Are You a Pinterest User?

If you are a Pinterest user, have you looked at my boards? Check out Pinterest.com/DrFrankBuck. The boards are built around "The 5 Keys to Organization & Time Management." You will see a board devoted to each of the following:

1. Handle the Papers
2. Signature Tool
3. Repeating Tasks
4. Managing the Incoming Flood
5. Handle Multiple Projects

In addition, you will find boards for these subjects:

1. Technology
2. Speaking and Coaching
3. Books Worth Reading
4. Human Greatness
5. Music

The majority of the images are drawn from my blog posts. Click on the image, and you will be taken to the corresponding blog post. So, if you are interested in handling multiple projects, click on that board. You will see images from posts related to that topic.

Feel free to re-pin items of interest to your own board so that those who follow your boards will be able to enjoy the posts as well.

If you enjoyed this post, share it with others. Click one of the social media buttons below to share om Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, or email to a friend. New posts will continue to appear on this site for the remainder of June. After that, continue to enjoy new material at http://FrankBuck.org.

Easily Size Photos for Your Social Media Needs

In the last post, you saw sizing information and character limits fora variety of social media sites. I recently learned about another site which easily allows you to select one of your photos crop it and size it for for your social media needs.

Start by going to this page of the Internet Marketing Ninjas site.

Use "Image Source" to select whether the photo will come from your computer or from a URL. I will choose an image residing on my computer desktop. Click "Choose File" and navigate to the photo you wish to upload. Then, click on the "upload" button.

The photo I selected is one of my Shelties. The rectangle you see in the middle of the picture appears by default. Next, from the "Choose a Size" box, select how the photo will be used.

Here, you see the drop-down list and can make a selection. I want to make this photo into a Facebook cover., so I will make that choice from the list.

The rectangle which appears have the same height/width ratio as the item you selected from the list. Next, I will click and drag the rectangle as desired. I will also drag the edges to enlarge the rectangle. As I enlarge the rectangle, it retains the same ratio.

I have resized the rectangle to capture as much of the Shelties as possible.  Click "Done Editing." The "Done Editing" button will then change to say "Download." Click the "Download" button. Your sized and cropped photo is now stored on your computer.

When you mouse over your cover photo, you see an option to "Change Cover." Click to change the cover. From the options, select "Upload Photo." 

Whatever your needs...a Facebook cover, Facebook profile picture, photos from Twitter, photos for Google Plus, etc., this handy site will give you a great picture in a few seconds.

If you enjoyed this post, share it with others. Click one of the social media buttons below to share om Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, or email to a friend.

Sizing Guide for Social Media

Want to change your Facebook cover and need to know what image size you need? Wondering how many characters are allowed for a bio in one of your social media sites?

I ran this infographic on the LunaMetrics blog. They were kind enough to include the embed code so that I can present the information here. Because social media is ever-changing, their intent is to keep their infographic updated at the same location, so that what appears in this post will always be accurate.

 

Brought to you by the LunaMetrics blog.


In the next post, we will look at a site which will allow you to take any photo and easily size it to fir your social media needs.

If you enjoyed this post, share it with others. Click one of the social media buttons below to share om Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, or email to a friend.

What If Mary and Joseph Had Facebook?

If we had Facebook back then...

Free Webinar: "Social Media: All the Eggs in One Basket"

On November 20, I will be conducting a one-hour webinar entitled "Social Media: All the Eggs in One Basket." The webinar begins at 10:00 AM CST. The event is free and registration is open to anyone.

Our social media options seems to have unlimited boundaries...blogs, Facebook, Twitter, websites…the list goes on and on. But what do you need? How do you stay on top of it all? How can you make it all work together?

Topics during the webinar include:

• How to choose your “brand.” 
• Why the blog is the center of your social media presence. 
• How to automate your blog postings so you can carry on with your life. 
• How to use Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to “feed” your blog. 
• Why you should use HootSuite or TweetDeck to organize your Twitter and Facebook experiences. 
• How to stay in touch during events. 

In addition, we will look at how you can have a "quasi-app" for your organization in just a few minutes.

Social media does not have to be complicated. Learn how the various components work together to let YOUR message be heard.

Click here to register 

 The webinar is sponsored by the Ed Leaders Network. If you are a member of the ELN, also come over and join the discussion about this webinar

Who else needs to know about this webinar? Click one of the small social media icons below to share with others. Feel free to leave a comment below with your own thoughts.

HootSuite versus Buffer

     

HootSuite is the tool I have used to organize my social media life for a couple of years. The site allows me to view my Twitter feed in organized columns (called "streams").

Reading content from everyone I follow would be overwhelming. HootSuite allows me to create "streams" so that the tweets from the people I care about most will be in one easy-to-read stream. No searching through a lengthy list to find what really matters to me.

Those select people whose content I always want to read appear in a column I call "Inner Circle." Columns called "Priority 2" and "Priority 3" display tweets from those whose content I would like to read, but not as much as those in the "Inner Circle." According to how much time is available, I can read only the "Inner Circle," or read the other two columns as well.

HootSuite is the winner and the tool I will continue to use for both reading and composing social media content. Other columns display tweets where people have mentioned me or retweeted my content. Still other columns track conversation on hashtags I am following, such as upcoming conferences. I also see a stream containing tweets I have sent and those scheduled for the future. HootSuite allows me to create columns where I can read content from Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google Plus. I could actually read all of my social media content without leaving HootSuite.

While HootSuite comes in handy for reading material, it is a great tool for composing content. I can create one post and choose whether to send it to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, or any combination, and do it all from one place. Furthermore, I can schedule any of the content to post in three different ways:

• I can post post now.
• I can specify a future date and time for content to post.
• I can turn on "Autoschedule." HootSuite will decide on a date and time for each of the social media networks I have selected and post my content accordingly.

Enter Buffer

Buffer is another tool to help with posting content. Specifically, it allows you to spread your posting throughout the day. 

I typically read the posts from my favorite blogs during a block of time. I make decisions at that point about those articles I want to share with others through social media networks. If I were to post each one immediately, readers who see a flurry of content from me and then nothing for the rest of the day. Buffer allows the user to create a daily schedule of when content will be posted. You can even have one schedule for Twitter, another for Facebook, and another for LinkedIn.

Buffer is similar to HootSuite's "Autoschedule" feature, only with Buffer, I determine the schedule. If I decide I want to post 4 times daily on Twitter at 9:00, 11:00, 2:00, and 3:00 while posting on Facebook at 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM, I simply compose the schedule and let Buffer handle the rest.

When I read content and want to share it, one click allows me to post to Buffer. Buffer automatically assigns the content to the next available time slot. I am not overwhelming readers with too much content at once.

Buffer's New Enhancement

HootSuite has given me the ability to do one thing that Buffer had been unable to do--schedule content for a certain day and time. If I had a set of quotes and wanted one to appear daily at 8:00 AM, HootSuite would allow this; Buffer would not not.

Buffer has made news in the last several days because it now gives users the ability to put some content in the Buffer while choosing a specific day and time for other messages. Buffer how has the same three capabilities as HootSuite. So, which one is better, HootSuite or Buffer?

The Battle is On

Suppose I am adding a quote-a-day and want those quotes to appear on both Twitter and Facebook. I found entry on Buffer to be easier. 

First, once I had selected which social networks to which the quotes should post, Buffer remembered that selection from quote to quote. Not having to re-select the social networks each time is a plus.

Secondly, when I click the clock icon to choose a date and time, Buffer remembers the last date I selected and presents me with a calendar which is already scrolled that date. If the current month is July and I am posting quotes for August, I do not have to change the calendar from "July" to "August" for each new entry.

When reading an article I want to share with others, the steps to posting are virtually the same whether I am using HootSuite or Buffer. A button for each resides on my browser's toolbar. Clicking that button opens a box. The title of the article and URL are already completed. All I have to do is add my own comment and either post now, schedule the post for the future, or click "Autoschedule" (if using Hootsuite) or "Buffer" (if using Buffer).

Feedly is the service I use to collect the new posts from the blogs I like and present them to me in one place. As I am reading an article from within Feedly and want to share it, Feedly includes a button which allows me to post to Buffer. To post to HootSuite, I must first click the article to open it on its original site before clicking the "Hootlet" button on my browser's toolbar. I then close the article and return to Feedly to continue reading. HootSuite, therefore, requires a few more clicks of the mouse. 

The Deal-Breaker

To this point, Buffer seemed to me to hold a slight edge. I could see myself using HootSuite to read material and Buffer to post material. Two points, however, swung my decision towards using HootSuite exclusively.

HootSuite allows me to post to Twitter, my personal Facebook account, my professional Facebook account, LinkedIn, or Google Plus. With a "Basic" account, I can post to as many as five social media accounts. I found that Buffer would allow me to post to three social media networks only. If I wanted more, I had to upgrade to the "Awesome Account."

Secondly, Buffer has a limit of 10 scheduled posts at any one time. I found this out the hard way--when I had scheduled 10 posts and tried to schedule number 11. You have to upgrade to the "Awesome Account" to schedule more.

My Decision

In my mind, HootSuite is the winner and the tool I will continue to use for both reading and composing social media content. I get the ability to schedule as much future content as I like and post to more social media networks. Of course, I welcome Buffer's new capabilities. The competition between the major players simply forces each to continue to up its game.

Ben Franklin the Blogger?

The highlight of this past week was attending the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) Conference. This annual event provides an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, and stay abreast of changes in the ever-changing world of education.

My role was unique, in that I was asked to serve as the "social media correspondent," and by example, encourage others to share their conference experiences through Twitter. Indeed, this conference did provide the spark for many to either create an account or rekindle a neglected one on Twitter.

Sitting two seats from me just before a session, Dr. Tommy Bice, Alabama's State Superintendent of Education, joined Twitter. In his keynote address, he had told the audience about his practice of visiting at least one school every week to stay grounded in what is actually happening in our schools. What he told me later is that he sees Twitter as a way to take the good things he sees in school after school and share those experiences with the public. With nothing more than the phone in his pocket, he can take a picture of something significant, describe the significance in a couple of sentences, and share those gems which can become inspiration for others. If you are a Twitter user, I encourage you to follow @TBice .

If Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be a blogger. On the final day of the conference, I found myself with spare time before the early-morning session, and pulled a book from my briefcase I was currently reading. In a section dealing with "building  thought leadership platform," the author made the statement, "...if Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be a blogger..."

History tells us of Benjamin Franklin's work to establish the United States postal system, his work in establishing public libraries, and the information he provided through Poor Richard's Almanack. The capability for people to exchange ideas was important then, and Ben Franklin did the best he could with the tools he had. If he were alive today, he would certainly he holding himself to that same standard.

I think that idea is what the author had in mind in stating that if Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be a blogger. He would have embraced social media as a way to connect people across distances.

When it comes to present-day exchanging ideas, do we hold to the standard of Ben Franklin? Do we do the best we can with the tools we have? Social media has opened options which were not here a decade ago. Some think they are too time-consuming, too difficult, or of too-little value. Others value what they learn, what they can share, and how much time they save by being able to draw on the expertise of others.

What message do you or your business have that would be valuable for others to hear? What if you could publish those ideas whenever you want, to be read by whoever was interested, and do it all for free? Tools such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Plus give us that ability. Guidelines on how to set them up and use them are but one Google search or one YouTube video away.

From Google Reader to Feedly

What is "RSS" and what is an "aggregator"?
Reading blogs is a great way to stay on top of what is happening in your field, regardless of what that field may be. The problem becomes that the more good blogs you identify, the more time is required to visit each one. The solution is called "RSS" (really simple syndication). While the concept has been around for quite a few years, the vast majority of people don't know about it.

To use RSS, you select a piece of software called an "aggregator." Using the aggregator, you "subscribe" to the blogs you like. The aggregator continuously checks each of your blogs for you and compiles all of the new content in one place. On a day-to-day basis, all you do is visit the aggregator. All of the new material is there, waiting for you.

Enter Google Reader
Just over four years ago, I began using Google Reader as my aggregator. I wrote about my start in this post. For over four years, Google Reader has allowed me to identify the sources from which I want to learn, and then it has corralled content from those sources. From there, all I had to do was look in one place. As of July 1, that one place will be gone.

On March 13, many thousands of us clicked on Google Reader and saw the image you see above. In the hours that followed, blog posts were lighting up with anything from disbelief to outrage, to the feeling than the sunsetting of Google Reader was inevitable. How did I learn of these posts? The same way I have learned about so much else for over four years...through Google Reader.

How ironic it was to learn of the demise of Google Reader on Google Reader. What was even more ironic was to learn about alternatives to Google Reader by reading Google Reader. One after another, blog posts began to talk about "Feedly.com." Before the day was out, I was up and running with my own Feedly account.

Getting started
Creating an account at Feedly.com was quick and easy. Immediately, Feedly wanted to access my Google Reader and bring in all of the subscriptions. Instantly, Feedly was displaying all of the unread articles from Google Reader. Clicking on "Saved" revealed all of the articled I had "starred" in Google Reader for later reading.

When I reached the bottom of the page, I saw a small "mark page as read" link. Clicking it and refreshing the page cleared all of the articles and presented me with the next page of fresh, unread ones.

I quickly found that clicking the ribbon icon on any article marked it as "saved." This action was the parallel to "starring" an item in Google Reader. When accessing Feedly, clicking on "Saved" in the left-hand column took me to the items I had marked to save for later reading. Clicking the ribbon icon on a saved article toggled it to "unsaved," causing it to disappear from the list.

Be sure to visit the "Preferences" link in the left-hand column. Experiment with the "Default View." You can choose between magazine, condensed, mosaic, cards, or full articles.I would recommend trying each one to see which you like best.

Mobile App
On my Android phone, I downloaded the Feedly app from Google Play. An app for iPhone is also available. You will want to visit the "Preferences" menu on the mobile app. I accessed it by touching an icon in the upper-left corner of the screen. On the "Advanced Settings" in the Preferences menu, I checked "Auto Mark as Read," so that when I read or scroll past an article, unless I mark it as "saved," it's gone the next time I access Feedly.

You may want to adjust the "Article Font Size." Also, experiment with the "Default View" to see what appearance you like best.
 
Our mobile devices allow us to function from anywhere. In most cases, however, we work best at our desktop computers. It's hard for a single, small screen to keep pace with my large dual-monitor setup. It's hard for two thumbs on a piece of glass to do what the fingers of two hands can do on a keyboard. 

Using Feedly on my phone is proving to be an even better experience than viewing it on my computer. For this reason, reading Feedly becomes something I can do from anywhere. Because I can read just one article or the entire feed during any given session, it becomes a perfect option for filling spare minutes. I can read it while in line at the grocery store or waiting for an appointment.

Passing good content on to others through social networking is important. I am able to that so as easy from my phone as I can on my desktop computer. Icons allow for instant sharing on Facebook or Twitter. Another icon allows me to share an article through other options.

For example, I use Hootsuite on my desktop to organize social media content. I also have a Hootsuite app on my phone. While reading an article in Feedly, I can choose to share an article through Hootsuite. Hootsuite lets me decide whether the article goes to Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google+, or any combination thereof. In addition, I am able to schedule a day and time when the item will be shared.

One of the features sure to become a favorite is Feedly's appearance You see beautiful images together with the title and snippet of each article. You skim articles by simply sliding through them with a thumb. Sliding upwards advances to the next article or page. Sliding downwards allows you to move backwards. Tapping on a article opens it.

Every cloud has a silver lining
Seeing the announcement that Google Reader was sunsetting struck a note of fear in the hearts of many thousands. But, the same day, I was introduced to something better. As a bonus, because all of the talk in the media about Google Reader sunsetting and the alternatives available, droves of people who had never heard of RSS are being introduced to it. You may be one of them.

Get started today
You may want to print this post. Or, you may open a new browser window so that you can have this post available as you set up your Feedly account. The content will make so much more sense when you read it while viewing Feedly at the same time.

Go to http://Feedly.com and create an account. If you already have Google Reader, you will be prompted to bring its content into Feedly. If not, click on the "add websites" button in the left-hand column. There, you will be given suggestions of sites to add. You can use the search window to enter the title or url of a blog you like. You could enter my name, "Frank Buck," or my url "http://FrankBuck.blogspot.com" to add it to Feedly.

Go to your phone and tablet to download the Feedly app. Log in using your username and password. On any of your devices, visit the "Preferences" menu, as we discussed earlier.

Every day, I learn something new. Often, I learn it from someone I never met. The knowledge is out there and free for the taking. Every one of us can get better at whatever it is we do. Every day, other people are posting great ideas which can help us on our various journeys. Tools such as Feedly allow all the great content to go one place. That deal is too good not to take.   

Claiming Your Brand

There was a time when choosing a username was something to which you did not give a second thought. You typed in the first thing that came to mind. If that name was not available and the site suggested something else, you took it. Those days are gone, or at least they should be. Whether it's Twitter or YouTube or Blogger, we want something that identifies us, a single name that identifies us across the web.

I found very quickly that "Frank Buck" had already been taken on a number of fronts, not to mention the fact that I share that name with a famous wild animal hunter from days gone by. Happily, Blogger was a notable exception. I also discovered that adding a title in front of my name gave me something that no other "Frank Buck" seemed to have. So, "DrFrankBuck," with well-placed capital letters, became my "brand" across the web.

Are you struggling with the same question, trying to find one username you can use universally? If so, namechk is the site for you. There is no registration. Simply enter the username you are considering and click "chk." Namechk returns an "available" or "taken" result for up to 160 different sites.

Want to view a "taken" site? Click on its icon and you will be viewing the Twitter feed, Facebook page, or YouTube collection for the person with that name. Start your search with a short list of possibilities and in just a couple of minutes, you should have pegged a brand for yourself. If you are looking for a time-saver, this is one!

While you are at it, are you thinking about a website domain name? Take a look at Panabee. Enter the words you are interested in having in the domain name. Panabee shows you what is taken and what is not.

If We Had Facebook Back Then...

If we had Facebook back then...

Source to Create Social Media Buttons

If you have a website or author a blog, chances are good you also have other social media outlets. You want a set of small, clickable buttons which will take readers to those others outlets. At least, I did.

You could spend the time designing the buttons, uploading them, and writing the html code that will not only make those buttons appear, but will take readers to the correct site when clicked. Another option is to find where someone else has done the work for you.

I ran across a site called addthis.com which did exactly what I needed. You can get to the exact spot on the site needed with this link. For each button you wish to add to your site, enter the username in the appropriate blank. Click to get the code.” Copy the html code that is generated and add it to your site.

In just a few minutes, you have an attractive set of social media buttons.

Social Media Right Now...By the Numbers

Want to know how fast things are happening in the world of social media? Watch the change happening just in the seconds you are reading this post.



This tool was composed by Gary Hayes. For more information, go to the original website and check out Gary's Social Media Count.

HootSuite Adds Automatic Scheduling

The world of technology is filled with surprises, some good and some bad. I wrote earlier this month about the bad surprise I received when I opened my iGoogle page. This past week, I was delighted by an enhancement in HootSuite.

I use HootSuite to organize my Twitter feed. I also use it when I compose tweets, because it allows me to schedule a date and time for that tweet to post. HootSuite also allows me to schedule the same information to post on Facebook at that same date and time. Furthermore, HootSuite provides me a little "Hootlet," which resides on my browser's toolbar. When I read an article on the Internet and decide at that moment I want to share with others, I click the Hootlet. A box populates with the title and URL for the article. I then designate whether I want to it to post to Twitter, Facebook, or both, as well as choosing the date and time.

HootSuite made things even easier. They have introduced "AutoSchedule." Instead of choosing a date and time, HootSuite will handle that decision for me, scheduling my tweet to post at what it says are the best times. I do not fully understand the algorithm it uses. I do know that the best times to post on Twitter (between around 9:00-3:00) and the best times to post on Facebook (early evening) are different. So far, I am seeing that if I schedule a tweet to post on both platforms, HootSuite assigns one time for it to post on Twitter and a different time for Facebook.

The new AutoSchedule feature in HootSuite will sound a great deal like a service called "Buffer," which also schedules your Twitter posts. Buffer is free for up to 10 tweets scheduled at any one time. The HootSuite AutoSchedule imposes no such restrictions.



Technology is full of surprises. This one is very welcomed, and one I see myself using extensively to simplify life for me, and to offer an better experience for those who follow my posts on Twitter and Facebook.

Confused by Who Sees What on Twitter?

Confused by who sees what on Twitter? You are not alone. If I retweet, who sees it? If I reply to a tweet, who will see that? Why is starting a tweet with "@JohnDoe" different from putting the same name in the middle of the tweet?

Let's clear up some of the confusion. For answers to these and many more questions, take a look at Mom, This is How Twitter Works. You will see examples of tweets, answers to who will see them, and the rationale on each example. If you are a Twitter novice, this add the post to your bookmarks so that you can refer to it again.

Are you an experienced Twitter user? Many who follow you are not. How about helping them out by clicking the Twitter share button below. Also feel free to share on Facebook.

HootSuite Tutorial

In the last post, we examined TweetDeck as a tool for organizing your Twitter experience. This post examines HootSuite.

I started using TweetDeck more than a year ago and established a HootSuite account last month. Personally, I like HootSuite better. The primary reason is HootSuite is web-based, allowing me access from any Internet-accessible device. I found the setup to be incredible easy, especially since I had experience with the features of TweetDeck.

This tutorial shows you how to establish a HootSuite account and set up you site.




Anyone want to share their experiences with either TweetDeck or HootSuite?

"Like Us" on Facebook Page or Follow on Twitter

This blog is the heart and soul of my online presence. A blog post is long enough to communicate an idea, back it up with examples and supporting arguments, and leave you with an invitation as to the action you may want to take. Blogs are also ever-changing. New content appears regularly, and should.

Sometimes, the message is short, and that's where Facebook and Twitter come in handy. When someone else has posted content of interest, or when top news stories interface with the subjects central to this blog, those two avenues provide quick and easy ways to bring that content to you.

Secondly, I use Twitter and Facebook for short highlights about my day-to-day professional activities. Third, when new blog posts appear here, Facebook and Twitter are great vehicles to let you know, so that you never miss a post.

Finally, I hope to see the Facebook page grow into a place for discussion. For the most part, people seldom comment on blog posts, but regularly comment on Facebook. In addition, Facebook automatically brings the new information to your page, and once you comment, you are notified about other people's comments.

If you have a Twitter account, I invite you to follow me. If you have a Facebook account, consider "Liking" our page.  By the way, when the Facebook page reaches 200 "Likes," one of those 200 will receive a free copy of Get Organized! or Organization Made Easy!

I hope this blog brings you information that makes your life a little easier and more enjoyable in some way. I hope these other outlets will be helpful to you as well.

A Social Media Christmas

If we had Facebook back then...

Who Sees What on Twitter?

If I reply to a tweet, who sees it? If I start my tweet with "@" and a Twitter name, who sees it? How is that different from if @twittername was to appear in the middle of the tweet.

For answers to these and many more questions, take a look at Mom, This is How Twitter Works.

Social Media Revolution

Is social media a fad?

Or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution? You be the judge
This video is produced by the author of Socialnomics.

Handling Social Media

During March, we have taken a fairly basic look at Twitter and Facebook. If you are a newsletter subscriber, the issue you received at the beginning of the month also dealt with social media. If you are not already a newsletter subscriber, you can read that issue here.

To join the subscription list, follow this link. You will receive a set of six introductory newsletters, one each week for six weeks. You will also begin receiving the monthly newsletters.