HIRE ME TO SPEAK
HIRE ME TO SPEAK

Top 5 Twitter applications

I write about strategies to turn fans into customers and customers into fans. I also share ways to use real-time strategies to spread ideas, influence minds, and build business.

Twitter

TwitterThere are tons of Twitter applications available from third party developers. Because Twitter exposes its data via an Application Programming Interface (API), anybody can create an application to enhance some aspect of Twitter.

Many people who are active with Twitter use applications and frequently people are quite passionate about the apps that they use. For example, there is a raging debate about which iPhone application is best.

Here are the applications that I use. Are these the best? I don't know. But these are the ones that I like. I've tried many others that I did not end up making a part of my routine, so they are not listed.

Here’s how you can add to this post:

1) Please feel free to talk up your own favorite applications.

2) Is there an application that you dream about that isn’t available yet? Maybe you can suggest it here and someone else can develop it.

Here are the applications I use:

TweetdeckTweet Deck I use TweetDeck as my user interface for Twitter when I am on my computer. TweetDeck allows me to manage different aspects of Twitter that I refer to many times throughout a typical day. I've got all the people I follow coming into a feed on the left column. The middle column includes tweets that mention my Twitter ID @dmscott. And the right column is my direct messages.

TwitpicTwitPic I use TwitPic to quickly upload photos and send them out via Twitter. This application basically saves a few steps in the process from snapping the photo to saving to sharing. I particularly love TwitPic when I shot a photo on my iPhone and want to upload it quickly. TwitPic is best for things like posting a photo at a rock concert or a tweetup or a conference when the image quality isn't that important but your time away from the activity is.

TweetieTweetie My application of choice for my iPhone is Tweetie. I've tried several other iPhone apps for Twitter and like Tweetie best. I can quickly see mentions, and direct messages, and it is really simple to tweet. I was using another application when several months ago my friend Todd Defren leaned over and was aghast at my choice of iPhone app. Todd was right and that's when I realized there is a lot of passion around iPhone apps for Twitter.

SocialtooSocialToo I use SocialToo to manage my follows (and unfollows). SocialToo generates a daily report with everyone who followed me the day before. I quickly scan it to see who are my new followers. This application also helps me to efficiently follow people back.

FacebookFacebook My Tweets get posted to my Facebook page as status messages. I love being able to do this, because I can update the two services at once.

What about you? What do you use?