Add photos or GIFs to your Tweets

Adding photos or GIFs are an easy way to get noticed. Take a cue from Virat Kohli (@imVkohli), click the photo icon from the Tweet compose box to upload a photo or GIF from your phone or computer. You can add up to four photos in your Tweet.

If Tweeting from the Twitter app, you can enhance the pictures – apply a filter, crop an image and add stickers. Click the Tweet button to post to your profile.

• Rising up to every challenge. What a game! 💯 👊🇮🇳 #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/5kUSbD3P4m

  — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 31, 2020

Share and watch videos on Twitter

Do you feel photos don’t tell the complete picture? well, you can share videos on twitter. There are two ways to share videos on Twitter: You can either record a video by simply tapping and holding down the capture icon, or you can import/upload a video (less than 02:20 duration) saved on your phone or desktop. All the videos that you see, like and engage with on Twitter have been uploaded using either of these steps. On that note, this video from Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) will make your day:

• Time for some internet positivity rn. ✨🌼 #HappyTweets #LoveAndLightProject pic.twitter.com/6ZUxXavrQT

  — Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) August 21, 2019

Add an interesting link to a Tweet (and don’t worry about the character count!)

You can paste a URL of any length into the Tweet compose box and it will automatically get shortened to a maximum of 23 characters.

After pasting the link, click the Tweet button to post the Tweet to your timeline. This is  what it will look like:

 Learn from the best, here’s an example of how@SrBachchan does it:

• T 3435 – Kaveri , daughter of Suchitra and Shekhar Kapur @suchitrak, @shekharkapur .. her new single .. her first International release under Swedish American label Snafu ..https://t.co/urBwb0StVh
  All good wishes ..

  — Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) February 8, 2020

Go live with Twitter

The euphoria of attending a concert, the joy of witnessing your friend go down the aisle and the pride of winning an award – some things are best expressed in real time, right? With Twitter, you can have your followers be a part of your special moments. Just go live through video and show them what you’re up to, instead of describing it to them. All you need to do is, swipe left post opening the camera icon in the Tweet compose box. This will allow you to select the live mode.

Just the way Comicstaan live streamed their #BlueCarpetScreening with our favourite internet celebs.

• @imrohitkoli21 We are Live… join your favourite Internet celebs for a fun-filled LIVE streaming of @comcistaan #BlueCarpetScreening at https://t.co/5LglSsaIk3

  — Comicstaan (@comicstaan) July 13, 2018

Add fun captions on your photos

While adding photos to your Tweets, you can choose to write a caption to describe the image for the visually impaired, while at the same time, making your Tweet more engaging. To insert a caption, click on ‘add description’ and type out  your description in the given space. If you do not get the option to set image descriptions automatically, you can follow these simple steps to turn them on in your settings. Go to the Settings option in your profile, tap on ‘Accessibility’ and then click to opt for ‘Compose Image Descriptions’.

A description can be added to each image in a Tweet but not videos and GIFs.

So be creative and win your followers with the coolest Tweets!

Tips for safe online shopping

• Make sure your bank has an up-to-date telephone number for you: this will allow them to get in touch rapidly if they notice suspicious transactions. This can help both to speed through genuine transactions – and to stop criminals in their tracks if your card number is being misused.
• Be ultra-cautious of ‘bargains’ and social-media offers around iPhones, Samsung phones, games consoles and iPads on Cyber Monday. The UK organization Get Safe Online says that these are the items most commonly involved in fraudulent sales or auctions, along with fashion items such as Ugg boots.
• Buy items using credit cards, not debit cards – credit cards usually offer protection against fraud, whereas many debit cards do not.
• Where possible, ensure that your cards are enrolled in schemes such as Verified by Visa or Mastercard SecureCode, which offer an additional layer of protection when buying online.
• Check delivery and returns policies where you can – one of the most common frauds during the holiday season is to deliver fake or faulty goods, and then refuse to refund the money.
• Shop on PC with anti-malware protection if you can – but if you are using mobile, use security software. Last year saw mobile sales leap to around 20% of holiday-season shopping, according to a We Live Security report – and rise 187% year-on-year according to GigaOM. Good Mobile AV software will alert you if you’re being directed to a bogus site.
• If you are using a PC to buy, spring clean before you shop – update your browser, plug-ins, OS, and flush with good AV software.
• The browser bar is your friend: check the spelling of any site you’re shopping from, and check to see that there’s a ‘lock’ symbol and HTTPS to show you’re secure when you’re about to buy. If it’s not there, leave.
• Auction sites are rife with fraud on Cyber Monday– and be extra wary around expensive items. Always choose a payment method approved by the site and covered by their insurance – and never pay direct to the seller.
• Don’t click on a link your friend sends you, or you see shared on Facebook – no matter how good the bargain is. That’s just asking to be sent to a fake site. Instead, go in via the front page, and find the item from there – if it is a sale item the retailer is pushing, it will be easy to find anyway.
• Don’t overshare. Many frauds rely on you handing over information, thinking you’re making a purchase – then the fraudster uses your information to drain funds from your account. If you’re asked for ‘extra’ info, such as a social security number, or phone number, be wary.
• If a bargain appears on a store you’ve never heard of, step back and use a search engine to find reviews of the store, and see how long it’s been around for. If information seems to be lacking, don’t buy.

Tips for safe online shopping

• Make sure your bank has an up-to-date telephone number for you: this will allow them to get in touch rapidly if they notice suspicious transactions. This can help both to speed through genuine transactions – and to stop criminals in their tracks if your card number is being misused.
• Be ultra-cautious of ‘bargains’ and social-media offers around iPhones, Samsung phones, games consoles and iPads on Cyber Monday. The UK organization Get Safe Online says that these are the items most commonly involved in fraudulent sales or auctions, along with fashion items such as Ugg boots.
• Buy items using credit cards, not debit cards – credit cards usually offer protection against fraud, whereas many debit cards do not.
• Where possible, ensure that your cards are enrolled in schemes such as Verified by Visa or Mastercard SecureCode, which offer an additional layer of protection when buying online.
• Check delivery and returns policies where you can – one of the most common frauds during the holiday season is to deliver fake or faulty goods, and then refuse to refund the money.
• Shop on PC with anti-malware protection if you can – but if you are using mobile, use security software. Last year saw mobile sales leap to around 20% of holiday-season shopping, according to a We Live Security report – and rise 187% year-on-year according to GigaOM. Good Mobile AV software will alert you if you’re being directed to a bogus site.
• If you are using a PC to buy, spring clean before you shop – update your browser, plug-ins, OS, and flush with good AV software.
• The browser bar is your friend: check the spelling of any site you’re shopping from, and check to see that there’s a ‘lock’ symbol and HTTPS to show you’re secure when you’re about to buy. If it’s not there, leave.
• Auction sites are rife with fraud on Cyber Monday– and be extra wary around expensive items. Always choose a payment method approved by the site and covered by their insurance – and never pay direct to the seller.
• Don’t click on a link your friend sends you, or you see shared on Facebook – no matter how good the bargain is. That’s just asking to be sent to a fake site. Instead, go in via the front page, and find the item from there – if it is a sale item the retailer is pushing, it will be easy to find anyway.
• Don’t overshare. Many frauds rely on you handing over information, thinking you’re making a purchase – then the fraudster uses your information to drain funds from your account. If you’re asked for ‘extra’ info, such as a social security number, or phone number, be wary.
• If a bargain appears on a store you’ve never heard of, step back and use a search engine to find reviews of the store, and see how long it’s been around for. If information seems to be lacking, don’t buy.