TAFP joins social networking medium Twitter

TAFP members can now keep up with the day-to-day goings on at the Academy through Twitter, the social networking phenomenon that allows users to tell “what they are doing” in 140 characters or less, and read similar updates from others. This “micro-blogging” service broadcasts concise bites of news that would typically be difficult to share with a large base of people. In turn, other users can share their own updates and interact by sending comments about these updates, otherwise known as “@replies.” Updates are listed chronologically, with the most recent updates posted at the top of the page.

Users personalize their Twitter timelines to display others they are following. Click on the image above to visit TAFP’s Twitter page.

The first Twitter users to jump on the bandwagon were individuals—family members or friends who wanted a way to keep in touch with loved ones by divulging small details of their lives such as where they had lunch or how they are feeling about the weather. Once Twitter became more popular, news outlets, member organizations, politicians, corporations, small businesses and others saw the site as a way to get the word out about their news and services to expand their reach and audience. TAFP Communications hopes Twitter will allow us to connect with our audience to let members know what their Academy is doing for them and allow us to read about the activities and thoughts of our family physician members.

Users personalize their Twitter accounts with different photos or backgrounds. The main interface users see when signing in to Twitter is a large timeline displaying the updates to which they subscribe, otherwise known as users they are “following.” The other user category is “followers,” or those who subscribe to read your updates when you post them. If you subscribe to “follow” TAFP (username TXFamilyDocs), the Academy’s updates would automatically be loaded onto your timeline. In turn, TAFP could “follow” you to have your updates posted on our timeline.

An important distinction is that many Twitter users protect their updates, which means that they must approve follower requests before that person can read their updates, and their updates are not posted on the Public Timeline, found by clicking on the “Everyone” tab on the right-hand side of the Twitter Web page. This is an added security measure to protect the privacy of individual users. TAFP’s updates are not protected, so our members do not have to have permission to read our updates and can follow the Academy immediately.

Click here to view TAFP’s Twitter page and read our updates. If you already have a Twitter account, select “follow” beneath the orange TAFP logo to receive updates posted by TAFP staff. You may also search for TAFP’s username “TXFamilyDocs” and select “follow.” If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still read our updates by following the link above, or create a Twitter account by selecting “Join Today!” at the top of the page.

TAFP Communications on Twitter is another example of TAFP expanding its member tools and resources. Twitter is most effective when users follow each other and comment back on posts with @replies. We hope to see you on our timeline soon.

For questions about Twitter or new communications tools, contact Jonathan Nelson at jnelson@tafp.org or Kate McCann at kmccann@tafp.org.