Spell Check Twitter Widget

Many people seem to not care whether or not they spell correctly when using Twitter, but for many people this is a pet peeve. Spelling is very vital to a lot of people, and until now there was no simple way to spell check your Tweets. The new Spell Check Twitter Widget will now let you post with no misspellings directly from your website. All you need to do is copy and paste the HTML code onto your site by selecting the “Get Code to Embed” button.

This new widget has many cool features. While typing, the spell checker works so that you can see and right words as you go. Words that are incorrect are underlined in red; right-clicking the word brings up a list of selections that you can choose from. If your word is not listed, just make the correction yourself.

Other brilliant features are the ability to check all 140 characters at once, support for 16 different languages, and customization by changing the size, default language, or color of the widget. There is also an indicator which tells you how many characters you have typed. Once done with your Tweet, a green arrow lets you know that all words are spelled correctly. Finally, the widget is very small in size; it is only 156 Kb fully installed. It is also compatible with nearly all well loved browsers.

So, if you are sick of making errors in your Tweets that you do not catch, be sure to get the Spell Check Twitter Widget.

No more misspellings ever!

Submitted by:  Helen Iarmolchuk

7 Hot Twitter Tips & Trends for 2011

Microblogging service Twitter has exploded in growth, with the Huffington Post reporting that it surpassed 100 million registered users in early 2010.[1] Certainly, many accounts are no longer being accessed, but the number of new users seems to be pushing up traffic at a rapid pace perhaps doubling in the past year alone.

Twitter has fewer than one-fifth the number of users than Facebook, but the two social media juggernauts seem to offer small direct competition with each other. With 300,000 new accounts made daily, Twitter’s growth appears only limited by the number of people in the world who have Internet access.

Twitter enthusiasts are always keeping tabs on the latest trends to stay well positioned while tweeting. It isn’t enough to have 50,000 active followers or cull through your list of followers to “unfollow” inactive accounts — to stay front and center, Twitter fanatics must react quickly to even the most fleeting trends or risk missing an opportunity to increase their visibility.

The following is our list of some of today’s hottest Twitter trends:

1. Promoted Trends — You’ve seen them for some time and they’re still hot: promoted trends from the rich, the well-known and the not so ordinary. Adweek says Twitter is charging more than $100,000 per advertiser per day for promoted tweets and will be raising its rates this year. Get in on a “bargain” if you have the cash because rates may soon approach the $300,000 and more being charged by YouTube and Yahoo.

2. Field Questions — Businesses are wising up the usefulness of scheduling sessions on Twitter with key company executives who allow followers to question questions and supply relevant answers. Your only chance to speak with the CEO doesn’t have to be at the annual shareholder meeting.

3. Hurt Control — Companies who are getting hammered by negative publicity have learned to use Twitter to manage crises. UPS has had to respond quickly to negative consumer sentiment, using customer service personnel to direct people to positive comments said on other blogs and websites instead of always pointing people to a company statement. Monitoring what people are saying is deepening Twitter trend.

4. Hashtag Heaven — Twitter experts know the workings of hashtags and carefully select the ones vital to them. Hashtags are used by Twitter to arrange search results; daily monitoring of the ones in your industry can help you plot you as you plot your tweeting campaign.

5. Fab Photos — People like photos and are sharing them across Twitter, including pictures unrelated to their own industries. This trend serves to do two things: 1), expand your reach beyond your current followers and 2), place a personal touch on your social media presence.

6. Retweet Requests — The days of asking people for unbridled retweets are over. The occasional one is fine, but the trend these days is to simply tweet what you want, retweet what you like and question for help on special occasions. Geoff Livingston wrestles with retweet requests and believes that full disclosure is necessary only when commercial tweets are involved.

7. Private Messages – Always under the radar because only you and the person you are in touch with directly know what you’re saying, private messages are the weapon to be used on special occasions to let people know you’re following them or to share a direct message. If you’re a business, you MUST use this option to communicate directly when a customer has a question or a comment. Neglecting this aspect can have you doing a lot of “#3” if you’re not careful.

Not everyone “gets” Twitter, but for those who do it can be a fantastic way to stay in touch, offering ease of use comparable to text messaging. The fifth anniversary of Twitter’s launch is in July 2011 and by then most of these tips and trends will have to be modified again.

References

[1] Huffington Post: Twitter User Statistics REVEALED

[2] Geoff Livingston: Please Retweet This

Tweet Your Way To New Clients

Six Benefits to Using Twitter.com Instead of an App

Six Benefits to Using Twitter.com Instead of an App

There are often comparisons between various Twitter apps and discussions about which is better; but, there are several benefits to using Twitter.com without using an app at all.

One benefit to using Twitter.com is the ability to send and receive Tweets more quickly. Apps can only retrieve messages in intervals so there is usually at least a small delay in receiving messages. Users of Twitter.com can send and receive instantly without having to wait.

Another perk to using the website is that there is no limit to the number of times you can Tweet. Apps have API limits which restrict how many times data can be retrieved per hour. That limit has been decreased recently which makes it more likely a user will see an “API limit reached” message when using a Twitter app.

A third perk to using the Twitter website is the ability to use the new Retweet functionality. This functionality allows users to directly send a Tweet with the click of one button. Many apps don’t contain this functionality and won’t allow users to see Tweets that have been sent with this method.

The ability to see special hashtag functionality is yet another benefit to using Twitter.com. On special occasions, Twitter will sometimes enable special functionality that will appear when a specific hashtag is used. For example, using the hashtag #WorldCup during the World Cup made a soccer ball icon appear in the Tweet. This was only visible to users of Twitter.com.

A fifth advantage for Twitter.com users is being able to view the customized backgrounds of other users. Many individuals and businesses customize the backgrounds for their Twitter account which can give you vital contact information as well as other details about the user. Many users reckon carefully about their background image but app users are unable to see this image from within their app.

One last bonus for users of Twitter.com is being able to view information more easily. This has always been right but it is especially right now that Twitter.com has been updated. Users can now easily view trending topics, see which friends are recommended to them and have simple access to list functionality. Some app users will be able to see the same information but it may be located in a few different places within the app.

Although many Twitter apps contain functionality that Twitter.com doesn’t, there are many benefits to using the site that are often overlooked. These benefits should be considered when trying to choose which Twitter tools to use.

Shannon Albert

5 Ways to Use Twitter to Become a Happier Person

A lot of people see me, you and others “Tweet” and wonder why they should get involved. I am questioned this question at least once per week. Twitter is a fantastic, fantastic platform that we can all use to make a huge difference in our lives if use it well. Here are some ways that I use Twitter to help me that you can use, too, and become a much more pleased person.

1. Tweet to help people that you wouldn’t otherwise reach.

Be intentional about sharing wisdom and lessons you’ve learned in life. You might do this in concert with a blog or not, but either way, you’ll feel better knowing that there is someone out there benefiting from something you’ve learned. They might be on the other side of the planet, but they’ll appreciate knowing someone else has gone through what they’re experiencing.

2. Tweet your goals and allow people to provide accountability.

I like to Tweet about things with which I need help or encouragement. Twitter can give you the powerful benefit of positive peer pressure. For example, when you have plotted to workout or skip the buffet today, tell people about it. There will usually be a number of people who will answer with encouragements and even tips to help you with your challenge. It also helps you to know that people are going to be expecting results from you.

3. Tweet to direct people to your business and generate sales.

This is an simple one so I won’t dwell on it. But, after you start building a following, you’ll learn that a number of people will simply want to know what you do for a living. Just tell them. They may have been looking for you all along. They already know and trust you now, so building trust to lead to a sale won’t be as necessary.

4. Tweet to wind down.

Tweeting when you’re pissed off, frustrated or otherwise needing to rant is a fantastic thing – just watch some of your language – and it can be a lot less destructive than putting your fist through a wall or yelling at your spouse. Tweets live forever, so keep it clean. It’s well known that it’s better to let it out rather than keep it in, so use all caps if you need to do so!

5. Make friends.

I believe that we are who we spend time with. I’ve been intentional to seek out and follow and interact with people who are going where I want to go in life. In your regular life, it might be hard to find people who make barcode art. Twitter allows you to expand your reach. Surely there are other people around the globe with your interests – no matter how obscure.

I have done all of the above. I have found that using Twitter throughout my day and my week really ENHANCES my week by increasing my focus on productivity. This is in contrast to other social networking sites that often require a lot more energy of me than I get back in benefits.

Get to Tweeting! Tweeting with purpose can benefit you a lot!

Luxury Brands Online

Mosnar Communications a leading luxury PR firm and luxury brand blog announced today that influence of luxury experts on Twitter can be resourceful for luxury brands online. Citing that established Twitter profiles Tweeting about luxury related subjects can help luxury brands build credibility online.

CR Cataunya Ransom, lead publicist for Mosnar Communications says luxury brands can benefit
from forming strategic brand relationships with luxury experts on Twitter. Ransom stresses that many luxury brands still don’t know how to engage in social media environments and can use the expertise of those respected online for delivering luxury communications. She reveals that her firm uses their specialized Twitter profiles to target, engage, market, and promote luxury brands. Which in return Ransom feels allows the individual Twitter profiles owned by luxury brands to gain credibility.

“We have invested heavily over the last two years in Tweets that engage and target luxury audiences,” stated CR Cataunya Ransom.

Using Topsy.com luxury brands are able to search for Twitter experts that have influence on specific subject matters. Topsy ranks Ransom’s Mosnar Communications (@MosnarComm) in the top percent for expert Tweets about luxury which their algorithmic approach view the profile influential.

13 Ways To Get Your Blog Posts Retweeted

What’s the huge deal about getting retweeted? If you have a ton of followers who are engaged, and you’re pleased, then why should you care if they retweet your junk?

If you’re using Twitter for business reasons, you should care. And here’s why:

1. Measure Engagement

Retweets are an indication of how engaged your followers are. If they aren’t retweeting any of your posts, chances are they don’t find them that fascinating.
2. Follower Attrition

Some of the folks who are singing your praises now will be gone in six months. That’s because you can’t be all things to all people all the time (and you shouldn’t being trying to). People grow, they change and have different needs as time goes on. New people who follow you because of a retweet they saw will take their place. It’s not personal, it’s just business.
3. Measure Content

Getting retweeted is partially a function of excellent content. Or at least excellent headlines.

How To Get Retweeted

1. Be Relevant – A survey conducted by Dan Zarrella found that people share content because they thought it was relevant for someone they know. In other words, try and stay relevant to topics your followers want to hear about.
2. Write Pithy Headlines – On Twitter all we have is 140 characters. How would someone like Shel Silverstein tweet?
3. Include links – Dan also found that retweets tend to have more links. 56.69% of retweets contain a link versus 18.96% of normal tweets.
4. Add your own thoughts – One huge limitation with Twitter’s retweets is that you can’t edit the tweet before retweeting. Tools like Seesmic and Tweetie give users a second option of “quoting” the tweet where you can edit it to your liking.
5. Break News – Be the first to share breaking news on a topic. Know beforehand what might be newsworthy before it trends by making a Google or Tweetbeep alert.
6. Not About You – Dan also found that talking about the color of your underwear won’t get retweeted as much as talking about the color of Madonna’s underwear.
7. Nurture Community – People that make trust with their community tend to be retweeted more than those who lack any connection to their followers. Don’t forget the really simple mind map I showed you yesterday to frame community development.
8. DM a Retweet request – You can also send a private message asking for a retweet. This has to be used sparingly or you’ll quickly drain your social equity account. Also, make it simple and DM a link to the tweet you’d like retweeted.
9. Use your iPhone – The Retweet app lists the top retweets. Retweeting the valuable posts sparingly will increase your exposure to new users.
10. Embed Retweets – Place a “ClickToTweet” link in your email newsletters and particular blog pages. Read “How To Get More Email Subscribers With Embeded Retweets“ for more info.
11. Timing – Dan also found that 4:00PM is the when the most retweets happen. Especially on a Friday.
12. Say Please – Dan also found that saying please also increased the likelihood that someone would retweet your post.
13. Say Thank You – People like to be acknowledged when they retweet your post. Plus it’s just polite.

Twitter Launches Text-Based ‘Fast Follow’

Twitter on Wednesday introduced a “quick follow” option that will let people receive Twitter updates from specific users without making an account of their own.

If someone who is not on Twitter, for example, wanted to receive updates from my Twitter feed, they could send a text message to 40404 with [follow ChloeAlbanesius] in the body of the text message. Twitter will then text that person with my future tweets.

Twitter said the feature will make it simple for people to get quick updates from people or companies they hear about on-the-go.

“Try it out the next time you see a Twitter @username at a restaurant or store, on a billboard or on TV, or if you hear one mentioned on the radio,” Twitter’s Leland Rechis wrote in a blog post.

To appear on someone’s followers list, you’ll have to make an account.

Quick follow is currently only available in the U.S., but Twitter is working on bringing it to other countries, Rechis said.

Another way to sign up to receive tweets via text is to click the mobile phone icon at the top of a Twitter user’s page. Next to the “Follow” or “Following” button is a photo of a cell phone. Click it and you’ll get a text message every time they tweet.

If you just want someone’s most recent tweet, text [Get ChloeAlbanesius], and Twitter will send the latest update. To take a break from text-based tweets, text [off] to 40404 and [on] to turn them back on. That works with specific user names as well, by texting [on ChloeAlbanesius] or [off ChloeAlbanesius], for example.

In other Twitter news, Mashable reported that Twitter will soon launch an official “Tweet” button that Web site owners can embed in their Web sites. Clicking it will send that tale to your Twitter feed, and a counter will track how many times it has been tweeted.

Many sites already have a “retweet” button, which does the same thing, but that is produced by Tweetmeme; this would be directly from Twitter.

When questioned about the feature, a Twitter spokeswoman said to “stay tuned.”

WordPress Mobile App Teams on Twitter

Are you gripping the edge of your seat in anticipation of the upcoming WordPress mobile app releases? Do you have an insatiable desire to follow the development teams’ every go? Well, you’re in luck!

The WordPress mobile app teams will be sharing the latest news, status updates, beta team instructions, and random quips in 140 characters or less via Twitter. Follow the Android team, the BlackBerry team, the iOS team, all three, or maybe just two. Even if you don’t have a Twitter account, you can use Twitter’s new Quick Follow feature to have the latest news from the mobile app teams sent straight to your phone (standard text messaging rates apply).