How To Integrate HootSuite Hootlet Into Google Reader & AutoSchedule Messages

HootSuite is the main tool I choose to use to manage my social media accounts because it has a number of features which make the whole process a lot easier. A functionality that they recently added to the Hootlet browser extension is auto scheduling which they aptly named AutoSchedule. The AutoSchedule feature allows you to schedule social media messages without you having to manually set the times at which they go out. It determines the optimal time to send out messages to maximise reach and impact; see it in action in the video below:

Some the content I share is from blogs I follow via Google Reader. In the past I almost always used to use Buffer to schedule them (and still do on occasion) but with the introduction of AutoSchedule, I find myself using it more and more. If you have Buffer’s browser extension installed, it will be automatically added to Google Reader. HootSuite has not yet added this functionality which makes the process of sharing reader content a multi-step process which can get tedious. But, if you do want to share Google Reader content via Hootlet, there is a work around that reduces the steps and makes it easier to schedule posts.

ADDING HOOTSUITE TO GOOGLE READER

1. Click on “Reader Settings” which is under “Options” in the top right corner

2. Click on the “Send To” tab

3. Click on “Create a custom link” at the bottom of the page

4. Enter the HootSuite parameters (below) in the fields provided and save

• Name: HootSuite Hootlet (You can name it whatever you like)
• URL: http://hootsuite.com/twitter/bookmark-tool-v2?address=${url}&title=${title}
• URL UPDATE (you can also use the following):

http://hootsuite.com/hootlet/load?address=${url}&title=${title}

• Icon URL: http://hootsuite.com/favicon.ico

SCHEDULING MESSAGES FROM GOOGLE READER TO HOOTLET

Now that a custom HootSuite Hootlet Send To link has been saved, it will appear within your Google Reader where you will be able to share and schedule updates. By clicking in the “Send To” tab at the bottom of each post, the link created above will appear as an option in the drop down menu.

Clicking on “Hootsuite Hootlet” will open a new page containing the post title and link to the post where you can select the network(s) to post to, edit the message and auto-schedule. When you click to schedule the message the window will automatically close with you message set to go out from HootSuite at an optimal time.

What do you think about using this HootSuite functionality via Google Reader in this way?

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