language: What does that mean???

Below is a 'tweet' similar to one you may mostly find on Twitter, or on Facebook, if an organization (and many do) duplicate posts on multiple social networks.  The question is, what does it mean?

Kansas Farm Bureau RT @brall:Thx, Backatya +#FF @fuelinggood @renewablefuel @kscornhead: http://bit.ly/13DQUx

Say what???  OK, it's much easier than it may look. 

First, obviously the name Kansas Farm Bureau means it comes from that organization. 

RT means it’s a retweet, or a restatement of a previous post, in this case from @brall (the @ is always in front of a name, similar to its use in an e-mail address).   

The words Thx, Backatya is thanking @brall for mentioning Kansas Farm Bureau as a good source to ‘follow’ for ag information, and returning the compliment.   

The #FF is a Twitter hashtag that means ‘Follow Friday.’ (there are lots of hashtags in Twitter such as #farm #ag #meat etc.) 

In this case, each Friday Twitter users choose their friends or others they respect to recommend that others ‘follow’ them.  It’s an honor to get a #FF attached to your name.  Using the #FF hashtag will store the tweets in a special ‘Follow Friday’ area, so your name can really get exposure through a #FF gesture when someone checks.  The same is true for other hashtags.  For example, if you search #agchat or #foodchat, you'll find the discussion from the latest chat session that happens each Tuesday evening on Twitter!  The hashtag #farm will get you the tweets that dealt with farm issues or interests. 

The + simply meant that Kansas Farm Bureau was not only thanking @brall, but also adding and suggesting the other names as good ag sources for our more than 1200 followers to check out.  Abbreviations and shortening of words (like many do when texting on their phones) is necessary because you only have 140 characters available to get each message in.

Finally, the web link http://bit.ly/13DQUx, is a shortened link (remember the 140 characters?) that can be automatically done for you by several Twitter applications to save space. Much of the idea behind Twitter is to drive your followers to your information, or information you advocate for. The link shortening is just a spacesaver.  Don't worry if it doesn't look like the original link, it will take your followers where you want. 

So... (drumroll please)... the above basically says: Kansas Farm Bureau is re-tweeting @brall's message, and thanks @brall for the ‘Follow Friday’ mention.  We also suggest Tweeters follow @fuelinggood, @renewablefuel, and @kscornhead, and check out this web link http://bit.ly/13DQUx for more information.

If you apply these basics when you see a Twitter message, you'll be able to decipher 'tweets' with anyone.

Now that you know the language, sign up for    and start advocating for agriculture!

Other questions? E-mail parkerw@kfb.org