Monday, December 8, 2008

Twitter Buttons~ I share the Secret with Options!










Okay, so I was working on a jam up list of Facebook tips and all, but while working on my other blog, I was trying to find out how to put a "Follow Me" Twitter Bird or Button or something. See then all over everyone's blog, have all kinds of neat gadgets, counters that list number of follower, maps or feeds that list where their visitors are from (geographically speaking),their rank on twitter, I could fill this entire post on thing/gadgets/widgets I have seen (some great some just plain silly to me). SO I have over 1300 follower, I figure if I send it out as a question, surely one of them would share the secret, really didn't even think of it as a secret at the time of posing question, till I got no response. Wait I take that back I got many no clue, and at least 3 or 4 "hey when you find out, please let me know". I was kinda taken back, I would guesstimate that at least 50% of people on twitter have a blog or a site, and who knows what percentage of those have "elusive button", but I know many, because I read several. Even, reached out to one I knew had it, will not mention his name, but got nothing, no repose at all. Really makes me giggle, so I am off to find the "Blue Follow Me Bird" and some other ones too, then I am gonna let the secret out of the BAG!!!
Okay this is the most basic way to get your Twitter feed on a profile, such as your My Space or Facebook page. This is how I first did it, not sure if I was prompted to when I sign up or what but I had on heck of a time finding it again, it is very easy to miss.
To get a Twitter feed on just about any page, if offers code for basic one, such as Blogger, My Space, Facebook, then another option that will provide a code for most other pages, as long as you can enter in HTML code in a text are or some place like that.
*Log in to you twitter account, you have to go through regular site, not an application such as Tweetdeck, sign in just like you would to use twitter (with user name and password)
*Go to upper right corner and click on "Settings"
*Under the first tab. "account", go down to the spot where it lets you add "More info URL", and under says "Have a homepage or blog? Put the address here.".......directly under that is a link, it is little and may not appear like a link, but it is.
*Click on link that says "(You can also add Twitter to your site here)"
*That link will take you to a bunch of choices, you can pick a mini feed, or a bigger on with avatars. You can customize the colors to match you profile r blog you are putting it on. Once you are done you get code and copy/paste it where you want it.

Okay, now how about the "Follow Me" graphics, here are some sites to find those. Once you get the graphic you have to make the graphic a "clickable link" that goes to you twitter homepage where they can follow you.
*Here are the Blue Birds with Follow Me, has several good options, I show only two out of a dozen or so. This is a site be Randa Clay ~ http://randaclay.com/freebies/free-twitter-graphics/



This site has some really cute, non typical Twitter like ones, yet not too far out~
*The site is Siah Designs http://siahdesign.com/archives/150
Here are a couple of the cute ones
(also remember when saving to your computer, that the one that move are saved a .gif)
Actually this selection is so good this is a site to bookmark and change out if you are the type that likes to redesign or has multiple sites




Okay this is the last one I am gonna give you, but it is by far only one more out of tons that are available, and don't forget, technically you can make Follow Me button/badge yourself, just use a program like Paint of Photobucket (my personal favorite, that is a post to come in the future) and make one that says "Follow Me" or whatever then enter that picture into the code that links to your twitter homepage. This is a simple code, if needed add to your post and I will get a post up showing how to do that, you can make it open in a new window, same window, even a different browser. Funny cause I just read an article, I will include, so I can give credit if I use about if people get made about having links open in a new window or same window, ha, I have never given it much thought, but totally made sense.

*This page/button options,the site is ~ Limeshot, which is an awesome site I just discover and will be using in the future , www.limeshot.com
this is the "Follow Me on Twitter badges/logo/buttons" page
http://limeshot.com/2008/follow-me-on-twitter-badges
Here are a few of the MANY ones the offer~


Alrighty that should get y'all started, I am going to put mine on tonight, should do it now, but wanna get this out to all the people I told I would~ so they do not think that I do not want to share the secret too!!
Remember, let me know what you think, if you like, and if you need help with the code putting it together (you can easily find it, but if you need help, like I did the first ten times I did it just post and I will write some easy to follow directions).
Gotta go get the kiddos from school, they ladies at the school pick up line do not take "Mommy's Online" as an answer for being late to pick up. Look forward to seeing the new buttons everywhere!!
SMILE!