How to Choose Social Media Websites

What criteria do you use when choosing social media websites?

How to Use Twitter on Your Cell Phone via Text Messaging

When I first started using Twitter, I didn’t have a data plan for my cell phone. I did, however, have unlimited texting. Here’s a guide on how to tweet through texting.

1.     Create a Twitter account. Go to http://www.Twitter.com and set up your Twitter account. Be sure to choose a name that your followers will be able to remember easily. Complete the process of creating your account by uploading a profile picture, adding a biography, customizing your design, and following some current Twitter users. (You can follow this blog at @SaneandSocial.)

2.     Add your mobile information to your Twitter. At the top right of your Twitter, click on your username. Then, select “Settings”. Click on the mobile tab and enter your cell phone number. (You can choose whether or not you can be found on Twitter via your cell phone number.) A confirmation text message will be sent to you. Once you enter this confirmation information on Twitter.com, your account will be ready for texting.

3.     Add Twitter to your cell phone’s contacts. This step is optional, but I found it to be the easiest way to send my tweets. Save 40404 as “Twitter” in your phone. This is the number you will send tweets to.

4.     Send your first tweet. Create a new text message to 40404 (or “Twitter” if you programmed the number in your phone.) Don’t forget that a tweet is only 140 characters long!

You can do more than just send tweets via text message – you can also direct message other users, follow Twitter users, unfollow Twitter users, favorite a tweet and more. A full list of Twitter text commands can be found on Twitter.com.

6 Common Ways to Use QR Codes

They’re in ads, they’re on products, they’re on television, but what the heck is a QR code?

A QR (Quick Response) code is a 2D barcode that contains data. This data is available when the QR code is scanned with a smartphone. (Wikipedia has a lot to say about QR codes.)

While there are several uses for QR codes, here are 6 ways they are most commonly used.

Website

Advertisers and brands will often use QR codes to direct you to their website. This is often the case for contests – the QR code will take you to a contest page where you can enter to win some kind of wonderful prize.

Video

Video is the most common use I’ve seen for QR codes. How-to videos are often the destination of the codes, as are behind-the-scenes footage. The movie industry has started to use them to promote movie trailers recently.

Store Contact Information

The back of my business card has a QR code. When it is scanned, it stores my contact information in the phone of the recipient. This is a great way to ensure that your contact information is stored and environmentally friendly.

Download an App

I was recently handed a palm card by an app developer with a QR code to download their app. I’ve also seen this in several malls and even in magazines. It is a great way to mobilize your audience to quickly and easily download an app.

Connect on Social Media

Just as you can share contact information via QR code, you can share your social media pages. One QR code can allow your contacts to connect with you in one scan instead of spending the time to find you on each of your social media sites.

Calendar Event

Want people to save the date of a major event? Create a QR code calendar event. When scanned, this will create an event on the recipient’s smartphone calendar.

QR codes will become an even more popular means of sharing content in the future. Watch this video to learn how to read a QR code.

Must Have Mobile Apps

I recently reinstated my iPhone and was forced to rediscover which apps I truly use and which simply were taking up space. So which ones did I reinstall?

GetGlue

This app is addicting. GetGlue allows you to “check in” to multimedia. Watching Monday Night Football? You can check into that. Listening to a local band? You can check into that. Thinking about how dreamy Robert Pattinson is? You can even check into that. This app is a great way to stay social with activities that may not involve other people.

Groupon and LivingSocial

Who doesn’t like deals? These apps are a great way to save money in your area. If you’re planning a vacation, you can even check deals at your destination to save yourself even more money. Share these deals with your friends on your social media accounts and you can even qualify to get them for free.

Hanging With Friends

I was obsessed with this app when I first started using it. Hanging With Friends allows you to play hangman with your friends. You can integrate it with your Facebook and Twitter accounts to make your games even more social.

Geocaching

It just so happens that my boyfriend and I are big fans of this modern age treasure hunt. The Geocaching app relies on your phone’s geolocation services to locate hidden objects in your area. Once you’ve found the object, you sign a slip of paper and log your discovery.

Urbanspoon

Want to branch out and try new restaurants? This is the app for you. You can find restaurants a variety of ways through the app – nearby, friends, browse or (my personal favorite) shake. You can take photos of your food and review the restaurant on the app, making it a wonderful community for culinary discovery.

Shazam

Let’s set the scene: You’re in your car on your daily commute. A new song comes on the radio that has you keeping the beat on your steering wheel. You totally dig this song. DJ comes back on and… doesn’t tell you the name of the song! Ah! Shazam is the perfect solution for heartbreaking situations such as this. While the song is playing, simply open the Shazam app and allow it to identify the song and artist.

Want to know the best part about all of these apps? They’re free! Several have a paid version, but I’ve found that the free version is all I need.

Which apps can’t you live without?

3 Ways to Make Time for Social Media

"Social media? I don’t have time for that."

I hear this all the time. And I feel your pain. Running from job to family, squeezing a social life in your “spare time”, keeping up with little things like eating all three meals each day… yeah, I’ve been there.

So where do you find time for social media when you can hardly breathe from dawn ‘til way past dusk? Here are 3 things to try.

1.     Integrate social media into your daily life. Talk about your experiences, share interesting articles, post photos and videos. Using social media more often will make it a habit. It may take time to get in the swing of things, but it will be worth it once you do.

2.     Take advantage of wait time. The next time you’re waiting for an appointment, log on to your social media pages. A few minutes are all it takes to stay current with your friends, community and industry.

3.     Put it on your calendar. If you’re anything like me, you follow your calendar to the minute. Block off 15 minutes each day to dedicate to social media sites. (I’ve found that mornings work best for most people.) You may want to increase this amount of time as you become more involved on your social media accounts.

Give any one of these a try and you'll find social media really doesn't have to take much time at all.

To the super social media user readers: How do you make time for social media?

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."

I’m a social media nerd. I tweet about everything, check-in at all the cool places, post absurd amounts of links and photos on Facebook, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, and just might have you in a Google+ circle.

And none of that is normal.

If you’re like the majority of people today, it’s all you can do to work, live and breathe let alone worry about social media. You haven’t checked your Facebook in a month, refer to Twitter as “Tweeter” and think check-ins are for hotel stays. In fact, you might not even know any of the sites I just mentioned.

Well, my friend – this blog is for you. I believe social media is a powerful tool in keeping you plugged in with society. Not only does it help you keep in touch with friends and family, it can score you some great deals and keep you informed about what’s going on in the world.

So where do you start? Right here! I’ll be posting tips, reviews and tutorials to keep you sane and social.

(Enter your email on the right side of the page to subscribe to this blog.)