There are several free tools that allow you to schedule your Tweets. I recently signed up for Tweet Later and gave it a test drive. The design and mish-mash of fonts can make using the dashboard a little confusing, but the features are great.

Once you add your Twitter account you can opt for the following:
You can send an auto welcome message
Auto-follow anyone that follows you (or manually approve before following)
Email digest of replies to your tweets.

Scheduling Tweets:
Type your tweet (announce new menus, hours, special promotions, show dates, etc.)
Save as a draft or schedule to publish (immediately, minutes/hours/days/weeks from now, or a specific day and time).
I scheduled a new featured link to post every Friday at 9am. Follow 15minutesmedia on Twitter to get our tweets.

There are a number of additional features you can unlock with a paid subscription.

Pretty cool tool. Now I can sit down when I have an hour or two and schedule a week or two's worth of Tweets.

Want a more detailed breakdown of features? Read this blog post: http://www.squidoo.com/scheduletweets

Want your blog posts to show up in Facebook too? Here's How:

Tools:

1. Your Blog's RSS feed*
2. The "Notes" app on your Facebook profile

*Almost every blog has an RSS feed (If your blog doesn't, you should probably upgrade....you're living in the olden days).

Briefly, an RSS feed is the ability to "subscribe" to frequently updated web content (like blogs, news headlines, audio and video). For a complete description, read the wikipedia definition here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss_feed

Skills Required:

• The ability to copy and paste

Let's get started!

Step 1: Find Your Blog's RSS Feed

Open your blog in a new window and look for the RSS feed link (Often located at either the very bottom or the very top of the blog.)

The RSS feed link can look different on different blogs. On many, it is an icon that looks like this:

With text that says something like "subscribe to the RSS feed for this blog" (Easy enough, right?)

If your blog doesn't have something that clear, it may have a text link that says "Subscribe to Posts" or "Subscribe to Feed" or maybe just "Subscribe" (same thing).

Step 1: Find your blog's RSS feed

Step 2: Copy the RSS Feed URL

Click on the RSS feed link that you just found on your blog
A new window will open up that looks something like this:

Step 2: Copy your blog feed URL

It may ask you whether you want to subscribe via Google, Yahoo, Live Bookmarks, etc. IGNORE THAT.

Instead, highlight and copy the URL that appears in the address bar of your browser.

It probably looks something like this:
http://blog.15minutesmedia.com/feed

Note ("feed") is in the URL.

Step 3: Find the "Notes" App in Facebook

In a new window, open Facebook (remember to log in).

At the very bottom of your screen, there is a button that says "Applications". See here:

Step 3.1 Locate the "Applications" button on Facebook.

click on it.

Clicking on the button should expand a list of the applications that you've installed on your profile. Find and click on the "Notes" application (comes standard with every Facebook profile).

(you may then want to minimize the "Applications" list by clicking the minus sign in the upper right corner of the list of apps).

Step 3.2: Click on the "Notes" link.

Step 4: Click on "Import a blog"

On the right hand side, of the screen that comes up, you will see a little grey box that says "Notes Settings". Inside that box, click on the link that says "Import a blog". See here:

Step 4: Click on "Import a blog".

Step 5: Paste your RSS Feed URL into the "Notes" App

A screen will appear that will ask you to enter the "Web URL" that you would like to import. Remember that RSS feed that you copied? That's right. Paste it here.

Be sure to check the box that says you have permission to re-publish the content (I'm assuming you have permission - no stealing allowed).

And then click the button that says "Start Importing".

Step 5: Paste your RSS feed URL and click "Start Importing"

Step 6: Voila! Your are now posting your blog posts directly to facebook.

Voila! Now if you post anything to your blog it will appear in your Facebook "Notes" and it links to the notes should appear in your status updates whenever you post to your blog.

Voila! You've Imported your blog directly into Facebook!

Advanced:

You may subscribe to a whole blog or just choose a section by clicking on a category (On my personal facebook page, I've chosen to subscribe to the "Amanda's Corner" section of the 15 minutes media blog (since that's me). That way my personal FB profile will only be updated with posts that I write (rather than company posts). Each category has it's own RSS Feed.

Stats aside, I have witnessed the impressive growth and value of social media. Most of my friends parents now have profiles on Facebook. (There is even a rather humorous website about this phenomenon). I have found new products, links and music because my contacts on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn mentioned them. I sold a kitchen table, got help with programming, and met up with friends when visiting other towns simply by updating my status. It is a powerful medium, and used correctly, can help your expand your network and your brand.

If you aren't using these valuable resources, you should be. I know, I know. You don't know how, you don't have time. I promise, you will get the hang of it if you just start using it. Read blogs (like this one and this one or this one) that provide all kinds of helpful hints that make it easy to track your contacts and keep your profiles up to date.

Oh, and once you sign up, add me as a friend/contact. I'll reciprocate and post a message to you.
Facebook: 15 minutes media | Karen Propp
Twitter: 15minutesmedia | karen_propp
LinkedIn
You can also find me on last.fm, flickr, StumbleUpon, and delicious.

It is not all rainbows and candy though. By simply loading a twitter feed, Skittles has given up complete control of the content. There are negative remarks about the brand, and even worse, racial slurs and "bad" language. I suppose that explains the annoying feature requiring you to enter your birthday upon first visiting the site. Because of this, some people are calling the campaign a disaster. I am not so sure. I am a strong believer in transparency with a brand. If you offer a truly good product or service, good comments will outweigh the bad. Reputations are not likely to be ruined by a few juvenile posts. Beyond that, there is the old adage, "Any PR is good PR." Just look at their Facebook page. They have over 500,000 fans. I doubt many people even knew about the Facebook page before this site launched.

For the past week, I have been trying to help the band Noba get started with all the social networks. The website, which is due for a re-design, is almost a second thought. Most people look for them on websites like Facebook, Last.fm, iTunes, and MySpace. Instead of building them a website with links sending their visitors to varying different locations, why not build a site based on the Skittles.com idea? I think it could work great for musicians.

What do you think? Do you see this model working for other businesses?

1. Update your websites. I installed a "Tweet" feed on my website. It is a sort of mini "What's New" or micro-blog. Because you can Twitter from your phone, computer or mobile device; it is very easy to quickly post an update. This makes your website look current and fresh. Twitter about an interesting meeting or project, post a link to a finished project or photo, let people know your phone lines are down or your new holiday hours.
Example: My website - lower right corner www.15minutesmedia.com/

2. Update your social networks. There are several applications available (Digsby and HelloTxt to name a couple) that link your Twitter, Instant Messaging, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc. so that you can update all your networks with one post from your desktop or phone. How is this useful? You can tweet that you've just posted a review or article called "Widgets vs Whatsits" on your blog. You tweet something along the lines of "Widgets vs Whatsits - see who wins at www.myblog.com". This is posted to your Facebook status and your LinkedIn Status. Now all your friends and collegues go to your read your article. Some of them post the link to it on their profiles, others leave a comment, and soon, friends of friends now know about your fantastic article. It is exactly what is meant by "going viral". Your simple tweet got the message to potentially thousands new prospects.

3. Branding. Create your online personae. Whether you tweet as your company mascot, yourself, or even the office pet, you can create an engaging personality that people want to follow. Make yourself a trusted authority. Make sure you do more than "promote" yourself or company. Offer insider information, tips or gossip.
Tip: Be careful when choosing your personality. If you are writing from the viewpoint of the office cat, make sure you can really "stay in character". Is the personae going to limit you? Is it going to be too much stress to be so creative? If so, it may be better to just be yourself.

4. Get referrals. Need to hire a new salesperson? Looking for a referral to a great PR agency? Send out a tweet asking for referrals.

5. Inter-office communication. With a team like ours, we are spread out all across the country. You can use twitter to let your team know where you are and what you are doing. I might tweet that I am heading back to the office from a meeting, my designer might tweet that she is at lunch, and my programmer tweets that he is working hard - Do not disturb! It gives us a real-time status update for everyone and keeps us all on the same page.

6. Notify customers. This is a biggee. A rock band may notify fans of show times and dates, special ticket prices, "twitter exclusive" mp3 downloads, radio/tv appearances and so on. A retail company could announce new product releases, special discounts, sales, etc. You can make your followers feel like they are part of an exclusive community. Give them a heads up on discounts or events before it is available to the general public.

7. Polls and feedback. Use Twitter as your own personal focus group. Want to know which color your consumers prefer? Whether they are more concerned with a low price or an environmentally safe product? Just ask.

8. Be a spy. Do a search for your product or brand name. See who is talking about you. Has someone made a negative comment about their experience? Respond. Offer to make it right - it will improve your customer relations and others will see the efforts you made. Convert that complainer into someone who posts praise about how you resolved the issue.
Real example: Here is a guy that tweeted about having trouble using a coupon at Quiznos: http://twitter.com/paulsegreto/statuses/1265903120
If Quiznos was monitoring their brand, they could respond to him. Perhaps they could post an special coupon code.
Tip: you can subscribe to the RSS feed for your query. This way you don't have to remember to search everyday.
Must Read: http://www.getelastic.com/twitter-monitorin/

A word of warning: Be careful about how you are marketing yourself via social networks. Remember, these are social networks and your contacts are called "friends". You probably know most of them personally. I encourage you to let them know what you are doing professionally, but don't overdo the marketing speak. Be a real person and make sure you are offering something of value.
Must Read: Twitter Etiquette and Twitter Do's and Don'ts

Follow 15minutesmedia on Twitter (be sure to say hi)

TOOLS & TIPS:

• Snitter - A desktop application for Twitter.

• TwiTip - More resource than tip, this is a great site chock full of useful articles on how you can get the most out of Twitter.
• TinyURL - When you have only 140 characters, every one counts. If you want to post a link, use tiny url to convert this to this http://blog.15minutesmedia.com/marketingseo/using-twitter-to-promote-your-business to this http://tinyurl.com/c8vpmx.
• TwitterLocal - Filter tweets by location.

We'd love to hear how you are using Twitter. Post a comment with a link to your Twitter profile.

How to Use It

Products for sale
Notify your "followers" about exclusive sales, promotions, coupon codes
Announce product launches, recalls

Events
If you are a band, announce "secret shows" or appearances
Announce locations, times, special guests You can reveal the date and time online but invite people to "follow" you on twitter in order to get the location. This makes your event feel exclusive.

Toot your own horn
Twit about press mentions, tv appearances, etc.
Notify followers when you have updated your blog

Other Ideas
Polls - Ask a question and post the results.
Notify followers of extended hours, a new menu, trends, etc.
Tie it into your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts for instant "status" updates.
Use it to update your website (we do this on our homepage)

PC World recommends using a character like your company mascot. It also suggests you find out when people are talking about you and make sure to respond:

\\Scan for customers. Search for your company name, products, and learn what people are saying about you. Enter your search string and even click the RSS link in the upper-right to permanently track search results. Reply to customers through Twitter. I vented once to no one--and everyone--about a bad customer experience. I was surprised to find the subject of my scorn saw my note, followed-up, and fixed my issue.\\

Are you using Twitter yet? Tell us how you use it.