11 replies to this topic

[AbleReach]

Here's a brand new one that I already like. Ever done a #hashtag search in Twitter and gone cross eyed with all the spam? Here's one plugin's shot at a solution -

The Clean Tweets FireFox plugin will make three types of search results invisible - those with multiple hashtags, from brand-new accounts, and from whoever you add to the plugin's banned user list.

Twitter is getting pretty good at booting some classes of spammers, but before twitter gets to them, new spam accounts are out there blasting away their garbage.

I'd caution that though spammers often pile on multiple hashtags, creative and playful communicators have been known to do the same. This is not a big drawback, because all of the plugin's defaults are easily changed via a toolbar. You don't need to go to Tools > Add-ons and track down Clean Tweets whenever you want to make a change.


What other Twitter tools do you use and like?

What would you like to see in a Twitter tool?

[DonnaFontenot]

The only twitter tool i use is Seesmic Desktop. Similar to Tweetdeck, it lets me create groups of tweeps (or searches) as well as other niceties. But the biggest win for me is just the ability to separate out the tweets so I can pay more attn to some than others.

[bwelford]

Yes, I like Seesmic Desktop too. You can also handle multiple Twiitter accounts if you have more than one.

[cre8pc]

I did some research today to help someone decide whether or not their company might benefit from Twitter membership. They felt no one would be interested in their topic, although they have a forums and a blog. I was able to show them that there are people in TwitterLand who are interested in their topic and want information.

Twitter is indeed becoming a new way to search. It's user generated information, which is different than engines. I think companies are missing a chance to get people talking about their products/services if they ignore Twitter.

[Ruud]

Favorite Twitter tools:

- Google Reader: I add hashtag feeds of interest so I have an automatic archive of them

- FeedDemon: (which syncs with Google Reader) so I can setup keyword searches to monitor filter the waterfall of info coming in

- TweetDeck: back after playing with Seesmic Desktop. Syncs between computers so I can bring my groups and searches with me. Also "essential" because I enable the column which shows... (see below)

- TwitScoop: I love to see the word cloud in TweetDeck and "see" news or buzz happening

- Evernote and PersonalBrain: to keep track of important tidbits

[EGOL]

:scratchhead: I still don't get it.

[AbleReach]

An aside for EGOL & others who don't get twitter ---

Here's something that might help some of you get why I like Twitter so much.

A half hour ago ago I posted this, and within minutes got five responses to @quotesnack:
I have a craving for (funny poetry.) Replace w/what you want & pass it on #reading


Now, check Twitter search for what's coming up on the hashtag #reading.

If you're checking #reading right now, you'll see three who have taken my little idea and run with it, without an @quotesnack.

Those who respond are the communicators who happened to be there and be motivated to play along. LOVE them communicators. They have and share ideas, or at least like to share.

Note -- Sometimes there will be a "RT @quotesnack" referencing where they originally saw it. I personally don't feel that's necessary when "passing it on." This is not ONLY brand management. It's about ideas. In social media, I think brand management comes along as a side effect of visibility plus (hopefully) good topics.

With SEO we look for numbers - how many people does the keyword insight tool say are connected to [reading]. In Social Media it's more about what PEOPLE are interested in, chatting about, playing with. And it's a lot of fun, IMHO.


Another note - If you check later, even an hour later, you'll mostly see #reading tweets that are coming out of a goodreads gizmo. Smart marketing, IMHO. Mixed in, there are also what others happen to say about reading, if they happen to remember to say "#reading."

If you're looking for ideas for a #reading or #poetry blog post, why not give those tags on Twitter search a quick playing-with? See what people are saying.

As for me, I need more hours in the day for silly poetry.


-----

This can be a LOT of stuff to manage and decide how to look at. Thus the Twitter tools post.

Edited by AbleReach, 18 June 2009 - 11:34 PM.

[EGOL]

Thanks for the examples, Elizabeth. It is not a simple science.

[send2paul]

Dim of Essex here...

Elizabeth - I've installed that Clean Tweet add-on... it's created another tool bar for me - which I don't really want. I can't seem to find any preferences etc to move it etc.

Can u help at all?

Ta

Paul

[DrPete]

Recently switched from Twhirl to TweetDeck. I like the layout of Twhirl a bit better and you get more tweets in less vertical space, but the grouping functions of TweetDeck are essential once you're following more than a couple-hundred people.

I still try to focus on quality over quantity, and I don't like the idea of following 10,000 people but only reading 50 of them (how is that any better than just ignoring them completely?), but when time is tight or tweets are flying, it's nice to have that "Must Read" column.

Of course, many Cre8asiters are in my "Must Read" list

Anyone used the iPhone TweetDeck syncing functions yet? I've downloaded it but haven't tried the sync, which seems like a great feature. I hate loading up the iPhone apps and having to scroll through 500 Tweets that are a week old.

[AbleReach]

If you follow 10K people, Twitter is a peek at a mass market. Don't ever think you should follow each and every individual. Watch for signals and personal messages, but don't even try to read every person's timeline. I do not advocate going for massive amounts of followers, unless you are building a community that can have better direct communication w/ you & others elsewhere.

If you follow 50, or follow back 50, let those be the 50 that you want to keep up with.


..............

Paul - Clean Tweets will install a toolbar, for easy configuration. To turn it off, go to tools > add ons. If you like using it but not the toolbar, just turn it off when you're not on Twitter.

[send2paul]

Elizabeth - hello again. I disabled that Clean Tweet - too many toolbars spoil the broth, or something (?)

BUT! I have come across a great little tool whilst reviewing some of these "make money from Twitter" scenarios. One guy was showing a "tutorial video" on Google videos and he mentioned this extremely useful marketing Twitter tool: Tweet Spinner. (That is an affiliate link - but quite a lot of it is free anyway). For FREE on a single Twitter account you can:

Create and schedule "smart" tweets - up to 25 Tweets can be customized and scheduled.

Schedule rotation of profiles and designs - Twitter allows only a tiny bio and URL. Here you can add up to 4 "profiles" (containing a URL and/or a bio). You can swap them manually or on schedule.

Smart friends and followers -

# "Smart purge" anyone not following you back. It's smart because you can configure when and how it's used. Schedule it too. Smart Purge removes up to 40 friends who do not follow you at a time, ignoring the last 7.5% most recently followed.

# Followback anyone whose follow you don't return. Uses filters you set-up. Yep, schedule it. (Followbacks will follow up to 40 users at a time who follow you, but you do not follow).

# View your friend-to-follower ratio.

"Keyword follow" any user who tweets a certain word. Schedule it, too. (This powerful feature searches Twitter for the keywords you specify. It will then follow users who tweet with those words. Tweet Spinner employ a number of filters to only follow those users most likely to follow you back.)

Clean-up your DM inbox. Wouldn't you like to purge old messages? Purge 40 DMs at a time.

Create "nofollow" and "immunity" lists to never follow, for example, user XYZ or any user with "XXX" in their name. Tweet Spinner also look at each user's recent tweets to avoid following "spam" accounts. Lists are used in conjunction with your tweets. (Tweet Spinner provide a link to "How To Use "tweetscript" to use lists in your tweets). You may add up to 4 lists with 5 entries per list.

Now - all of the above is FREE. Then there's a few other features you can pay for, and also pay for an upgrade to the free items for a greater use - such as having more of them, or using multiple Twitter accounts with all the features.

I'm just starting to "Play" with it now. But it looks very interesting.....

Have a play people - what do you think?