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Using Hootsuite: Editor's Notes #183
March 31, 2015
Hello,

A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.
--Annie Dillard


In this issue:

1. Using Hootsuite
2. Tickled my funnybone
3. Interesting Web site

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1. Using Hootsuite
If you are like me in feeling overwhelmed by the expectation to post on Facebook and Twitter regularly and often, you are going to love Hootsuite.

Both Facebook and Twitter build relationships, relationships that can lead to book sales, so it is worthwhile to spend some time creating a presence on at least one of these platforms.

Hootsuite helps you to manage your social networks on multiple platforms. The list is impressive. From Hootsuite you can post to Twitter, Facebook, Page, Google+, LinkedIn, foursquare, WordPress, and Mixi.

The free version of Hootsuite meets my needs, but there are more powerful versions that start at $9.99/month. It's easy to sign up. You create a username and password. Then you add the social networks you want to use from Hootsuite. You will need to give their passwords, but Hootsuite does not keep them. It uses the passwords only to connect to your social networks.

If you skip the tour, you can go directly to the dashboard and begin saving time.

I always begin with Publisher. The icon is the paper airplane at the left side of the page. At the top of the page, you can type a message into the Compose box. One great feature is that if you are writing for Twitter, Hootsuite counts your characters so you know when you have reached 140 characters, the limit Twitter allows. It also has a great tool for shrinking URLs if you want to include a link in a tweet. Click the calendar icon to choose a date and time for the message to be posted. You can also simply choose to Send Now.

The time saving comes when you create several posts at one sitting and spread them out over time or when you write one message and have it posted to more than one platform with a simple click in the Find Profile box to the left of the Compose window. When I am using Hootsuite efficiently, I write posts in one sitting for every weekday one month into the future. By setting aside time to post once each month, I free my mind and my schedule for the rest of the month ahead.

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2.Tickled my funnybone
From a church bulletin:
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.

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3. Interesting Web sites
A little time spent learning to use Hootsuite can save you hours in the future.
https://hootsuite.com/

After more research, I found a Web page that explains what lists are in Twitter. This is for those who rightly felt a little off-balance when I posted a link to information on marketing lists.
https://media.twitter.com/best-practice/create-and-use-twitter-lists

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