How to Expand your Library's Online & Mobile Presence Using Twitter
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The document provides a comprehensive guide for libraries on expanding their online and mobile presence using Twitter, detailing features, third-party apps for management, and strategies for effective engagement. It emphasizes the importance of personal connection, creative promotions, and community outreach to attract followers and enhance library visibility. Additionally, it highlights the significance of a robust online presence in adapting to the digital era and engaging a younger audience.
How to Expand your Library's Online & Mobile Presence Using Twitter
- 1. How to ExpandyourLibrary’s Online & Mobile PresenceUsingTwitterCheryl BurnetteWebmasterHomewood Public Librarytwitter.com/weknowbooksETCwww.homewood.lib.al.uscburnette@bham.lib.al.us
- 3. Twitter basicsTwitter was launched July 2006Uses Ruby on Rails framework - In 2009 began gradually replacing with ScalaA microblogging serviceMust type 140 characters or less to update your statusFind followers & follow othersA real-timemobile broadcast mediumFree!
- 4. Create Your AccountCarefully consider your Twitter user name – branding
- 5. Customize your Twitter webpage
- 6. Set up your cell phone to tweet? It is FREE, but standard text messaging charges may apply.ManageTwitterusing 3rd party clients/appsHootSuite 2.0 – web app Multi-column view – customizable – drag & dropCreate groups with users or topics – drag & drop usersSearch using keywords & save as a columnEmbed these groups/columns into websites or blogsTrack statistics – summary & individual tweet graphsURL shortenerAuto refreshFeed your blog RSS (or any) to Twitter with HootSuiteSchedule tweetsView user info through a pop-up window Manage multiple accounts & manage multiple usersPing.fm integration, but has no photo sharing
- 7. 3rd party clients/apps to manage TwitterMoreTweetDeck – sync desktop & iPhone apps, update Facebook, share photos & videosTwhirl – desktop app – supports multiple accounts, post to FriendfeedSeesmic – desktop, iPhone & web apps – post to FacebookTwitterFox – Firefox extension – simple; get nofications & has text box for tweetingPower Twitter – Firefox add-on – has inline YouTube, Flickr & TwitPic, photo uploading, update FacebookSobees – new social aggregator – needs a late model computer with good graphic capabilities and a fast processor, also requires .NET 3.5 SP1
- 8. Misc. appsfor easierupdatingBit.ly – web app – URL shortener, share & track linksNambu – Mac app – URL shortener, track statsTwitpic – web app – quickly shares photosTwitter Facebook app – Note: only works with personal profiles NOT fan pages!
- 9. Appsthattrack & calculateTweetStats – detailed report – daily, hourly & moreTwitter Grader – calculate Twitter rankingMonitizeapp(Helpful or harmful for libraries?)Twitpay – powered by Paypal. Update your status to pay somebody:@WeKnowBooksETCtwitpay $5 for donationUsingmobile/phone apps to manage TwitterTweetDeck – iPhone, TouchTweetie – iPhone $2.99Twitterific – iPhoneTwitterBerry – BlackberryUberTwitter – Blackberry – has location sharingDabr - open source mobile twitter websiteTwittAround – new – iPhone – uses GPS, compass and camera to show where Tweets are coming from; not available in the App Store yet
- 10. How to find tweeps to followTwitter Search – real-time targeted searchEx #1: Use Advanced Search – type in library, near Birmingham AL within 25 mi., click Search & be amazed. You’re looking at real-time tweets. See anything you can help with?Ex #2: Say you have a yoga class at your lib that could use more participants. Search for yoga, near Birmingham AL within 25 mi. & send them an @ tweet with some details.“Reaching out in this way with a perfectly targeted local search is invaluable.” ~David Allen KellyWeFollow – directory of Twitter users organized by interestsTwellow – search directory of people Twibes – followers and Twitter groups
- 12. How to befollowed(hint: have qualitytweets)Be a human, be real so patrons can connect on a human level – do more than promote your lib & feed your blog & Flickr RSS feeds to Twitter
- 14. Promote materials relevant to current news & events such as the Academy Awards, national book awards, football, Iran, Nascar, etc. – add catalog link
- 15. Send a quick photo via Twitpic – easily done from a cell phone (you know what they say a picture is worth)
- 16. Gather feedback – solicit suggestions & opinions for improvements (be ready to respond)Hints on how to befollowedMoreRun fun promotions! Give something away, play a trivia game, waive a fine (yeah, that’s right)--maybe send out a password
- 17. Tweet at cons & live events, ex: training cons, book sales, Summer Reading programs, authors’ roundtables
- 18. Tweet library news, good & bad; be honest. Tweeps will respect you or at least be able to tell your side of the story.
- 19. Tweet how many visits your lib had last month or how many books were checked out. It’s OK to toot your horn sometimes.
- 20. Do not auto follow or auto thank you
- 21. Try new stuff – start a Twitter Book Club, tweet a book of the day, celebrate authors’ birthdays, etc.
- 22. Engage Tweeps by focusing more on them & if they’re not already patrons, maybe they soon will beHow Twitter & blogs work togetherHootSuite – Feed your blog RSS & Flickr RSS (any RSS feed) to Twitter - track statsTwitterfeed – Feed your RSS feeds to TwitterTwitter widgets – place on blogs to show live twitter updatesReTweet Button (Tweetmeme) – encourages readers to tweet your content – live count of the number of times your blog post has been tweeted. How to put the button on Blogger
- 23. Tweetvocab@– use when replying or speaking to a specific user, ex: @gardendalelibRT– Retweet – to repeat something posted by another user to give credit to the original poster. Remember to send a thank you for a RT, ex: RT @GovernorRileyDM– direct message which only you will see#– a hashtag is used to create groupings on twitter, ex: #followfriday, #alla, #alwx, #Homewood
- 25. WhylibrariesshouldembraceTwitter?It's quick, easy, free, creates community, expands the reach of the library, makes the library more accessible, & is great for public relations. Statistics confirm that a library's strong online presence is imperative as we continue to move forward in this increasingly digital world. ~Lindy BrownIn 2007, the OCLC (De Rosa, et al.) published an informative report that showed Internet, email, & blog use up, but unfortunately, library website use was down. ~OCLCTwitter users are a mobile bunch & are more likely to use wireless technology, laptops, handhelds & Smartphones for Internet access.Twitter users are more likely to consume news & information on mobile devices.FYI: Average Twitter user is age 31. ~Pew Internet