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For several months we tested three Twitter clients: Tweetdeck, Seesmic, and Hootsuite.  Here are some brief thoughts on those three Twitter clients.

TweetDeck

While you can manage multiple accounts, the incessant number of columns we had to create to do so drove us mad.  We sent them several direct Tweets, but they continually ignored us.  Ignoring one’s audience is never good for any person’s or company’s social media marketing campaign. We don’t recommend them unless you want to waste time.

Seesmic

We found it easier to manage multiple accounts on Seesmic, but we could only manage one Facebook account.  We didn’t like this, so we didn’t stick with them for long.  Though they recently announced integration with Google Buzz and Ping.fm.  They have some useful features, but we don’t recommend them as a primary Twitter client.

Hootsuite

Just like TweetDeck and Seesmic, Hootsuite allows users to manage multiple accounts.  We also found it more convenient to switch client tabs instead of setting up client columns, and users can schedule Tweets with Hootsuite.

So, as I said, we’re not ready to give up on Seesmic, but Hootsuite offers more of what we want in a Twitter client.  Do you have any thoughts?  BTW, here’s a chart that compares Tweetdeck, Seesmic, and Hootsuite.  All three have come out with updates since this chart was created, but it will give you an idea of what they do and don’t offer.

Nate Bal: The Difference Between TweetDeck, HootSuite And Seesmic

My mother always told me if you can’t say it in 140 characters or less, it’s not microblogging.

Enjoy!

Mobile Microblogging

tinySCRAP – Location based microblogging

Qaiku – Integrates with Facebook

brightkite – Integrates with Facebook and more

Seesmic – Includes desktop app

floort – Share your opinion about anything * Integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Live, and Ning

P2 – WordPress microblogging

tumblr - Integrates with iPhone, Facebook, AIM, Twitter, and more

mysay – Record what you’re saying

Zannel – Share videos and photos

Rememble – Add texts, videos, pics, and audio clips from your PC

Build a Microblogging Community

Typepad Motion – Bring Microblogging to your website

Jaiku – Post from the Web, by SMS, or from desktop clients

Yonkly – You can host it yourself, and they have an opensource edition

Twingr – Stay in touch with friends, family, or those who share your interests

Microbloghost – This is a WordPress based microblogging host with an online translator

Business Microblogging

Socialcast – A microblogging platform that allow companies to stay in touch with their customers and employees * Integrate with iPhone and Blackberry/Includes desktop app

Cestu – A social marketplace for businesses to promote their products, services, etc

sharetronix – Microblogging with a multi-media corporate version

SlideShare – Upload and share PowerPoint presentations, Word documents and Adobe PDF Portfolios

Socialtext –  Includes social networking, microblogging, Wiki Workspaces, and more

Yammer – Helps companies stay in touch with their customers and employees.

Yahoo Meme – Of course Yahoo joined the microblogging craze.

presently –     A microblogging platform that allows companies to stay in touch with their customers and employees

Others

Identica –  A microblogging service similar to Twitter

koornk – A basic microblogging platform

Flattr – A microblogging platform that allows you to show the love by sharing the wealth

Twit Army – A public timeline based on laconica

youare – Import your life from Youtube, Flickr, Delicious * Includes a WordPress theme

posterous – Post by e-mailing post@posterouscom

dailybooth – A picture and video sharing microblog

hictu – Build a microblog with video, audio, and text posts

Spotjots – Share your life in pics with the world

12seconds –  Send video updates * Integrates with Twitter and Facebook

Sweetter –  Opensource microblogging

Sprouter – Collaborate and networking with other entrepreneurs

plerb – A basic microblogging platform

meemi – Microblog and comment on people’s posts

Secondbrain – Discover and share great bookmarks

textcurve –  Share anything anonymously

sFeed – A shopping microblog that focuses on fashion news and entertainment

blellow – Allows freelancers and professionals to collaborate, find work, and be more productive

twingly – Follow and discuss various topics or events

FriendFeed – A microblogging platform Integrates with Facebook, Google, and Twitter

echowaves – Pick up your conversation where you left off

blurtit – Ask questions and get answers

Plurk –  A basic microblogging platform

There’s a few others, but they weren’t worth mentioning.

Go ahead and comment, Tweet me , or e-mail me.

Erick

This past weekend I watched an old, 1927, black and white, silent movie called Metropolis. The more I read the captions, the more I realized silent movies were the first microblogging platform. For this blog, I will use Twitter as an example, but the list applies to all microblogging platforms.

Silent Movies vs. Microblogging

Text

Silent Movies: Writers had a limited amount of text with which to convey the most pertinent messages of a silent movie’s story line.

Microblogging: A limited amount of text should tell your audience a story about yourself and your products or services.  Your Tweets should be relevant, personal, and conversational. Not necessarily all at the same time.

Scenery

Silent Movies: Where writers couldn’t add text, scenery had to match the story line.

Microblogging: Your Tweets, your brand, and your website should match your message.  Write about what’s relevant to your audience, and brand yourself as caring about the same things your audience cares about.

Gestures

Silent movies: Actors used overt gestures and facial expressions (Silent movie actors studied the art of mime).

Microblogging: If someone retweets you, thank them. Interact with your followers and those you follow. And don’t be afraid to put a smiley face or wink in with your Tweets.

Future

Silent Movies: They evolved from one form of communication into another.

Microblogging: It evolved from one form of communication (blogging), and it will evolve into another form of communication.  Microblogging may not die out, much like blogging, but it will develop into a new form of communication.

I don’t think it’ll be too long before we’re using computers like the one in Tom Cruise’s Minority Report. Maybe them, social media marketing will become more virtual, and we’ll be able to interact with one another in holographic virtual realities.

Do you have any thoughts about what social media marketing might look like in the near or far future?  Go ahead and comment, e-mail me, or Tweet me.

This is the third blog in my series about blogging and micro-blogging, which is a great way to boost you social media marketing campaign.  Again, this week’s software offers a free version, but it is not open source.  Though, Yammer can provide open source script that runs within firewalls and will sync a LDAP or Active Directory server with Yammer.

Since we are interested in the free version, let’s look at that version of Yammer.  Yammer’s free micro-blogging platform includes the ability to share files and create groups, mailing list integration, SMS integration, desktop/iPhone/Blackberry apps, and of course the ability to suspend former employees.  If you want to know what the silver and gold packages include, read about them here.

Yammer works much like Twitter; though, there are some features Yammer offers that Twitter does not.  Yammer users can set up RSS feeds, set ups those apps, or integrate with SMS.  Honestly, without signing up, I don’t know if Yammer will automatically shorten URL’s; though, there is a paperclip right below the message bog where users can attach files.  I’m also not sure if that’s just for pics or Word and other files.  But it’s there.  Whatever types of files you can attach, it’s much easier than having to go through your list of contacts and finding e-mail addresses.  Oh and just like Twitter users can follow and unfollow people, set up or join groups, view a tag directory, view a file directory, and do so much more.

Okay, so there’s more.  But that more costs a little something.  Since I only blog about free and open source software, I am going to let you review the perks of the silver and gold versions.  Depending on which version you want, it’s only $3 or $5 per user per month, and you can add clients with either of those versions.  All in all, the ROI might be well worth it.

Oh yeah, for anyone who hasn’t noticed that social media marketing is going mobile, here’s a link to Yammer’s apps.  And, of course, you can always be assured that no matter how long a person locks themselves in the lavatory, Yammer always has your security in mind.  And they’ll never charge for extra bags.

So, last week we looked at the open source blogging platform LifeType, and this and next week we’re going to look at a couple of great microblogging platforms for your business.  As I mentioned in last week’s blog, I did write a blog about StatusNet (“Branding Your Microblogging”) on 12/14, so scroll down for that blog.  Today, I want to tell you about another microblogging platform that will help you keep in touch with your employees and boost your social media marketing through collaborative efforts.

SocialCast is “enterprise microblogging,” or that is how they advertise themselves.  SocialCast helps businesses help their employees keep in touch with one another.  How do they do that?  Well, keep reading this blog to read a few ways.  At my last office job, my boss was my Phil Jackson (Lakers coach).  When someone from another department gave me trouble, I knew I could always count on him to make sure they stayed off my back, so I could do my job.  If he wasn’t around, I had to deal with whatever situation came up.  It would have been nice to know if he was in a meeting, at lunch, or in a closet avoiding my latest “I’m the best employee this company has!” attitude.  With SocialCast, you can update your status, so your fellow employees or employer knows where you are.

Much like Twitter, with SocialCast employees can not only update their status, but they can also take part in real time conversations, Q&A sessions, and share files with one another.  SocialCast also allows you to organize your microblogging streams, so you can communicate with all employees, preset groups (the creator must invite you), or specific employees.  That makes SocialCast great for sharing everything from newsletters to secret meetings about overthrowing the King of Lilliput.

For companies still not convinced SocialCast offers them anything that Twitter does not, SocialCast can be integrated with e-mail.  Of course, you can read message alerts in your e-mail inbox with Twitter, but if you want to respond to those message you have to log into Twitter.  With SocialCast you can respond right from your inbox.

And the list of great ways companies can utilize SocialCast goes on, but one more I want to tell you about is Social Business Intelligence.  This one is useful for you employers or HR managers who want to keep track of how people in your company are using SocialCast.  Check out what big account or client is most important to your employees.   And, of course, see who’s chatting with whom when they should be doing something a little more productive with their time.  There are many more great features to SocialCast, so go ahead and read all about them.

Of course there is a free and a premium version; though, the number of users your aloud to have is always unlimited.  For those companies that want to know more about the premium version, you can read about it here.  For those who just want to see how SocialCast’s free microblogging platform works, it includes the ability to have multiple administrators, you can add guest users, there is a desktop application, and there is basic e-mail and phone support.  There is more, which you can also read by clicking the above link, reading the SocialCast cookbook (a download on their homepage), read their blog, or visit their demo section.

So there’s a little about keeping social networking within your company, by using SocialCast to discuss various projects and company information.  It’s not open source, but the great people at SocialCast are nice enough to provide us with a generous portion of what they offer.  Come back next week for another great microblogging platform that will help you streamline your business efforts.  For those companies who would like to stramline their efforts even more, consider SEO content or other social networking options.

Check me out of Facebook or Twitter

Until next week,

Erick