru Z, numbers 0 thru 9 and the _ (underscore) as a separator. You'll most likely find it very challenging to come up with a viable/normal Username for yourself and/or your business. There are different strategies to utilize here and it is all relevant to what you have to start with. 15 characters is very limiting and the uniqueness of the Username address system makes it a first come, first serve, first to market.

    Underscores - I do not recommend the use of underscores in any URI naming conventions. I'd spend a little more time being creative with the 15 characters without an underscore. If you ABSOLUTELY have to use one or more, by all means, don't let me stop you. Just remember, I did advise against their use.

    Twitter URIs are not case sensitive. Choose your case wisely and be sure to maintain consistency in linking practices to your Twitter Profile. I prefer PascalCasing for concatenated words e.g. AccountSetup. My username @pageoneresults uses all lower case for brand consistency, I have an all lower case brand name.

  3. Twitter Password and Email Address - From a management perspective, I would setup specific email accounts for ALL business employees on Twitter. This allows you to have full control over ALL Twitter account activities.

    Suggestions: Businesses could set up an email account that matches the Twitter Username. Individual users may not do this and can use their regular email address. Business accounts with multiple users may find it easier to track and manage if the email matches the Twitter Username. For this tutorial, I'm using AccountSetup@.

  4. @Twitter Picture - Maximum size of 700k, MUST be square (I'm using a 300x300 pixel square for this tutorial)

    @Twitter Avatar - Your Twitter Avatar is your Twitter Picture and is sized automatically to fit the default 48x48 pixel dimensions.

  5. Twitter Profile Background - Image must be smaller than 800k (or choose a default)

    Suggestions: Create backgrounds that are seamless and/or blend into page background colors. Your Twitter profile background image should fill the users viewport in most instances. Backgrounds that are not tiled and/or seamless may look unfinished on today's high resolution displays.

  6. Twitter Color Palette (Hexadecimal Values)
    • Background (#CCCCCC)
    • Text (#000000)
    • Links (#3399FF)
    • Sidebar (#EEEEEE)
    • Sidebar Border (#CCCCCC)

    Color ChooserIf you're setting up an account and are using an existing design theme, whether it is personal or business, have the above 5 Hexadecimal Values ready for entry.

    Twitter support CSS Shorthand (e.g. #CCC, #000, #39F, #EEE). If you don't have the above Hexadecimal Values, a Color Chooser is provided by Twitter (picture at right).

  7. Twitter Profile Information
    • 160 Character Bio
      2009-04-29 - Twitter adds META Description for Profiles. Utilizes all 160 characters from your Twitter Bio. Craft these 160 characters carefully.
    • Website Address
    • Location (Geographic)
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10 Step Pictorial

  1. Get Started - Join!
  2. Join the Conversation - Full Name
  3. Find people. Follow them.
  4. Account Tab
  5. Password Tab
  6. Devices Tab
  7. Notices Tab
  8. Picture Tab
  9. Design Tab - Change Design Colors
  10. Design Tab - Change Background Image

Step 1 - Get Started - Join!

Go to https://Twitter.com/ to begin the account setup process. Click on the Get Started-Join! button. You can also watch the video and then come back to this pictorial for further information and suggestions.

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Step 2 - Join the Conversation - Enter Full Name

Enter your Full Name. This is displayed in the <title> Element of your Twitter Profile.

<title>Full Name (Username) on Twitter</title>

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Step 2 - Join the Conversation - Enter Username (up to 15 characters)

Enter your Username. This is displayed in the <title> Element of your Twitter Profile.

<title>Full Name (Username) on Twitter</title>

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Step 2 - Join the Conversation - username has already been taken

If the Username you've chosen has been taken, you'll see this message.

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Step 2 - Join the Conversation - Enter Password

Select a disposable/recyclable Password. Do not use words found in the dictionary for your own protection. Do not use a password that you use for other accounts with sensitive information such as online banking, etc. Twitter allows unsecured login via http protocol (BAD Webmaster) which means your login credentials are traveling unsecurely and can be easily sniffed by prying eyes.

Enter your Email Address. Enter the words for the CAPTCHA. Press your Enter Key or the Continue button to proceed.

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Step 3 - Find people. Follow them.

Find on Twitter, Find on other networks, Invite by email and Suggested Users Tabs.

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Step 4 - Account Tab

Name, Username, Email, Time Zone, More Info URL, One Line Bio, Location, Language, Protect My Updates, Delete My Account

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Step 4 - Account Tab - Protect My Updates (until finished)

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Step 5 - Password Tab

Current Password, New Password, Verify New Password

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Step 6 - Devices Tab

Enter your mobile phone number if desired to receive Updates via your mobile device.

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Step 7 - Notices Tab

Auto Nudge, @ Replies, New Follower Emails, Direct Text Emails, Email Newsletter

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Twitter Default Do_O-Do_O Avatar Step 8 - Picture Tab

Before customization. Read more about the o_O Default Twitter Avatar.
Please do not go public with the default Twitter Do_O-Do_O Avatar.

After customization including background and design color changes.

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Step 9 - Design Tab - Change Design Colors

Background, Text, Links, Sidebar, Sidebar Border

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Step 10 - Design Tab - Change Background Image

If you are using a solid color background, be sure to click the X Don't use a background image area. This will eliminate the default Twitter background and you'll now see your background color selection.

If you are using a background image that is seamless (tiles), be sure to CHECK the box that reads tile background.

If you are using a background image that is not seamless, leave the tile background box UNCHECKED. By default, your uploaded background image will be positioned at top left. If your image was meant to blend with a solid color background, be sure that the design colors (background) reflect that or you'll SEE the seam where your image meets your selected background Hexadecimal Value.

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First Login

Once you've got everything setup to your liking, click the Sign out link at top right and then log back in. This is what you'll see with a new Twitter Account that is in Protected Mode while you prep everything. The Your updates are now private yellow highlighted message will disappear once you reload or browse back to this page.

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Twitter Profile (what you see)

This is what you will see when logged into your Protected account and you click on the Profile link at top right.

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Twitter Profile (what others see while you're Protected)

This is what others will see when they browse to your Protected account from a public timeline.

After you've made all of your Profile updates and are happy with what you've done, go ahead and UNCHECK the Protect My Updates box. This will make your Twitter Profile publicly available. You can now start Tweeting away!

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