TweetDeck - Organized and Online

"Say hello to my little friend" - ok maybe not.  Maybe it's more like "He rocks in the treehouse all day long, hoppin' and a boppin' and a singing his song."  Welcome to Tweet Deck:  available for both your computer and for your iPhone.  I have spent a greater part of the day working on mastering its incredible resource, only to be brutally rebuffed because of its vast abilities and sweeping content.  And it tweets, and chirps, and sings because it is truly busy.  I am by no means a master, but I am functional.

TweetDeck allows you to manage multiple Twitter accounts, as well as others like LinkedIn, and Facebook from one system, and gives a sweeping view of what is going on with your Twitter world showing "All Friends", "Mentions", "Direct Messages", and "Recommendations" all in one screen.  The set up makes management of Twitter much more user friendly instead of the standard screen flipping required from the Twitter website.  Additionally the pop ups in the corner of your screen alert you to the activity going on with those you follow.  The ability to toggle between Twitter and other social media sites, allows you to stay current with all your online marketing and networking accounts.

However, the TweetDeck Directory - available through their website - may be the most valuable component they offer.  The Directory has both a search feature and a list of topics which you can run through and look for lists which are appropriate for your interests.  Either join the list you find or use those lists to identify individuals you would like to follow who have the same interests.  You can also see list stats including how many accounts someone is following, how many followers they have, their average number of tweets per day, and description tags.

I have now moved to the TweetDeck Application on my desktop to monitor my Twitter feed in the office.  As with all products, I remain skeptical until I have had adequate time to test it, but as of yet, I have not found a flaw that makes this anything less than a useful organizing tool worth recommending.

Social Media and the Pea by Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com/.

Here We Go Loopt De Loopt

www.loopt.com

"Here we go loop de loop, here we go loop de lie.  Here we go loop de loop.  All on a Saturday night."

So it's Saturday, you say.  Ok, it's really Thursday, but by now you are already thinking about Saturday. Many of you are getting ready to make plans for the weekend, and you really are already thinking about Saturday night.  And as you do, you should think about going Loopt'ing as you make your plans.  Businesses - my question to you is:  are you also Loopt'ing?

Loopt is yet another location-based social networking program that, like other programs we have studied previously, connects you with your friends to tell them where you are and your opinion on the business you are visiting.  The biggest difference - and most valuable feature - is the Loopt "Pulse".  The Pulse allows the user to search not only for places near him or her and see a quick view of what Loopt users think of the business, but more importantly, it allows the user to access a list of events in the community:  baseball games, plays, concerts, specials, etc.  

So like Foursquare and Gowalla, I can share my location with my friends, post pictures, and share my opinions.  From that standpoint, it's not much different.  Instead of a game; however, it functions more as  a networking tool.  The Pulse feature is what truly makes it stand out.  If I am looking for something to do, not only does it give me locations in my area, but the events feature gives local business the ability to market to me by giving me options as to what I can do tonight:  handy for the end-user and a great marketing opportunity for businesses.  For example, in the "Pulse" section under "Events" was listed a baseball game, its start time, and location.  By clicking on it, I was able to obtain additional information such as a route to the stadium, the stadium's website and phone number, and I was given the ability to check in to the event and share the event with my friends. Other events such as the local bar having a live music event this evening offered savings at the event by checking in via Loopt and then showing the checkin to the hostess.

Networking, event notification, and savings for the customer, easy marketing for a venue - that's about perfect no matter which way you look at it.





Social Media and the Pea by Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com/.

MediaPost's Social Media Users Go Mobile

Check out the article, "Social Media Users Go Mobile".  Additional support for the fact that if you're not using social media to market your business, you're missing valuable opportunities!




Social Media and the Pea by Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com/.