Like many who publish a blog or read blogs, twitter has become a part of the morning routine. We jump on twitter sometimes before we even open our email programs. What are people talking about and what are the hot conversations taking place is usually what we are looking for.
For me and others, twitter has become a major source of what we read throughout the day. I have actually discovered recently, not only do I go to twitter some days before I open my email program. Twitter is scrolled through before I open my RSS reader, NetNewsWire.
Collecting Links to Read on Twitter
Over the last few weeks, I have found a large chunk of what I read being provided by the links of those I am following on twitter. Many of those I follow tweet links to blog post or articles they are reading. And most are sending their own blog’s RSS feed to twitter.
The great benefit of or perhaps the natural evolution occurring by the growth of twitter is the fact most of those blogging are also on twitter. And we are using twitter as a way to publish what we are writing about.
- How do you as someone on twitter collect links to read?
- How do you find the hot topics on twitter to read?
Just as twitter has evolved into a great social tool. We are seeing new twitter apps being pushed out developer’s doors daily. And some of the best apps are those which help you find what to read on twitter.
Twitter Search
Twitter Search works a lot like some of the other search tools in your browser.
Simple type in your search query and Twitter Search will go and find the tweets matching your query.
You can then continue to follow updates as it refreshes to bring in new tweets as they come in on your search term(s).
Tweet Scan
This app reminds me a lot of Google Alerts for twitter. You can setup your search terms which you want to follow and your results will be sent to you via email, RSS, JSON, and Twhirl. Smart businesses are using this tool to follow what is being said on twitter about them too.
TweetBeep
Similar to Tweet Scan, TweetBeep alerts you by email of conversations taking place which discuss your search terms on twitter. You can then use the results as you see fit. You might want to follow those discussing the topic or you might want to respond to them on twitter. You can even keep track of who’s tweeting your Web site or blog, even if they use a shortened URL like tinyurl.com.
Not only are the above mentioned apps available to feed you information to read, those you follow will do so too. Which is why it is important to follow those who will add to the conversation and provide relevant information on twitter. Many of those you are following will do what is called “retweet” tweets they have found on twitter they think their followers may be interested in. And many of those you are following will feed their RSS feeds from their own blogs to twitter. And that is why I have found twitter has become a huge source of my RSS feeds each and every day.
I know each morning when I first go to twitter some of those I follow will have either retweeted some great links they found interesting. Or they will have tweeted new blog post they have published, either the night before or during the day.
Feeding Your Own Links (and RSS feed) to Twitter
As a blogger, one of the ways to use twitter is as a “micro-blogging” tool. I have found I get involved in more conversations taking place since I am using twitter. And there is no way I can blog about them all on my blog. Another way to keep your followers informed and a way for you to provide information to those who are following you is to tell them what you are reading and what you are blogging about.
Like the search tools mentioned, there are a number of twitter apps which make this easy to do.
TwitThis
This is an easy way for you to send tweets about what you are reading, listening to, watching and more. And to make it even easier to use, you can put the bookmarklet in your browser tool bar and whenever you are reading something you want to share, you simply click the bookmarklet. TwitThis then shortens the URL for you and you click send and it goes out to those following you on twitter. It also includes the title of the blog post you are reading.
You can also put TwitThis on your own blog as a way for your readers to share your content on twitter. TwitThis makes it easy for your readers to share.
twshot
An application very similar to TwitThis in that you can use it to share what you are reading on the Internet. However it has the added ability to allow you to add your own take on the post or article within the limits of twitters 140 characters.
Easy Tweets
“EasyTweets is a set of tools that can help online marketers leverage the power of microblogging. You can use it to post to and switch between multiple Twitter accounts in seconds, check replies, and track new followers. EasyTweets interfaces through Twitter’s API.”
This is the one twitter app I have come to use a lot. It not only allows you to feed to twitter what you are reading. You can use it to feed your own blog’s RSS feeds to twitter when you update your blog with a new post. You can set it to send your updates immediately. And you can set it to send tweets to twitter at specified times during the day.
Easy Tweets also gives you the ability to tweet to your followers what you are reading. Just use the available bookmarklet and it will shorten the URL for you and give you a space to add your thoughts on what you are reading too.
Twitterfeed
Is another twitter app you can use to feed your blogs RSS to your twitter followers. Twitterfeed works completely in the background once you set it up for your blogs RSS feed. Each time you post something new to your blog, it will send a tweet out to your followers.
One word of caution on feeding your own RSS feeds to twitter. If this is all you are going to use twitter for, you will quickly find you will have no followers. While I would agree it is important to share with your followers what you are blogging about, don’t make this the only thing you contribute to twitter. Key to twitter are the conversations taking place. And the key to having a successful twitter experience is to engage in these conversations. More is involved in engaging in these conversations then just feeding your own RSS to twitter.
One of the keys elements to remember is that twitter is about interacting and learning from those you follow and who follow you. Finding the conversations, entering into those conversations and engaging in them is important. You can use the tools and apps mentioned above to find and engage in those conversations. And you can add to the conversations by providing your own RSS feeds to twitter.
