How to Set Up TwitterFeed and Maximize Use of TwitterFeed

TwitterFeed is a tool that you can use to make it super easy to update your Twitter account with your most recent blog posts. This makes it so that you don't have to manually enter updates into Twitter. But you don't just want to set up your TwitterFeed and ignore Twitter either. Here's how to maximize your use of the feed tool to increase attention for your blog.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Twitter account.
• OpenID account.
• RSS feed info for your own blog.
• Internet access.

1. 

   Make sure that you have set up your Twitter account as well as your OpenID account. You will need the information for both of these accounts to set up your TwitterFeed account. If you do not have these, head to their respective websites (twitter.com and http://openid.net/) to set those up following the instructions on the site.

2. 

   Go to the TwitterFeed website: http://twitterfeed.com/.

3. Scroll down the home page until you see Step 2 which reads has a link that reads "login to twitterfeed". Click on that link.

4. 

   Enter your OpenID login information. Click "login". This will take you to a page with a link that reads "go to my twitterfeeds (or create a new one). Click on that link.

5. Click on the link that reads "create a new link". You will see a box that reads "create a new (blank) feed". In the (blank) is a drop-down box. Make sure that you have selected "twitter" in this box.

6. 

   Enter the requested information in the form. This includes entering your TwitterID and password and the RSS feed for your blog. You will also choose how often to update, how many posts to show at each update, and whether to show a title and description or just one or the other. Finally, enter some text into the box that reads "prefix each tweet with". This will let your Twitter friends know what they're reading. For example, you may enter "New Post" or "Post From John Doe" or something to that effect. Click create.

7. Wait 12-24 hours and then check your Twitter profile to make sure that your feed is automatically updating. If it's not, return to TwitterFeed. Enter the site the same way as before and then click on "my feeds" at the top right corner of the page. Make sure your feed is on the list. Click to edit. See if it shows up on Twitter. If not, contact TwitterFeed's help service.

8. 

   Maximize your use of TwitterFeed by remaining active about your feeds on the Twitter site. To do this, you'll want to make sure that you respond promptly to any @Replies that your TwitterFeed posts get on the site. You should also regularly befriend new people on Twitter so that they will follow you and receive your TwitterFeed updates. TwitterFeed makes updating easy but it's wasted if you don't stay active on Twitter.

Tips & Warnings

• TwitterFeed is a free service but you can add a PayPal donation through the site if you want to support it.
• TwitterFeed also allows you to update to other sites in addition to Twitter which you should do to further maximize your use of TwitterFeed.
• Your TwitterFeed is useless if you don't have people following you on Twitter. Be sure to promote your Twitter account everywhere and often so that you can get followers to your site.

[staysik]

on 3/27/2009 This is great info, thanks! I wasn't exactly sure the difference between all the various Twitter-things!