How to Register on Twitter

Ready to join the global conversation on X (formerly known as Twitter)? Creating an account is the first step toward connecting with millions of people, sharing your ideas, and building your brand. This guide offers a complete walkthrough, taking you from the initial sign-up page to a fully optimized profile that makes a great first impression.

Creating Your X (Twitter) Account: A Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you're on a desktop computer or your mobile phone, the initial setup is designed to be quick and straightforward. We'll walk through the process using the desktop website, but the steps are nearly identical on the iOS and Android apps.

Step 1: Head to X.com and Start the Process

Open your favorite web browser and navigate to www.x.com. On the homepage, you'll be greeted with options to sign in or create a new account. Look for the prominent button that says “Create account” and click on it. This is your starting point.

Step 2: Provide Your Basic Information

The next screen will ask for some fundamental details to set up your account. Here’s what you'll need to provide:

• Your Name: This is your display name. It's not permanent and can be changed later. You can use your real name, a business name, or a creative pseudonym.
• Phone Number or Email Address: You must provide one of these for verification. If you're concerned about privacy or plan to use this account for a business, using a dedicated email address is a solid option. X uses this to verify you're a real person and for account recovery if you forget your password.
• Date of Birth: This is used to verify your age and customize your experience. X requires users to be at least 13 years old. Your birth date will not be publicly visible on your profile.

After filling this out, click "Next."

Step 3: Customize Your Experience

X will then ask for your permission to track where you see its content across the web. This little checkbox is about personalized advertising. Essentially, it allows X to show you more relevant ads both on and off the platform based on your browsing habits. Read the brief explanation and decide whether you want to leave this on or turn it off. For a more private experience, you can uncheck the box. This setting has no impact on your account's functionality.

Step 4: Verify Your Account

Once you’ve confirmed your details, X will send a verification code to the email address or phone number you provided. This is a simple security step to confirm that you own the email or phone number you registered with. Check your inbox or text messages, grab the code, enter it into the prompt on the screen, and click "Next."

Finally, you'll be asked to create a password. Choose something strong and unique - a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols is always best practice. After that, your X account is officially created!

Your Profile is Your Digital Handshake: Making a Great First Impression

An account might be created in minutes, but a great profile takes a little more thought. This is your digital storefront, your personal billboard, and your resume all in one. Taking the time to build it out properly will help you attract the right followers and communicate your value clearly.

Choosing the Perfect Username (@handle)

One of the first things you'll do is pick your username, also known as your "handle." This is the unique identifier that starts with an "@" symbol (e.g., @yourname). It's how people will find and mention you on the platform. It's different from your display name, which is more flexible.

Tips for a Great Username:

• Keep it Simple and Memorable: A complicated username is hard to remember and easy to misspell. Aim for clarity.
• Stay Consistent: If you have a brand or presence on other platforms like Instagram or TikTok, using the same handle everywhere creates a cohesive brand identity.
• Be Relevant: Your handle should ideally reflect who you are or what your business does. If you're a writer, including "writes" could work. If you're a software company, your company name is perfect.

What If Your Desired Handle Is Taken?

It happens to the best of us! Here are a few creative ways to find a suitable alternative:

• Add Your Industry: Try something like @JaneSmithCFO or @OasisCafeNYC.
• Use an Initial: If @JohnMiller is taken, try @JohnFMiller.
• Incorporate an Underscore: @creative_designs is a clean alternative if @creativedesigns is unavailable.
• Add "HQ" or "App": For businesses, adding suffixes like @YourBrandHQ (for headquarters) or @YourProductApp can work well.

Selecting a Profile Picture and Header Image

Visuals matter, especially for first impressions. Your profile picture and header are the first things people see when they land on your page.

Profile Picture

This is the small, circular image that appears next to all of your posts. For personal brands, freelancers, and thought leaders, a clean, high-resolution headshot is the gold standard. People connect with faces. Make sure your face is clearly visible and the background is uncluttered. For businesses, a crisp, readable logo is the best choice. The recommended dimensions are 400x400 pixels.

Header Image

The header is the large banner image at the top of your profile. This is prime marketing real estate! Don't leave it as the default gray. Use it to convey more about your brand's personality, value proposition, or current focus. Ideas for a great header image:

• A photo of you in action (speaking, working, creating)
• A picture of your team or your physical storefront
• A graphic displaying a memorable quote or company tagline
• A shot of your products or a lifestyle image that evokes your brand's feeling

X recommends header image dimensions of 1500x500 pixels. Use a tool like Canva to create a custom graphic that fits perfectly.

Writing a Bio That Connects

You have 160 characters to tell the world who you are and why they should follow you. Your bio should be more than a dry description, it’s your elevator pitch.

A simple formula for an effective bio:

1. Who You Are &, What You Do: Clearly state your profession or purpose. "Marketing strategist for SaaS startups" or "Handcrafting leather goods in Colorado."
2. What You Talk About: What kind of content can followers expect? "Sharing tips on organic growth, content marketing, and branding."
3. Establish Credibility (optional): Mention an achievement. "Host of the Marketing Makers podcast" or "As seen in Forbes."
4. Call to Action (CTA): What do you want people to do next? Usually, this points to the link in your bio. "↓ Grab my free email course."

Don't forget to sprinkle in relevant keywords for your industry, but make it sound natural. Finish by adding a link to your website, blog, portfolio, or a link-in-bio service that houses multiple links.

Final Touches: Customizing Your Experience on X

With your profile essentials in place, a few final adjustments will help you get the most out of the platform from day one and avoid a chaotic experience.

Adjusting Your Privacy and Notification Settings

Head to “More” in the sidebar, and then go to “Settings and privacy.” This is your central hub for controlling your account.

First, consider your account's privacy. By default, your account is public, meaning anyone can see and interact with your posts. For businesses, creators, and professionals, this is what you want. The other option is a private (or "protected") account, where only approved followers can see what you post. This is better suited for personal use among friends and family.

Next, visit the "Notifications" tab. X can be noisy. To prevent overwhelm, customize your push and email notifications. You can turn off alerts for things like likes or new followers and keep them on for more important interactions like mentions and replies.

First Steps on the Platform

Your profile is set up and your settings are tuned. Now what?

• Follow 5-10 Relevant Accounts: This is the fastest way to make your timeline useful. Find a few industry leaders, news outlets, brands, or creators in your niche and follow them. Your "For You" feed will start learning what you're interested in, and your "Following" feed will populate with their content.
• Send Your First Post: Don't leave your profile blank! A simple introductory post is a perfect way to start. For example: "Hello X! Officially on the platform. I'll be sharing my journey as a web developer and talking about all things React and JavaScript. Excited to connect!"
• Pin a Post: Pinning a post anchors it to the top of your profile page, making it the first thing visitors see. This is perfect for an introductory post, a link to your most important work, or a current promotion. To pin a post, click the three-dot menu on your published post and select "Pin to your profile."

Final Thoughts

Signing up for X is a simple and quick process, but building a presence that stands out takes thoughtful preparation. By taking the time to craft a clear username, a compelling bio, and strong visuals, you establish a solid foundation for connecting with your audience and growing your brand from your very first post.

As you get comfortable and start posting more regularly on X, keeping your content on a consistent schedule is the best way to build momentum. We created Postbase to solve the frustrations we’ve all felt with older, clunky social media tools. It offers a clean, modern calendar to plan your content strategy, reliable scheduling for video-first platforms, and a unified inbox so you can manage comments and DMs without losing your mind. It’s what you need to grow your social presence without spending all day fighting your tools.