- The School District of Osceola County, Florida
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Twitter Resources
You must first complete and return the district’s Social Media Request Form to Janae Muchmore before you can get started on any social media. Upon returning this form and getting access to your district-provided social media email account, follow these directions to set up your Twitter account:
- Go to Twitter.com/signup
- Enter your school or department’s name. Enter the social media email address you were provided, and a password you wouldn’t mind sharing with the other people who help manage your school/department social media. Click “Sign up.”
- You may be prompted to enter a phone number. Try to use your administrator's district cell phone for this (this makes it easier if we ever have to do an “I forgot my password” reset)
- You will be prompted to create a username. Use the name you provided on the Social Media Request Form and discussed with Janae.
- Add a photo. An image that is 400px by 400px (or square) is ideal. You should use our school or department logo or mascot.
- It will then ask you what topics interest you. You can skip this or choose as many or as few as you like. It may also offer suggestions for accounts to follow. Again, choose as many or as few as you like or skip this step.
- Once you’ve set up your page, visit @osceolaschools and follow us! You can also check out the accounts we follow and follow them too. Many of them are other district schools/departments or community partners you may want to connect with.
Tips for telling your story using Twitter:
- Choose your words carefully. You only have 280 characters... make them count!
- Post a lot, and often. Unlike Facebook, Twitter moves much faster and can handle more posts. Have a special event taking place? Twitter is a great place to “Live tweet” during it, and be sure to use a special hashtag to keep all your content searchable. Post photos, videos, GIFs, etc. Twitter does limit you to four photos per post and videos to one per post (two minutes and 20 seconds in length).
- Use shortened links. Set up a free account at bitly.com. This allows you to shorten links, make them more personalized, and track how many people have clicked on the link you’ve shared.
- Everything you post is viewable by the public. Twitter STILL does not allow you to edit posts after they have been published. While you can delete them if you find an error, remember that smartphones have the capability of taking screenshots and people are always watching.
- Post regularly. At least a tweet a day is a good start, but as mentioned before, Twitter moves a lot faster than other social media channels. The more you post, the more your tweets will be seen. You can also retweet what others are posting. Retweet information from the District’s Twitter account (or other district-related accounts) to continue spreading the message of #SDOCGoodtoGreat.
- Be authentic. Your audience wants to feel like they are communicating with a real person, so use a conversational tone and add emotion when needed.
- Engage your audience. Twitter is often used for two-way communication. People may ask you questions or tag you in a tweet. Respond to them, or retweet them. Be engaged!
- Use tags and hashtags. When you tag someone, you are using their Twitter handle to link to their Twitter account. For example, you can tag the district by using @osceolaschools. Use a hashtag, like #SDOCGoodtoGreat to have your post included in all posts associated with the same hashtag. It’s a great way to curate your content.
- Keep student safety a priority. Be sure all students in photos have signed photo releases.
- Ask for help! Contact Janae Muchmore in Community Relations anytime you need assistance.
- Go to Twitter.com/signup