The Basics of Using HootSuite
Every time it comes around to talking about social media at Blog Clarity, I can’t help but talk about Twitter. It’s my favorite tool for connecting with my readers, learning new stuff, interacting with fellow bloggers and more.
I get a lot of comments from people saying that they just don’t get Twitter. And I get that because I didn’t have a clue when I started Twitter either. I think part of the issue is how to make sense Twitter (it’s a cocktail party, without the heels) and wondering what to tweet about.
In addition to that, it’s the Twitter interface that scares people away… and for good reason. I can hardly stand to use Twitter from Twitter.com, EVEN with the new Twitter. It just isn’t easy to follow Twitter on Twitter. Crazy right?
So how do I keep up?
HootSuite is an amazing platform to keep up with Twitter (and Facebook and LinkedIn and… oh wait, let’s no go there. Let’s just talk Twitter). It makes having conversations on Twitter a cinch.
So, in order to fully show off HootSuite, I thought I’d do a little video for you! You get to hear my slightly Southern drawl tell you the ins and outs of the basics of HootSuite. I won’t admit how many times I re-did this video but I blame at least five re-takes on my dog.
First things first. If you haven’t downloaded HootSuite, then head over to their website and sign up. HootSuite is a web-based application BUT you can also use it as a desktop application too. Just click on the owl and go to “apps and plug-ins” then pick one that says “desktop.”
This video will cover:
- Using columns
- How to tweet
- Following conversations
- Basic Analytics
So without further adieu, here we go! (this is my first video ever so be nice. really nice)
As if the video isn’t enough, I actually forgot to show you something! When you compose a message and want to mention someone, HootSuite will automatically fill in their name if you’ve used it once before in HootSuite. For example, if you’ve mentioned me before using HootSuite, the next time you can just type @Mel and it will bring up any Twitterer you follow whose name starts with @Mel. Just select @MelACulbertson and type your message!
In the meantime, do you use HootSuite or a similar application (TweetDeck, Seesmic)? Do you think it would change how you use Twitter?
