Video Post: How To Use TweetDeck

tweetdeck logo Video Post: How To Use TweetDeckIf you’ve been using Twitter for at least a week, chances are you’ve heard about TweetDeck, the desktop microblog app for Twitter. Developed early in 2008 by Iain Dodsworth, it has become one of the most popular desktop apps for two reasons:

  1. The ability to organize all of your twitter feeds and break them down into “more manageable bite sized pieces”.
  2. One click ease of use for creating groups, sending messages and filtering posts.

Below the video, I’ve posted an outline of the demo so that you can quickly skip to the topics that you want to learn more about.

So… on to the video

  • Beginning – 0:40 >>> Download TweetDeck / Make a donation to Iain Dodsworth
  • 0:40 – 1:15 >>> What people like about TweetDeck / Outline of the demo
  • 1:15 – 2:00 >>> Loading the various catagories of posts
  • 2:00 – 2:40 >>> How to create custom groups
  • 2:40 – 3:10 >>> Adding people to your “favorites” list
  • 3:10 – 4:25 >>> Posting the different message types
  • 4:25 – 5:35 >>> Viewing user profiles & adding users to custom groups
  • 5:35 – 6:15 >>> Editing custom groups
  • 6:15 – 8:15 >>> Filtering and clearing messages within a column and moving columns
  • 8:15 – End >>> Settings window, changing colors / fonts and adjusting API limits

Update: Please see the follow-up video on the new version of Tweetdeck, and “How To Manage Your Twitter Relationships Better with TweetDeck”.

What did I miss? Please ping me on Twitter and/or post additional Tweetdeck tips in the comments section below.

twitter ecover 1351 Video Post: How To Use TweetDeck

Posted November 19, 2008
  • This link is a must do twitter commandment for TweetDeck http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • Here's a great video tutorial for downloading and using Tweetdeck: http://tinyurl.com/5sn298 (FYI...twhirl is still one of my fav apps too)
  • @RussFilice here's a great video tutorial to reference on how to use Tweetdeck: http://tinyurl.com/5sn298 (creating groups, etc.
  • @AaronMartirano Thanks much Aaron. http://tinyurl.com/5sn298 was just what I need to understand TweetDeck better.
  • @SandyRPriester here a great video on tweetdeck http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • 9-minute TweetDeck Tutorial: http://bit.ly/A6Fr
  • 8-minute video on TweetDeck saved me 2 hours of learn it myself: http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • @shane_onegoodie I think this link on last one, but just in case - video tutorial for Tweetdeck :) http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • @Debby - I don't think that view is available in Tweetdeck (followers vs. following). However, Mr. Tweet is a great tool to decide who to follow back.
  • Hi ~ is there a place to see your FOLLOWERS? I would like to see my new followers in one place to see their page and decide whether to follow back. Thank you
    Deb
  • @ionacosmetics Here's a good online video help to watch about tweetdeck (not mine) http://is.gd/8f6x
  • @Kimberly - Yes - @ & DM columns will re-appear once you click on the icons.
  • Kimberly Wolfson
    If I close (x) the replies or direct message tabs and they disappear from the dashboard, will they reappear if I click on "replies" or "direct messages" from the top menu? For example if I don't want them to be on the dashboard but want to see them when I feel like it do I have that freedom? So in other words eliminating replies or direct messages from the dashboard doesn't eliminate them permanently like custom groups does. Am I correct? Please respond via twitter or email. Thanks, Kim
  • finally pimping my tweekdeck, great brief overview on using it http://is.gd/8f6x
  • @artbydia We cover Twitter in the blogging studio class http://tinyurl.com/9hscrj , For @tweetdeck check out http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • @Itsannier Hi Annie, here's a couple of brilliant pages offering excellent tutorials xx http://is.gd/hhAg http://is.gd/8f6x
  • @getofthecouch - tweetdeck help http://tinyurl.com/5sn298 http://tinyurl.com/cdnvw3 The 2nd one is great. I have not seen the first. GL
  • @taniawil Have fun http://tinyurl.com/5sn298 Great tut video for tweetDeck.
  • @SuzyBell This video might help http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • @John - Glad you found it useful. Thanks for stopping by!
  • Thanks for this tutorial. I've been on twitter for a while and have certainly heard about tweetdeck. I was resisting it because I didn't want to deal with yet another application but I must say that it looks like it will be very useful. Your tutorial made it easy to understand. The developer has a tutorial of the new features on his block but you covered the basic features well. Thanks!
  • @earthhourUS Great! here's the video tutorial for quick pointers http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • Watching a video on using Tweetdeck http://tinyurl.com/5sn298
  • @Sterling - I don't think there is. I always completely clear columns (using the trashcan icon), rather than selectively clearing like you do. Stuff I want to read later, I mark as a favorite. But that's me (I also throw away all my Christmas cards in January).
  • Do you know if there is a way to make it so that cuts you make to read tweets are permanent? If I mark tweets as read and cut them or clear them, making the group column empty, then close the program and open it again, they are all back! I want the tweets to be gone for good if I clear them. Any way to do that?
  • @Peter - You're welcome. Just trying to be useful.
  • Really nice job. Thanks for taking the time to make this.

    Best always,
    - Peter
  • @Jon - Click the "+" in the user profile. This will allow you to add and remove folks from groups.
  • You can't. But there is no redundancy only duplication. All your 'friends' show up in the, erm, 'All Friends' column. You then have the ability to filter them in as many different groups as you like. If you don't want to see the "All Friends" column all the time you can either close it (tick the X on right hand side) or move it to the right beyond your groups and replies.

    Whatever you do, your stream of friends will continue in the "All Friends" column. Frankly, as a long time and very active user of Tweetdeck, I don't really see what the problem is :-))
  • Okay, so what is the best way to eliminate the redundancy if I move someone to another column? Sorry, it's just not obvious even after cogitatin' on it a while... Thanks, j.
  • @Jon - You're not missing anything. The user fits both the "all friends" criteria and "your group" criteria.
  • Very useful video, John, thank you. One thing I do not understand about Tweetdeck is when adding someone from "All Friends" into a particular group, it doesn't "transfer" their feed there apparently. As a result, their tweets still show up in both columns. Am I missing something here?

    All the best,

    j.
  • @Steven - go to TweetDeck.com and download the app. Once installed, enter your twitter ID and password.
  • John how do i sign for tweetdech
  • @nichive - you're very welcome. Ping me on Twitter, if you like: @johnhaydon
  • whoa.. this is so great.
    I've just started to interact more in twitter actually, and now I see that twitter can be more than just those "normal" homepage

    thanks for sharing..
  • @Joe - I'd just play around with the levels and see how much of each message type you end up with - then tweak.
  • Interesting. What's your recommendation on where this should be set? To keep it at 100% I put tweets at 1.5 and directs, replies and favorites all at 3. I've heard that some people do a lot less than 100%. What are your thoughts?
  • @Joe - Yes, you have to leave it open all the time. This also depends on how the API thresholds are set in your TweetDeck settings (All Tweets, Replies, DM, Favorites).
  • Great video, John. Just installed Tweetdeck yesterday! It's been great. One question: how does it work with how many tweets are actually downloaded by Tweetdeck everytime you open it. Is there a limit? People said the good thing about TD is that you get ALL your messsages, but is that only true if you leave it open and on ALL the time?

    Joe
  • @John @Rjleaman Unfortunately not. I use the main Twitter interface when I need to search for my DMs. However @TweetDeck and @Iandodsworth are very responsive and open to suggestions for enhancements. So I bet if this was suggested it might even make it's way into the next upgrade...
  • @Rebecca - You know what? That is a great question. I can't seem to find my DMs either!
  • Good stuff, John! I did have one question... do you know if there's a way to see your own Sent DMs? I can't seem to find it, if so, and it's one feature of the web interface that's darned handy for those of us with a semi-unreliable memory for what we said to whom when, versus what we just *meant* to say and never got around to!
  • I did discover that. I hate to tell you how long it took me. I totally overlooked the scroll bar. It blended in too well I guess :) But I could swear I saw another site's screen print with 5 columns showing at once. Is there a way to reduce the width of the columns in order to do that? Thanks :)
  • @Kaye - 6 Columns? All you have to do is keep creating new groups. Just make sure you scroll all the way to the right in order to see them!
  • PS - I do still have one question. I've seen a screenshot showing 5 or 6 columns with Tweetdeck. Any idea how to do that? Thanks :)
  • You are a lifesaver! There were three little things I just couldn't figure out with Tweetdeck. Really simple as it turned out, but I needed to see it which your video did for me. Thank you :) :) :)
  • @Frank - Thanks! I only use the 'mark tweet as read' function if I have a lot of replies and direct messages that I need to respond to. Marking it 'as read' means that I won't respond twice to the same message (I'm a bit spaced out sometimes and have sent duplicate messages before...)

    Your example of a 'use case' is exactly how I utilize groups. I have a Blogger group and a Non-Profit group.
  • hey John ... nice video.

    Do you actually use the 'mark tweet as read' ? ... i've not found any real use for it yet, but i could be missing something.

    now ... on to Groups ... what happened to showing a real use case and explaining how it is useful :) (just messin with ya)

    one group that i have set up is 'nonprofit' ... in that group i have all the people that i know participate in the nonprofit world. my main reason for creating this group is that i want to watch these people a bit more closely. having that column in TweetDeck helps that because their tweets are in a seperate column so that info is less likely to fly by as it normally does in the 'friends timeline'

    ---
    http://twitter.com/franswaa
  • @Mike - "The favourites button saves particular Tweets". Got it! Thanks for the correction.
  • I'm a huge fan of Tweetdeck and i've been using it for a while now. Great video but just one correction. The favourites button saves particular Tweets NOT Tweeters. If you want to make a list of 'favoutites' just add them to a group. Favourites is a great way to'bookmark' if you like, interestin, funny, witty informative tweets which would otherwise be lost in the stampede. :)
  • @Nacie - You're welcome. Let me know if you learn anything new about TweetDeck!
  • Hey John - thanks so much for this video! I have been scratching my head for the past few weeks looking at "tweet deck" appearing everywhere, and your video has not only explained to me what it is, but also made me want to go download it. Thanks again!
  • @Weiss - Thanks! Feel free to pass it along.
  • Awesome video - I've been using TweetDeck for about 3 weeks, and I love it. I learned a few new tricks here that made me love it even more! Also - I agree with @JRFarr, great use of ScreenFlow.
  • @Suzy - You're welcome!

    @Char James-Tany - I've tested in Safari, IE and Firefox... no problems. Could be an internet connection issue...
  • Char James-Tany
    Am I the only one who can't see the video? I've tried in different browsers...all I get is a black box :-(
  • Suzy
    Thanks John! I'll check it out.
  • @OutsideMyBrain - You are very welcome - glad you found this useful.

    @Rebecca Atkinson - "the most comprehensive video on TweetDeck I’ve seen". Flattering me with get you anywhere. Yes - adding people to groups is a breeze now.

    @Grant - One of my highly paid spies (Spy vs. Spy) told me you were going to do a TweetDeck video. Thanks in advance for the link - you rock!
  • Dude, you beat me too it. I was working on one of these too. So, now I am just going to link to your great video and post.
  • John,

    This is the most comprehensive video on TweetDeck I've seen. I've been a fan of TweetDeck for a while and you've covered everything I like about it or use. The latest release has been great, because a lot of these features came in this one - like being able to add someone to a group from their Tweet.

    Great job,
    Rebecca
  • John,

    Great job! I linked to your other post, "How to Avoid Being an..." on my blog post, "It's Not Your Daughter's Twitter Anymore". You should add this post to your, "If you like this..." section on your "How to avoid..." post.

    Thanks again for the great info!

    OutsideMyBrain
  • Awesome. Works out great! I have a few pages of instructions, but linking here will give more thorough info. YOU rock. :-)
  • Great video man. I have been playing around with Thwirl but I think now I want to give this a shot.

    I like the use of Screen Flow too! I love that application, it's awesome. Keep up the great work.

    Best,
    JR
  • Amy,

    That's great! You rock.

    John
  • Coolness. I'm gonna link to your video in my twitter guide. K?
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