'Net Features : tweetdeck

TweetDeck Upgrades Search Functionality, Offers Column Filters

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:05:00 GMT

Twitter-owned Tweetdeck, arguably the most popular platform for social media users to manage the Twitter conversations, has released a set of column filters for both the Tweetdeck web and Chrome apps.

Twitter recently released content filters for search columns as well – part of its efforts to bring features and functionality of its AIR app to the Web.

Users will be able to show (match) or exclude specific words and phrases from an individual TweetDeck columns as well as choose to view only those Tweets (or retweets) that contain media (images or video). It’s not difficult to see how improved filtering will make it easier to scan and find specific tweets or content within them.

Casting a Wide Net: Successful Social on a Budget

Allison Howen — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Social media marketers are like fishermen: posts are cast out like fishing rods, in hopes that the right bait was chosen to capture the attention of an audience in the deep blue sea of the social Web.

And while social media is a valuable marketing option, it can also be very time consuming. Furthermore, as every successful business person knows – time equals money. Therefore, when it comes to social media, it is important to make sure that one is using the right platforms, as well as has the right tools in their tackle box in order to monitor and manage the best and most affordable marketing campaign possible.

The Platforms

Social platforms come with different audiences and layouts. Since there are many social media platforms on the Web right now – with inevitably more to come – a marketer needs to choose which networks will be their brand’s focus. While marketers might catch the most fish with Facebook and Twitter, which are like the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans of social media, other platforms such as LinkedIn and YouTube are viable options as well.

It is important for a marketer to realize that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to social networks, after all, a fisherman can’t catch fish in a lake that he rarely visits. Choosing the right platform should be based on a brand’s social goals and expectations. For example, a brand that is focusing on location-based offers would want to consider using Foursquare, while a brand that’s focused on informing readers may want to choose a platform like Tumblr.

Nevertheless, a brand should choose the social networks that will relate best to its goals. The networks should compliment the content that will be posted, and above all else the platforms should stay interactive and social.

Saving Time, Saving Money

After choosing which platforms will be the focus, marketers will realize that interacting, engaging and creating content can be very time consuming – just like fishing. However, unlike fishing, marketers can use tools to help them manage social media more efficiently, and therefore cost effectively.

Solutions such as Tweetdeck and HootSuite are both options to consider when looking for a dashboard to manage social networks. Both of these solutions are free, and provide marketers with the capability to post updates, reply to fans and even schedule posts in advance – all in one location.

Twitter’s Tweetdeck dashboard allows users to update their Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Foursquare channels in one spot. Furthermore, the dashboard allows users to filter their Twitter feeds, clear seen updates, and monitor trending topics, as well as create groups for Facebook friends, share photos and links. The dashboard is also customizable, so users can view the information they want to see without having to sort through a ton of tabs or windows. Conveniently, this solution can be downloaded to the desktop, Android and iPhone or Chrome browser, which means that users can manage their accounts from virtually anywhere with an Internet connection.

Outside the Twitterverse is another social managing dashboard called HootSuite. This dashboard allows users to manage Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, YouTube, Google Plus and more. Additionally, users can view analytics with this solution, which is helpful when monitoring, at least as well as one currently can, the ROI on social.

Analyzing Success

Just like reeling in the big catch, analyzing social success metrics can be difficult. First, one has to define what makes a social campaign successful: is it conversions, a large following or engaged fans? It probably should be all three, as well as some other metrics like check-ins and fan growth rate. But aside from the weekly Facebook report that business Pages’ receive, marketers can get a more detailed look at analytics through a few free solutions.

Facebook users can use the business analytics tool All Facebook Stats, which provides users with a deeper analysis of their fans, distribution, engagement and content. This free tool offers graphs and numbers that will display easy to understand analytics so that marketers can determine which social areas have been successful, as well as which areas can be improved upon.

The social media marketing tool Wildfire, is another solution that is valuable for monitoring Facebook and Twitter success, especially for those with a competitive streak. This solution allows users to compare the likes, followers and check-ins of specific Facebook Pages and Twitter handles. It can be a very useful tool for businesses that wants to compare their own social success with that of a competitor.

Lastly, Crowdbooster is another tool that marketers can take advantage of to help them monitor the impressions, follower growth, retweets and influential followers of a specific brand on Facebook and Twitter. The solution even recommends audience members to engage with, as well as the best times of day to post for the most social success. Users can also post from the solution, which provides graphs and analytics that can help marketers decide their brands social strengths and weaknesses.

Gone Fishin’

It’s time to take that “Gone Fishin’” sign off the door, because with these free tools, social media can not only be a lucrative marketing option, but if the only investment made in it is a little bit of time, the ROI will be on an upward trend as soon as the first post hits the social sea.

Twitter is Today's Rising Star

Mike Phillips — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:39:00 GMT

Twitter has officially acquired TweetDeck, the Twitter management service popular with Twitter's most active users. This will streamline the entire experience for Twitter users and is an indication that Twitter is closer to embracing its role as an information hub and broadcast channel for those who find it most valuable. For marketers and business owners, TweetDeck and Twitter coming together should provide a more fluid experience and make Twitter an even more valuable tool.

But that's not the only new news concerning Twitter.

Twitter has also launched a new feature that will send email notifications when your account is followed, a tweet is re-tweeted of if another user marks one of your tweets as a "favorite." For some, this could result in a deluge of email but for others this provides an excellent way to maximize on your reach on Twitter. These notifications will help you strike when the iron is hot.

And finally, YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen have acquired Tap11, an analytics platform that can tap into the entire Twitter firehose and Facebook, as well as the ability to be linked to other social and publishing platforms. It's a strong move to enhance the social analytics capabilities for marketers and will become a part of AVOS, the new company from Hurley and Chen which earlier acquired Delicious, the social bookmarking service.

If these recent developments are any indication, Twitter has moved far beyond a curiousity for sharing that day's lunch menu and into a legitimate business tool.

TweetDeck Selects TwitVid for Video Tweeting

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:51:00 GMT

Popular Twitter client TweetDeck has replaced 12seconds.tv with TwitVid as its default video tweeting platform.

TwitVid.com will serve as the video service across all existing TweetDeck products, and will be integrated within the services next iteration of its desktop product (expected release date is in April 2010).

“TweetDeck users are the most active on Twitter and we have found that they readily adopt new trends,” said Iain Dodsworth, Founder and CEO of TweetDeck. “The integration of video on Twitter is becoming an important part of the Twitter experience, and we expect this trend to accelerate. We were excited to establish this partnership, as the TwitVid platform enables us to provide TweetDeck users the best video-tweeting experience.”