How Hashtags Work On Facebook

Web How To - Easy Explanation Of Hashtags

In 2011 I wrote a post about how hashtags work called Twitter Hashtags & Twitter Parties! Are you in the LOOP? It was to get people to understand twitter parties and how they can participate.

Now that Facebook has added click-able hashtag capabilities I thought I should write an update.

A hashtag which is essentially the number sign # and it makes whatever is right beside it searchable.
On Facebook if you click on the hashtag, a screen pops up & lists every post with that hashtag in it. 

Give it a try. Copy and paste this to your status bar

Ok I'm getting the hang of this hashtag thing thanks to the post http://ow.ly/m16xq Go #TiaraARMY

After you click post on the status you should see the #TiaraARMY characters turn blue. Now you can click where it says #TiaraARMY and as more and more people start to use this hashtag, the pop up screen will have more and more facebook peeps on it. 

It shows you who you have common interests with and perhaps you will make a new connection and you know I'm all about that!

Hashtags are became popular through Twitter but are now also used a lot on Instagram and Pinterest.  How will you use hashtags?

Five FREE Sites To Clean Your Twitter

Keep Your Twitter Clean - Yes Go Ahead And Giggle At That One

Near the end of every month I try to check my twitter network to make sure that it is free of spam and content that shouldn't be there.  I also check on what was popular that month and see what topics would great opportunities going forward. If things don't look fresh on your twitter feed you could end up looking like a spammer.

Five FREE Sites To "Clean Your Twitter"

1. Untweeps

Untweeps.com is a site that lists stale twitter accounts.  Just login with your twitter account and click the List Stale Tweeps button.  Within a few minutes you will receive a list of twitter accounts that you follow, that have not tweeted in more than 30 days. Just click the check boxes beside the names on the list and at the bottom click the unfollow button.  This will take another couple of minutes and then you will see that you no longer follow those inactive twitter accounts.  ** Note you can only use untweeps.com once every 30 days.

2. Faker

Faker by Status People is great way to ensure you have true twitter followers. Once you login with your twitter account it will give a list of how many fake and inactive accounts follow your twitter account and will give your account a rating. You can also put other twitter handles in the search bar to see how many fake followers other accounts have. When people have oodles of twitter followers you would think they would provide you with great info, but some buy fake followers to increase their ranking. You can learn the importance of Faker by Status people over at SocialNorth.

3. Social Mention

Social Mention can give you a lot of info about your twitter account, the things you tweet about and who you tweet with.  Just put your twitter handle in the search bar, and soon a list will be populated with your recent tweets.  Make sure to pay close attention to the left side bar.  It gives you a snap shot of what is going on with your twitter account.  Another great use for this tool is any hashtags you are using or topics that you mention often online.

4. Kurrently

Kurrently is another listening tool for twitter. It is great way to get a 2nd opinion about hashtags and topics you are tweeting about.

5. Trendsmap

Trendsmap lets you know what people are tweeting about all over the world in real time.  You can search by topics and cities to see what those in your area are talking about.  This can be handy when looking to connect with other people on twitter that live near by.


Do you have any sites that help you "KEEP YOUR TWITTER CLEAN"?
Did you try out any of these sites? Be sure to leave a comment about your experience with them.
Do you have any suggestions about twitter? Make sure to leave them in the comments!

Conference Prep and Tips

Educating Yourself At Events

Finding ways to better your business, improve your health, gain financially, seek out that missing element in your life...
These are just a few of topics that conferences/events/seminars are about.  Choosing to attend is choosing to educate yourself further and learn more about the topic.  For the past several years, I have spent a lot of my free time at events/seminars/conferences/tweetups/fundraisers in one capacity or another.  I have been a co-host, an organizer, a volunteer, and an attendee at more events than I can possibly remember.
I have learned about business, financial planning, social strategies, health awareness, meal planning and so many other subjects that keep me inspired and spark new ideas.  Many of these events do involve a time investment so to ensure you fully partake in the conference experience, here are some tips so you are properly prepared and can make the most of your time at the conference.

Conference clipart
from Clker.com

An Event Addict's Guide To Conferences

Find An Event

• Use online sites like Eventbrite, Meetup, Facebook Events, or local events pages to find out about great conferences
• Check the hashtags that people are using and see the info about the events they are talking about (also follow attendees of the event so you can engage with them beforehand and look forward to meeting them face to face at the event)
• Find out about discount codes, or Early Bird pricing to save some dollars

What To Bring

• Most will bring their electronic devices, smartphones, tablets, cameras etc. but remember to bring chargers and batteries so you are able to use them
• A note pad & pen are also a great idea incase of WiFi issues, you can still keep a record of what you want to remember
• Clothing that you will be comfortable in.  You never know if the breaks are in the same rooms as the speakers, or if you'll be walking a few blocks to after-parties or if the air conditioning will be on full blast.  Dressing in layers and comfortable footwear will make a big difference

Travelling Tips

• Research about the area you are attending. Find out what the destination has to offer
• Pack light! Chances are you'll be bringing more home than what you arrived with
• Modes of transportation.  How will you get there? Will you need to commute to several places once you arrive?
• If driving, ensure you GOOGLE MAPS the location (you never know when that GPS signal will be lost), factor in traffic into travel times and bring cash for parking
• Find a travel companion.  Whether it be a carpool or a bus load, find someone you can share the experience with on the way to and back from the event.

At the Conference

• Find the registration desk ASAP. Once you are registered you have the freedom to roam
• Grab your seat.  As tempting as the coffee bar might be as you arrive, pick you spot first. Leave something there to hold it (even just writing your name on a paper & placing it on the seat works).
• Look for the agenda.  Make sure you know where you need to be and when you need to be there.
• Take lots of notes.  You will absorb a lot of info in a short period of time.  Having the info in print will give your brain a break
• Meet lots of new people.  Fellow attendees share a common interest with you, they have become your peers.

After the Event

• Tell people about your experience.  Write a post, send a tweet, create a vlog about the conference. Do it while it is still fresh in your mind
• Connect with those you met.  Send a follow-up email from the business card they gave you.
• Implement what you have learned.  You took all those notes, put them to good use rather than filing them away.
• Engage with the people that made the most impact.  Join their facebook page, subscribe to their newsletter, let them know that what they spoke about inspired you.

You can learn lots at conferences and events, but remember to socialize and have fun too.  You never know where it will lead.  I've hugged Mike Holmes, held the Oscar for Best Picture, met a ton of authors, and danced on stage with Jordon Knight because I stayed after the event to socialize.

Tips From the Social-sphere

• Time to network. Best work happens in down time. @karynclimans
• Candy at each table is a must!! @vaughanmomshow
• Take contacts and information home that will help you and/or your biz @vaughanmomshow
• Don't live tweet, sit strategically, know who controls the drink tickets, relationships are built after hours. @MattScobel
• Find opportunities to stay connected after the event @woodbridgem2m
•  You will learn something and imagine a new framework. @CheMarvilleReal
• Be fearless about reaching out to people, chatting and being authentic! You will be shocked who you can meet! @CheMavilleReal
• Know that you're not the only one nervous about meeting people. Chances are others feel the same. @AppHipMom
• Two sided laynards so everyone can see even if it flips over @MumsnChums
• Plan your sessions in advance, at least two per timeslot. Carry a paper list of session names and room numbers so if you decide to bail on one, you know exactly where to run to, even if your electronics are out of battery and there's no wifi. @TheBrianBanks
• Go with a positive attitude, an open mind & a smile on your face to meet lots of people. That's where the real value is for me.. connecting. @Gemini_Momma
•  Even though I missed a panel, best thing I did at Blissdom was listen to my body and take a nap @JackiYo

Do you agree? Perhaps you have a great conference tip you want to add as well? Have you been to an exceptional conference/event/fundraiser/meetup/convention/summit? Make sure to share it in the comments! Looking for a conference to attend this fall?  I may be biased, but I would make sure to grab a ticket for the 140 Characters Conference 2012 before they are gone! http://140confont2012-eorg.eventbrite.com/

Twitter Hashtags & Twitter Parties! Are you in the LOOP?

Hi Everyone!

I know of two twitter parties this week.  Wednesday night @YMCBookalicious is having a book club one & Thursday is the @Boobfest twitter party.  I've been telling people about them, but then this happens...

I hear "but they are so confusing"
So I respond with "FOLLOW THE HASHTAG"
Which then I hear "what does that mean?"

So here is the way I follow twitter parties.  1st I use tweetdeck.  I have instructions about tweetdeck on this post. Twitter for pals not yet on twitter
Further down on that post I explain tweetdeck.

Now that you have tweetdeck all fired up there is a trick.  A hashtag which is essentially the number sign  #  and it makes whatever is right beside it searchable.
In tweetdeck if you click on the hashtag, a new column pops up & lists every tweet with that hashtag in it, and updates the stream as new tweets come in.

If for some reason tweetdeck is not your preference I've started using a different site that it works on as well
Kurrently.com searches both Twitter & Facebook for that hashtag & constantly auto-updates it as well.  Plus in the left column you can pick the speed you want it to update.

Test it with our FAVE hashtag #TiaraARMY Send out a tweet & put #TiaraARMY in your tweet.  Everyone following the #TiaraARMY hashtag will then see it in their feed.

How does this help? Well first off you will connect with a bunch of new twitter folks that have the same interest as you.  Second you can participate in TWITTER PARTIES!

What are Twitter Parties? Well they are a convo about a common topic.

Wednesday (March 30, 2011) night @YMCBookalicious will be hosting a Book Club Twitter Party for Jodi Picoult's  "Sing You Home" You can read more about it here Rembember to use the hashtag #SingYouHome to particpate/follow along.  Wanda is great & will help you get the hang of it!

Thursday (March 31, 2011) night I am lucky enough to be hosting @CocktailDeeva 's @Boobfest twitter party.  Make sure to register here to "Help Save First Base" (that always makes my chuckle).  With you registration you have the chance to win some fabulous prizes while helping this very worthy cause.
For more info on Boobfest, make sure to check out Boobfest.ca

Don't worry about twitter ettiquiette (which will be a separate post) during a twitter party because they move very fast!  Just make sure to keep a positive attitude & remember to have fun.  Who knows you might form a friendship or two via the twitter party. 

If you have any advice or favorite sites you use for hastags/twitter parties, please leave it in the comment section!  I'd love to here about it too!

& remember if you have questions be sure to hit me up @Those2Girls

Happy Twittering All!

What comes after #TiaraTuesday EASY it's #rembrWHENsday

I've made another new local pal on twitter @craiger_c (make sure to give him a follow-he is #kwAwesome).   Not only has he joined the #TiaraARMY he supplied @JackiYo with 4 tickets to a Kitchener Rangers game for her YoBooks launch party (& she picked me as the winner -whoo hoo).

So naturally when he told me about his idea for a new LOCAL hashtag, I wanted to help him out.

We're talking about #rembrWHENsday  KW!
"It'll be a chance to share something from our community from times gone by that you remember. Like when the place to shop for toys was Hiway Market!"

Truthfully I have lived in Kitchener Waterloo all of my life so I could could come up with tons.

Here's my first #rembrWHENsday tweet

I was born in #kwAwesome back when GR RIVER HOSP was called KW Hospital #rembrWHENsday

Make sure to use the hashtag #rembrWHENsday in your tweet so we can all follow along!