Ping.fm is a tool many Twitip readers use and love – today Sherice Jacob (follow her at @sherice) from iElectrify shares how it can be used to manage Twitter and other social media accounts.
Even though TwiTip focuses on tips for using Twitter more effectively, you can take advantage of dozens of other popular social networks by sharing your tweets (or posts) on Ping.fm. Using Ping.fm, you can send your message (text, images and soon-to-be video) to:
- WordPress
- Flickr
- MySpace
- Hi5
- Yahoo 360
- iGoogle
- Friendster
- And dozens more
Ping.fm uses a unique trigger system that lets you decide where and how your messages are delivered. Want to send a message to your friends on MySpace and Facebook at the same time? Not a problem. Need to update your Twitter followers and your LinkedIn colleagues at the same time? Ping.fm makes it happen. You don’t have to just update from your computer either. Ping.fm lets you send updates from your mobile phone (currently U.S. only) as well as instant messaging services like AIM and Yahoo.
Getting started is fast and free. You simply sign up with your email address and password of choice and you’re immediately taken to the Dashboard. The first thing to do once you’re logged in is to set up the social networks you’re part of. Ping.fm currently supports 30 social networking and bookmarking services.
You’ll need to click the “Add Network” for each service you’re part of that you want to update through ping.fm.
Once you’ve setup your networks, making a post is as easy as typing your message and clicking “Ping it!” By default, the message will go out to all the social networking services you’ve added.
Fortunately, you can change this and create custom “triggers” to only update certain services with certain messages. This is where the real power and skill of Ping.fm come into play. By clicking on Settings, then on Custom Triggers, you can create your own trigger word or phrase to have Ping.fm just sent your message out to that specific group.
For example, let’s say I only want to send a message out to my Twitter followers and not to my MySpace friends. I could create the trigger #twitter – choose only the Twitter service, and type my message into Ping.fm like so:
#twitter I made this post with ping.fm
Keep in mind that the # sign is used in Twitter for hash tags but it’s completely different in ping.fm, just so you don’t get the two confused!
Think of ping.fm as a way to keep all your social networks selectively up-to-date with the happenings in your life. You could create a trigger just for #family, one for #friends and one for #business and take a minute to update each one as opposed to logging in to every social networking service and making posts individually. Once you see what a time-saver ping.fm can be, you’ll be able to easily double your productivity while still keeping anyone and everyone “in the loop”. Try it and let us know your results!
@joegelb
Thankyou for the greatful tips.
@sizzler_chetan
I have been using ping.fm whenever i have to make any announcements together to all the micro-blogs and social networks at once.
Its an amazing service, and a good review here.
@jemaverick
Looks like a great service, and I’ll definitely be checking it out. I have a tip for you though…when reviewing a site, a link to the said site might come in handy for your readers. Just saying. Thanks for the review.
@cbedon
This is a great way to throw yourself into the social media main stream. As always great find with great tips to follow.
Isn’t this something like OnlyWire? With OnlyWire you can do the same stuff right from your blog page – without going to your WP plugin admin or ever leaving your page
@54degrees
I am usualy unfollowing “Pingers” very quickly because they are not really “there” to answer any reactions on their pings…
@Madalynsklar
I’ve been using ping.fm for awhile now and love how it is to use. It keeps me way more productive. Great review!!
@LoneWolfMuskoka
I will check this out. Does it lead to complaints by people who follow you on more than one platform though? If they get the same message on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and more it could be considered annoying.
@darios
Hi, i want to signal you the Italian HelloTxt service: http://hellotxt.com/
Immediately I see US only in any of these services, I switch off, knowing it is crap. What a waste of time if you can’t use it from your mobile anywhere else except US. Where else would it be useful other than your mobile? Why don’t they get the international side worked out before they launch. How about bothering us with a post like this when it is worldwide.
@thebenchs
A lot of twitters user use this porgram of course doze that i know. i really dont think i would like to integrate all of them i dont really know why.
Thank you.
@eztephen
The biggest problem with Ping.fm, and the reason I TWICE opted out of using their service, is that takes away the personal touch . How?
I use Plurk.com to chat with local friends, we talk some stupid and funny stuff that only we understand. Even our cats and orangutans chat on Plurk.com, that’s how weird it gets.
I use Twitter.com to talk with people further afield, people who talk more about marketing, promotion, online tools and sites that help not humor the user.
I use Facebook to connect with old colleagues and friends, and LinkedIn to connect with potential work connections.
Thus, when Ping.fm posts the funny Plurk message about the cat’s activities in the garden upon my Facebook account, it was often a few days before I realise someone responded … and it would be to discover they had no idea what I was raving about!
@bklnpoet
Would anyone like to comment on the pros & cons of Ping.fm vs. friendfeed?
@sallyleecandles
I am absolutely going to check ping out!! I’m in need of a way to save time updating all my social sites and this sounds like the tool I need.
@thejeffbrown
Unfortunately, the “custom triggers” of which you speak do not exist. I’ve signed up and sent a test ping, only to have it send three simultaneous tweets along with four or five simultaneous Facebook status updates. What’s up with that?
@bklnpoet
Jeff Brown’s experience has been mine too. It’s even worse when both ping.fm and friendfeed are ricocheting off each other.