5 apps that enhance Twitter for work

Illustration: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic 

Twitter has grown acold beyond its archetypal roots arsenic a no-more-than-140-characters-per-tweet microblogging service. These days, a tweet whitethorn dwell of arsenic galore arsenic 280 characters, oregon it could incorporate a GIF, a video (up to 140 seconds long) oregon up to 4 images. You whitethorn stock a unrecorded video watercourse connected Twitter oregon big a unrecorded audio-only speech with Twitter Spaces. And Twitter continues to trial caller functionality, specified arsenic Twitter Communities and tweaks to TweetDeck.

SEE: The aboriginal of work: Tools and strategies for the integer workplace (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

But adjacent with each of Twitter's changes, I proceed to trust connected third-party tools for a fewer features. I usage each of the 5 apps highlighted below. A mates of them, including Flocknet and Favourites.io, I've utilized for respective years arsenic a paying customer. If you're an avid idiosyncratic of Twitter, each of these apps is worthy exploring. (All of the apps enactment with Chrome and connected a Chromebook.)

Emphasize representation accessibility connected Twitter

When you stock an representation with Twitter, marque definite to adhd a description—also known arsenic alt (short for alternative) text—so that radical who whitethorn not beryllium capable to presumption the representation whitethorn inactive recognize what the representation contains. The alt substance for images whitethorn beryllium accessed by screen readers, but there's nary Twitter mounting to show alt substance arsenic of September 2021.

The escaped Social ocular alt text Chrome hold by Nick DeNardis displays the alt substance for images arsenic you browser Twitter.com. The alt substance displays successful achromatic substance astatine the bottommost of images (Figure A, left). Images that deficiency alt substance amusement with a reddish barroom astatine the bottommost (Figure A, right).

Figure A

Once installed successful Chrome, the Social ocular alt substance hold displays the alt substance for images connected Twitter (as shown connected the left, successful the artifact astatine the bottommost of the image). Images without alt substance show with a reddish barroom (right) astatine the bottommost of each image.

Search and aboveground interaction accusation connected Twitter

Flocknet gathers Twitter illustration information, specified arsenic bio, determination and links, for some your followers and the radical you are following. You whitethorn past hunt your Twitter network: Do I cognize anyone successful Portland? (Figure B) Who of my followers has Microsoft successful their bio?

SEE: How to usage Google widgets for enactment connected an iPad (TechRepublic) 

Flocknet highlights caller Twitter illustration edits (Figure B), which lets you easy place erstwhile idiosyncratic changed roles, moved oregon edited their bio to stress antithetic interests. Flocknet likewise surfaces determination changes. You tin acceptable alerts to beryllium notified erstwhile a word is added to a illustration name, bio oregon location. And Flocknet Flows springiness you a mode to radical contacts successful assorted ways, specified that Flocknet tin service arsenic a streamlined interaction absorption strategy built connected Twitter.

Flocknet charges based connected the full fig of contacts (accounts followed positive following) successful the system. For a full of up to 5,000 contacts, the terms is $5 per month. A constricted escaped offering provides constricted hunt features on with regular pursuing and play follower syncs.

Figure B

Flock.net helps you hunt your Twitter contacts and show illustration changes, among different features.

Filter and benignant tweets

TweetShelf lets you filter and benignant your Twitter timeline and lists, which makes it a utile instrumentality to observe contented of involvement to your contacts. Select a watercourse (e.g., Home for accounts you are pursuing oregon immoderate of the Twitter Lists you follow) to show "Stories" shared to that database (Figure C). Adjust the show to constrictive the stories shown by contented benignant mentioned (e.g., article, websites, books, podcasts, videos), by clip (e.g., today, past 2 hours, past 4 hours), oregon by fig of friends (e.g., 1, 2, 3) sharing a story. Additionally, you tin benignant by astir shared first, latest shared archetypal oregon latest published first.

SEE: How to insert an representation successful a Gmail signature (TechRepublic) 

TweetShelf offers iOS and Android apps, arsenic good arsenic a web version. The escaped mentation lets you benignant and filter your timeline and curated lists, person a regular email digest and store 25 caller items. The premium version, priced astatine conscionable nether $6 per period oregon $54 per year, adds entree to lists you follow, enactment for aggregate accounts, further day filters, entree to an RSS provender and more.

Figure C

TweetShelf lets you benignant your timeline and lists to place often shared content.

Save, hunt and radical likes connected Twitter

Favourites.io is simply a web app that makes it elemental to hunt tweets you've liked—or, arsenic the enactment utilized to beryllium called, favorited. (And, yes, the app is from a British developer, truthful marque definite to adhd the "u" if you default to American English.) For example, I often Like tweets that notation studies, reports and caller articles. I usage Favourites.io to hunt for keywords (e.g., "Google" arsenic shown successful Figure D) and find these liked tweets quickly, sometimes years later. Favourites.io costs €29 per twelvemonth (a small little than $34 per year).

Figure D

Favourites.io lets you hunt tweets you've liked.

Get context, past and streamlined hunt connected Twitter

Twemex (@TwemexApp) replaces the Twitter sidebar connected the web (where What's Happening, Who to Follow and a hunt barroom different display) with entree to enhanced hunt arsenic good arsenic further discourse and past for accounts. For example, erstwhile you're connected a Twitter illustration page, Twemex displays that account's astir liked Tweets (Figure E). Or, erstwhile browsing a timeline, you mightiness take from Random Highlights, On This Day, Recent Highlights oregon Intentionally Blank. At the apical of the sidebar, there's a hunt container that displays respective hunt extremity commands erstwhile selected: /me, /follows, /user, /list, /from:<user> among others. The app website indicates that the quality to hunt likes and bookmarks is "coming soon." As of September 2021, Twemex is escaped and volition stay truthful portion it is successful beta.

Figure E

Twemex replaces the close sidebar connected Twitter.com (as shown present successful Chrome) with casual entree to enhanced search, arsenic good arsenic further accusation astir an account, specified arsenic most-liked Tweets from the account.

What Twitter tools bash you use?

In summation to the above, I proceed to usage some the Omnibox Twitter and Twitter relationship detector Chrome extensions (as covered successful my earlier article, 7 Chrome extensions that volition marque you much productive connected Twitter). And I proceed to show different tools, specified arsenic dewey.co and Chirr App. Do you usage immoderate of the supra apps? What bash you deliberation of them? Are determination different third-party tools oregon extensions you trust connected to marque the astir of Twitter? Let maine cognize what third-party Twitter apps you find helpful, either with a remark beneath or, of course, connected Twitter (@awolber).

Also see

• 7 Chrome extensions that volition marque you much productive connected Twitter (TechRepublic)
• 4 apps to get the astir retired of Twitter (TechRepublic)
• Twitter overhauls API platform, mends breached committedness to developers and businesses (TechRepublic)
• How to support your Twitter relationship from being hacked similar Joe Biden and Bill Gates (TechRepublic)
• Twitter adds cardinal diagnostic that's been holding it backmost arsenic a concern tool (TechRepublic)
• IT disbursal reimbursement policy (TechRepublic Premium)
• Smartphones and mobile tech: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic connected Flipboard)