Two Simple Steps to Monitor Real Time Conversations
This blog post is a tutorial about how to set up conversational searches to monitor keywords and key phrases in twitter. Next week I will show you how you can leverage a similar tool in facebook. Much of this will be basic knowledge to the seasoned veteran but I am finding more and more people that are missing some of the basics and I think it’s important to revisit every now and again.
What is your Objective/Purpose?
Looking for a job? Monitoring conversations about your company? Doing competitive research? How about keeping up with your local sports team? It’s all possible with real time conversational searches.
Step #1 – Set up a google reader or some kind of RSS feed reader. If you don’t understand RSS (Real Simple Syndication) Check out the video at the bottom of this post. The Reader will be a place where you feed the real time data. This is a must do. If your already set up with an RSS reader, thats great! This will only be a one step process.
Step #2 – Go to Twitter Search and type a keyword or key phrase into the search box. It will immediately populate the search results with all of the things being mentioned about that word or phrase on twitter. See the graphic below. Use this type of search for anything you are interested. Maybe you have a small business that sells craft supplies. Search for Crafts, Crafters, or any items that you might sell like Candle supplies. maybe your looking for a community manager or social media job. You can target words like community manager or social strategist. You’ll learn through trial and error which feeds deliver you valuable information.
By subscribing to the RSS feeds you will be able to capture these items in your reader so that you never have to manually search these terms again. In the image below you can see that one of my hobbies is Woodworking. I feed all conversational results for that keyword into my google reader.
Now all thats left is for your imagination to run wild. People are pouring data into the online spaces 24/7. It’s up to you to learn to leverage this information. Two days ago I shared a way in where this twitter search tool actually changed the life of a stranger in a coffee shop. For more advanced monitoring you can read about that in Tools of the Social Media Ninja.
Now that you have learned how to use RSS for real time search go ahead and subscribe the same way to your favorite blogs! You can subscribe to all of my future content by clicking HERE.
RSS Explained
Keith Burtis is a social media and digital marketing professional. If you or your company are looking to REV THE ENGINE on your digital efforts contact Keith today! Specialties include: Blog design/Integration, Custom Facebook Pages, Social, Digital and Interactive Content strategies.
Thanks Keith – never even noticed the RSS button before. Duh. It sure makes life a little simpler.
@debworks