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X (formerly Twitter) Guidelines & Recommendations

Getting Started on X

Signing Up: To create a X (formerly Twitter) account, visit X.com and click the “Sign up” button.

Full Name: Using your real name is suggested as it helps people find you on X (formerly Twitter). Your name will often appear next to your username.

Username: Your username, also known as a handle, is how you will be identified on X (formerly Twitter). Usernames are denoted with @ symbols. It’s recommended to choose a short and relevant username that represents the image you want to present. Check if your first name, last name, or some permutation of it is available. Avoid confusing usernames that others may have difficulty remembering.

Bio: X (formerly Twitter) allows a maximum of 160 characters for your bio. Make it descriptive and engaging, keeping in mind your business or branding goals. Prioritize information relevant to your role, such as being an author, and add personality while staying within the character limit.

We recommend sharing the title and release date of your latest work in your bio.

Profile Picture: For authors, it’s advised to use a personal photo as your profile picture rather than a logo or book cover. People prefer connecting on a direct human level. A logo may create a barrier between you and others. X (formerly Twitter) recommends using a square image with dimensions of 400px x 400px for your profile picture. More details can be found here.

Header: The recommended dimensions for a header are 1500px x 500px. However, if you want to avoid the platform from auto-resizing and cropping the image, use exact dimensions of 1263px x 421px. Consider the space taken up by your profile picture and leave room at the bottom left corner. Your header is visible when people visit your profile, so you can use it to showcase your individuality. Popular choices include landscapes, mood-setting scenes, or images of text. If you have upcoming releases, you can incorporate elements from your book cover in the header.

Following and Subscribing: When you follow someone on X (formerly Twitter), their posts will appear in your feed or timeline when you log into X (formerly Twitter). Others can see when you follow them, and you can see when people follow you. You can also view the people that a specific user follows, which can be helpful in finding interesting accounts to follow. Following relevant handles can potentially result in reciprocal follows.

Finding People to Follow: X (formerly Twitter) suggests people to follow during the sign-up process. Additionally, you can search for individuals by their names, usernames, or keywords to discover more people to follow.

X Basics: Types of Content and Interactions

Listening and Sharing: If you’re unsure about what to say on X (formerly Twitter), you can learn from those who are already active on the platform. Reading posts from people you follow, especially those in communities you care about, can provide inspiration. Some popular things to post include opinions, links to interesting content, pictures and videos (with proper attribution), recommendations, and questions to engage your followers. Reposting allows you to share other people’s posts with your followers. It is advised to have a mix of interesting content, including original posts, reposts, and @replies, while avoiding excessive self-promotion.

On the platform, users can engage in various types of interactions. Some common types of interactions include:

Here are some of the common types of multimedia assets that can be shared on X (formerly Twitter):

  1. 1. Images: Images can be in formats such as JPEG, PNG, or GIF. Adding images to posts can make them more visually appealing and help convey information or emotions.
  2. 2. Videos: Videos can be recorded and uploaded directly from the app or website, or users can share videos hosted on other platforms by including the video link in the post. Videos can be up to a certain duration, typically ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes.
  3. 3. GIFs: GIFs are short, looping animations that can be shared on the platform. Users can search for and include GIFs in their posts to add humor, express emotions, or engage with trending topics. GIFs can be uploaded or shared from popular GIF libraries.
  4. 4. Live Videos: With the live video feature, users can broadcast and share live video content with their followers in real-time. This feature is often used for events, conferences, Q&A sessions, or sharing live experiences.
  5. 5. Audio: Share audio content in the form of audio clips or podcasts. Users can upload and share audio files or share links to audio content hosted on external platforms.
  6. 6. Spaces: Spaces is a way to have live audio conversations on the platform. Anyone can join, listen, and speak in a Space for iOS and Android. Currently, you can listen in a Space on web. More details on Spaces can be found here.
  7. 7. Polls: Although not strictly multimedia assets, polls can be created and shared on the platform. Users can create polls to gather opinions, engage with their audience, or spark conversations. Polls consist of a question and multiple answer options, and users can vote for their preferred option.

Hashtags:

Hashtags are keywords that users can use to “tag” posts in order to group them with larger conversations and linked chats.

X (formerly Twitter) Analytics

X Premium

X Premium is an opt-in paid subscription service that adds a blue checkmark to your account and offers early access to select features, like Edit Post. Localized pricing starts at $8/month or $84/year to get the blue checkmark in addition to early access to features. More details can be found here.

Some key features of X Premium are: