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Author, Brinda Berry, Contemporary Romance, Gloria Richard, HooteSuite, Humor, prizes, rafflecopter, social media, Writer, Writes
Welcome back! Brinda Berry munches croissants in the red room, ready to take us to the next level of Twitter Fame and Fortune! The first three posts in the series addressed my B-L-0-G. There are additional enhancements I want to make (as time and talent permit), but Brinda assures me I have a solid foundation.
Two weeks ago, we visited TwitterVille (and learned I had a stellar competency level of 56%). I’ll check and report on the new score in the comments section.
EDITORIAL NOTE: While putting up this article Bertha Higgenbotham may have (in highly technical terms) goobered up Brinda’s first post about TWITTER. Corrections will be made to that original post in the morning–when my Bertha’s brain cells and fingers are in synch.
REMEMBER: THERE’S A SUPER SECRET GIVE-AWAY LINK YOU CAN CLICK AFTER YOU COMMENT. IT’S COURTESY OF BRINDA AND I’M EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN TO ENTER.
Splat–flipped into a Texas-rain-generated-mud-puddle. Brinda, welcome to the hammock. Yes, you did bring a lovely umbrella. Yes. Rain does make my hair wonky. Thank you for noticing.
SERIAL WEB PIMP BRINDA BERRY
Brinda Berry is the author of The Waiting Booth, a YA fantasy published by Etopia Press. Currently working in higher education administration, she spends her days thinking of ways to improve education for college students. Brinda spends her nights devising exciting tales that involve teens who might be saving the world.
PIMP MY BLOG PRESENCE – PART FIVE
by Brinda Berry
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This week’s post is more video instruction than discussion. We’ve been talking about Twitter and social media management for a beneficial web presence. This means you want to have a strategy that helps you as a writer. There are never enough hours in the day for writing, so let’s find a way to make more time. No, I do not have a time or cloning machine, but I can recommend a tool.
I’ve tried several different software applications, iPhone apps, and iPad apps. This post will focus on one that I believe is very useful. Hootsuite is a free and mobile web application at http://hootsuite.com/ . I use their app on my iPad. I could use it on my iPhone, but I’d need to get the reading glasses out to see anything. *squint* Hootsuite allows you to access several social medias in one place on your computer from the web or on a mobile device. In Hootsuite, I have Facebook displayed as well as Twitter. Hootsuite allows you to schedule tweets from a calendar and for different times of the day. Therefore, you COULD decide that you will only access social media (via Hootsuite) a couple of times a week and stay off the rest of the time. If you schedule tweets, no one will know that you are using that schedule. This is one way that the undisciplined can get some control over the Twitterverse that seems to suck so many into its vortex of fun.
I don’t think it is necessary for me to reinvent the wheel by recording videos for you when there are some great ones already out there! Here are two I found:
If you have found something that you like, let us know! I’m always open to trying out new tools.
THANKS, BRINDA! And, if you’re reading this, thanks for visiting. Remember, leave a comment, a question (Brinda will answer on-line) and then click here to be redirected to Brinda’s Site to enter your name in the SUPER SPECIAL NOVEMBER PRIZE RAFFLE. You can enter as often as you want. Just make sure you leave a comment before you do! (I think it’s a secret decoder ring.)
Gloria Richard 
Woot! Or–more on topic–chirp!
According to TweetGrader my lowly score of 56% increased to 58% in just two weeks! Brinda says there is no pass/fail on TWITTER, To which I respond…
Chirp-On!
If I maintain this pace, I’ll achieve 100% on Wednesday, September 5, 2012.
I LOVE those programmers over at TweetGrader. While I waited for my score, they flashed fun messages. AND, one of them inspired a
globB-L-O-G topic: “I Don’t Care Who Moved My Cheese.”I’m calling “dibs” on that one! No cheating. Go to TweetGrader and you might find one of your own.
Off now to see if Bertha mucked up Brinda’s first TWITTER post. Corrections WILL be made
immediatelysoon.In regard to Sept. 2012- Slow and steady wins the race, right. 😉
Realized this morning I didn’t take advantage of the field to enter my website. Duh! I also changed up my bio a bit to give a better sense of what I write. I’m not sure the affiliations were as important as a “taste” for my writing style. LOVE those TweetGrader messages, tho’. May keep grading just to pick up some more gems.
I may use that first “keeper” for tomorrow’s blog. Welcome back, btw!
I love HOOTSUITE! and I did try TWEETDECK too, for those of you who wonder I like HOOTSUITE better. It just was more intuitive for me, plus I love the owl. Who wouldn’t?
Hi, Jessie! Don’t forget to enter the contest. Yes, you can enter every time you comment in November.
I’m glad I FINALLY got past my tendency to call it TootSuite. Made sense to me. Twitter. T. TootSuite.
Brinda has a brand new blog article up over on her site today, too. How
TootHoot Sweet is that?I have used both and do prefer Hootsuite. If you use Tweetdeck, learn how to turn off the notification sound or it might drive you INSANE. 🙂
Gloria, thanks so much for introducing me to Brinda. I love visiting here and at her site. Twitter is the bain of my cyber-space misery. With the help of Brinda and a few other wonderful experts in social networking, I might get over my fear and actually enjoy “tweeting.” Loved this post 🙂
You had an awesome post on your site this morning, too! I’ll tweet it out. Or, I think *hint, hint* readers can click on your link from your comment post.
I agree with Gloria that your post was great yesterday. I’ll be commenting today on the book that is NOW a priority on my TBR list. 🙂 I was traveling all day yesterday with my iPad only and discovered that I couldn’t comment on certain WordPress blogs…like yours and Gloria’s. Just an FYI for others out there with iPad love like me.
Ah, don’t let Twitter stress you. Perhaps the scheduling option could work? I know there are some people who even schedule cute quotes, observations, and writer/reader advice. It establishes a presence without tying up your life.
I am one who likes the random interaction aspect, but I do find it addictive.
Again, great advice! Thanks!
Hi Lori- Thanks so much for reading. You are a Twitter user….what do you use? Twitter interface or something else?
I know! Isn’t it? My “vacation” week derailed plans to implement Brinda’s suggestions. I’m taking it and bits and bites this week so I catch up.
Hey Gloria, Isn’t life a constant readjust after derailment? 🙂
I used TweetDeck for a while, but eventually moved over to HootSuite – which I like substantially better.
By the way, I do think there is a good reason to hang out on Twitter for a while from time to time and interact with others. I don’t pay much attention to people who only tweet “read me” and “buy me.” I do, however, pay attention to such tweets when I have personally interacted with someone. My two cents. Thanks for the info!
LOVED your post today, Julie. Tweeted it out to everyone. I can’t tell you how many times a phrase or word became a “shiny bauble” I HAD to Google for derivation. Would love to see a Big Bang Theory episode with Sheldon learning the derivation of Bikini involved splitting the atom.
Thanks for stopping by.
I agree that I’m put off by the person who only tweets BUY links. I also don’t like it when people I follow immediately send me a DM saying, “Hope you’ll buy my book, here’s the link.” Somebody in marketing has told people to do that, but I think it’s too aggressive.
No chit! Hence, my twirling-top-mind buzz on the “I don’t care who moved my cheese.”
It moved! Deal with it, Gloria!
Nice to meet you, Brinda. Thanks for the info. I didn’t know anything about HootSuite.
Thanks for visiting, Piper. I HIGHLY recommend others visit your site and sign on to follow the (Piper)Bayard/(Kristen)Lamb 2012 Presidential Campaign. FUN, fun, fun posts with a let’s-get-serious-and-make-a-difference edge.
And. EEE! They’re holding a rally on this site in January, 2012.
Nice to meet you too Piper! I can verify that Gloria has been recommending and rallying for you.
Great way to drive viewers to your site and to Twitter. Kudos on the contest idea!
Brinda found me through The Campaign, Jennifer. She offered to use my web presence (blog,
TWITTER, FB) as a case study in better managing my web presence. I was smart enough to say “yes.”
And THANKS for the twitter on ways to improve subscribers. Brinda’s series draws new visitors b/c it’s relevant and helpful.
Mine? Too infrequent and not properly “themed.” Your website rocks.
Guys, visit Jennifer’s site if you want a GREAT series on turning a red-lined full into a goldmine of information.
Hi Jennifer! I subscribed to your blog posts a couple of weeks ago and have been following the Gold Mine Manuscript saga. 🙂 I wanted to place the Rafflecopter on Gloria’s site, but the app doesn’t play well with WordPress. I think it’s a cool way to encourage contest lovers to follow and engage.
I’ve been using Hootesuite for a while, but learned quite a few new things on the video. Thanks for the info. I always enjoy your lessons/posts.
Hey Shelley,
I love it when someone shows me an easy little trick and I think, “I didn’t know you could do that with it.” That happens to me frequently on things I use all the time. I’m very glad it helped!
Bopped over to your site, Shelly. LOVED your “voice”. And, I am SO jealous of all your adventures this year. The places you’ve been…
Must vacation vicariously through you, so I registered for an RSS feed.
Thanks for the info! I feel so dumb as I just am recently getting into twitter and following blogs and such. Hoping for an ipad or kindle fire for Christmas(fingers crossed!) so I’ll have to look into Hootsuite. Thanks for the info!
Welcome, Michelle. You can learn along with me. I’m also a newbie to TWITTER. Glad it helped you find your way over here. I launched the blog less than six months ago. LOVE having Brinda covering my back.
Hi Wakeangel! No need to feel dumb because everything changes so fast I learn something new EVERY single day. You can use Hootsuite on a desktop as well as the mobile devices. Once you have a login, you can use it almost anywhere. I hope you get what you want for Christmas. I love the tech toys. I have an iPad, but I played on my friend’s Kindle Fire yesterday and it’s also pretty snazzy.
EVERY time I see the commercial with the little kid in the crib with his techie stuff (“Apparently riding a dog like it was a small horse is FROWNED upon in this esTABlishment”), I think that little guy has to be a child of yours, Brinda.