USE KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Instead of clicking around with your mouse, you can operate Twitter by using your keyboard. Type a question mark at Twitter’s Web interface to pop up a panel with a list of the available keyboard commands. There are nearly 20 listed, including “r” to retweet a post, or “/” to jump to the search box. Some of the commands require two keystrokes, like “g p” to go to your profile page.

There are two more commands not listed on that pop-up panel. Typing “s p” will pop up a box to search only posts that include links to photos, and “s v” will initiate a similar search for videos.

CROSS-POST TO FACEBOOK You have the option to cross-post a Twitter status update to your Wall on Facebook by logging into Facebook and installing the Selective Tweets app. The app will prompt you for your Twitter username. So anytime you end a Twitter update with #fb, that post will also be sent to your Facebook page as long as you’re logged into Twitter and Facebook in your browser.

USE TWITTER VIA TEXT MESSAGES Most smartphones have plenty of free Twitter apps that you can download to send and read Twitter updates on your phone. But you can also use Twitter through SMS messages. Send a photo, and Twitter will upload and link to it. Text users can also follow you without needing a Twitter account of their own by sending a text to 40404 with the message, say, “follow paulboutin.”

JUMP TO THE INTERESTING STUFF Twitter has created two new buttons that appear next to the Home button atop the page: Connect and Discover. Connect is a one-click way to see everyone who is interacting with you on the network. It displays a list of members who have recently followed you, mentioned you, retweeted one of your posts or added one to their Favorites list. Discover tries to figure out your personal interests based on your location, who you follow and what topics are hot, much the way Facebook’s Top Stories section tries to guess which status updates you most likely want to read. The company is still improving Discover, so it should gradually get better at picking the right posts.

FIND SOMETHING LONGER TO READ Does scrolling through one-line status updates feel like listening to dogs bark? For those wanting a more intellectual experience, Twitter users have created an ad hoc hashtag, #longreads, for posts that link to longer articles, engaging blog posts and unusually fascinating PDF documents. Sometimes you can find in-depth information on current events by, say, searching for #longreads or #longreads followed by a specific word.

With the time you’ll save with these tricks, you’ll be able to grab something a lot longer than 140 characters to read.