Ping-tastic: Ping.fm integration is here!
You asked for it… and here it is: We just introduced Ping.fm integration on HootSuite.com.
What’s Ping.fm? Think of it as your social network glue.
A Ping.fm account lets you send a single update to multiple networks simultaneously: Facebook, WordPress, MySpace, LinkedIn, and more. And now you’re able to send those updates through HootSuite to take advantage of scheduling, clickthrough stats, and all the sweet goodness HootSuite has to offer.
Here’s how it works:
1) Sign up for Ping.fm:
2) Hook all your social networks up to Ping.fm:
(Don’t worry about adding your Twitter account to Ping.fm — HootSuite will handle your Twitter updates.)
3) Add some custom triggers to Ping.fm, if you like.
Triggers let you specify a subset of social network accounts that you’d like to post to. For example, you could create a trigger called “status” and have that trigger only send updates to Facebook and GTalk, for example.
4) In HootSuite, as an admin, click on “Settings.” At the bottom of the “Account” tab, you’ll see a Ping.fm section.
5) Paste in your application key, and add a trigger if you like. (If you leave the trigger field blank, it’ll try to send to all your Ping.fm networks.)
6) Choose which Twitter profiles should send data to Ping.fm.
…And that’s it! Any tweets sent from the selected Twitter profiles will be sent to Ping.fm.
This is an early release of this feature, and we’re super excited about the possibilities.
A few things to be aware of:
* DMs are not sent to Ping.fm. Any tweets starting with “d username” or “dm username” are considered DMs.
* Any RSS feeds you’ve set up in HootSuite will not be sent to Ping.fm. This helps us avoid issues where a Ping.fm-enabled blog is linked via RSS to HootSuite, which sends to Ping.fm, which sends to HootSuite… eventually destroying the Internet.
* Your tweets are sent to Twitter by HootSuite, then sent to Ping.fm. If you have your Twitter account linked to Ping.fm, don’t worry — we won’t send to any Twitter accounts linked through Ping.fm. This helps avoid duplicate postings.
* We’re not currently parsing the tweet itself for triggers. Ping.fm’s API requires triggers and message text sent separately. Rather than worry about parsing on our end, you’ll need to set up a trigger through the Settings page if you want to use one.
We’ve already got some ideas about how we might improve Ping.fm integration… here are a few things we’re considering:
- Allowing you to select a trigger for each tweet — so you can more easily control where your messages are going on a per-tweet basis.
- Allowing you to set up multiple Ping.fm keys (for example, if certain Twitter profiles should send updates to one Ping.fm account, and others should send updates to another).
- More-better-izing. =)
Your feedback is, as always, much appreciated!
I was super excited to see ping.fm integration when I was told about your site today.
I do a lot more through Ping.fm than I do through twitter, so I think possibly adding similar functionality (such as @l = location) or possibly having a hoot suite ability that allows the ability to only tie to a Ping.fm account instead of Twitter and Ping.fm (Kind of a one or the other or both idea) would be really awesome. I have been looking for something that could specifically be used for scheduled posting to Ping.fm. You guys rock though and awesome job!
I was just thinking about this yesterday. You guys saved me from having to write a feature request! ;-)
I have a couple questions, though. First, do replies get sent to Ping.fm? I used to use twhirl on my old computer, and I used its cross-posting support heavily. It did not send replies to cross-linked services.
Second, as part of the more-better-izing, can we get an option to choose whether or not to Ping on a per-tweet basis?
Huzzah! :D
I would definitely love to be able to select/use different triggers, so I’m all for that possibility. I also think Voyagerfan5′s suggestion about choosing to ping on a per-tweet basis is a good idea, as sometimes I don’t want certain tweets being shared to other networks.
Great stuff, HootSuite, thanks. :D
This is great news! But, I couldn’t see the app key.. nothing to paste..so what to do?
@VoyagerFan5671: Yes, @replies are sent to Ping.fm.
And yes, selecting triggers on a per-tweet basis is something we’re probably going to do. =)
@urbantrekker: Log in to your Ping.fm account and click the “Application Keys” link from your dashboard. You should find the key on that page. This is what you’ll need to paste into your HootSuite settings page.
@Matthew Wilson: Scheduling messages *just* for Ping.fm … interesting. We’ll think about that one.
I’ve already set my key to use hootsuite, with a Trigger to use Ping.fm. So my Trigger is written ‘ping’. Then I wrote ‘ping I’m testing ping.fm throgh hootsuite’ and just my Twitter account updated, but none of my other networks. Am I doing it wrong? how do you use the trigger?
This looks like a fantastic service. I was using tweetlater (which is also pretty cool) for a while, but heck, you guys seem to have all the same features + some!
Being an active Ping.fm user, I’m very excited to get registered and give this puppy a spin :).
Thanks for the heads up and the sweet service! ^_^
God Bless,
-Dan
i use Ping.fm to update lots of Networks other than Twitter. but Ping.fm does not have a prescheduling function. so with this integration, i can now preschedule updates so that i can update all my Networks anytime. Even when i am not online. thanks guys.
Great set of tools. Only one request … if you could just add a scheduling feature like Twuffer has, then this could be my one stop shop for social media updates. That would really be great.
Wow, very useful as is. Will appreciate the ability to select triggers in a later update version!!!
ok…Not sure if I am just slow or what (definitely could be true), but is there a way to use ping to update hootsuite? For example, I use ping on my cell to email updates, but if I continue to do that, it does not update hootsuite. How do I do that?
@tony I think you have to specify which networks get updated on Ping.fm by that particular trigger.
I’m wondering if this is a feature I need to work out with ping.fm or if it’s part of what you mentioned in “improvements.” Is there a way to specify certain twits to NOT go to Facebook? Or say a facebook application to block and @replies? anyone know?
A brilliant addition to Hoot Suite.
SO IF I AM SIGNED UP ON PING to send messages to Twitter, then I should DELETE that so I can start using Hoot for Twitter?
thanks
I asked about scheduling Pings on GetSatisfaction. So now it seems I can do this through Hoot Suite. This is an outstanding feature for an already excellent service.
Is there a way to have multiple ping accounts?
I love Hootsuite! I love Ping.fm! Now both are all rolled up into one awesome package!
But….
Please, please, please, filter out @replies. They mean precisely nothing to my Facebook friends, nor do they add value to my Friendfeed.
Oh, and will this work with the super cool Hootlet? I sure hope so!
I am extremely excite, this sounds like a brilliant service. I am new at this and I can see it will save time. Kudos! to Hootsuite
Oh my!!!!! I just realized with Ping.fm Facebook PAGE updating, and HootSuite’s ability to pre-schedule this is a phenomenal integrated system for myself and my Facebook clients!!! w000t!!!
Cheers,
@marismith
I like the idea of being able to select a trigger for each tweet. Maybe set it up in such a way that you can enable it to send to all OR select a trigger
It looks like this functionality has stopped working. Ping.fm seems to have removed “triggers,” and now they just have “groups.”
Either way, it’s not working for me. Any ideas?
I have enjoyed using HootSuite for scheduling tweets and getting click through stats. Now I’m adding the Ping integration. But until you get the ability to select triggers on a per tweet basis, I will actually use HootSuite less. There are many tweets that I don’t want to send to other social networks. Any estimate about when a per-tweet trigger will be available?
I’d definitely see value for your audience if you allowed multiple Ping.fm keys (one per twitter account). The more you guys see yourself as “Social Media Update Schedulers” (expansive) rather than, “we update twitter” (limited), the more successful you’ll be in my opinion.
Would be really great to be able to choose the trigger for each tweet! OR to be able to associate different twitter accounts with different ping.fm accounts, but still do the updates for all of them through a single HootSuite!
I have recently joined upto this Ping phenomenon and have found it to be ‘really’ good. Only just getting into all this blogging lark, but could you please tell me asto how I can also get my ping entries to up-date my wordpress blog on my LinkedIn profile?
Can you let me know if / when we have the ability to add multiple ping.fm keys (one per twitter account as Allan White suggests)? I manage several clients and this would be tres cool for them. It’s working nicely in my account as I’ve tested it there first.
Thanks!
Sally
I’m counting down the days until we can set up multiple Ping.fm keys. This is an awesome arrangement but once we can link multiple Ping.fm accounts based on which HootSuite profile I post from… I could update a week’s worth of social media posts all in one morning!
This is terrific integration — thank you!
One question: can I still use % with the “adjust grammar” setting enabled on Ping.fm? In other words, will a Hootsuite message like “% is happy” still format correctly throughout all the Ping.fm services?
Very exciting and thought through. Just what I’ve been looking for—an integrator!
Thanks.
I really think the ping.fm integration is great! I would like to be able to specify which tweets get sent to ping on a per tweet basis. To try to accomploish this, I created a new twitter account. I then set it up in HootSuite to send tweets to ping.fm. Now my ping.fm account will update my primary twitter account http://www.twitter.com/stephenpconroy and my facebook page. However, I noticed that when I send a tweet out through the new account @pingSteve, the tweet goes to @pingSteve and facebook but this is not what I want. Any suggestions? @stephenpconroy
I usually don’t post in Blogs but your blog forced me to, amazing work.. beautiful …
I’d love to propagate my delicious bookmarks and Google Reader’s Shared items (which are available through public RSS feeds) to social networks I have accounts in. Why not let users choose to let RSS feeds they set up in HootSuite to be sent to Ping.fm?
Why not add pixelpipe.com and hellotxt.com to the basket?
Great twitter app. Need link tracking from ping post though because if you post through your Blackberry, no Hootsuite link tracking because ping doesn’t use ow.y and Hootsuite doesn’t use ping shortner.
@Twittergator
I agree. Please filter out @replies! It really is pointless in Facebook.
I’m having trouble with Ping.fm integration. I got the API Key but when I add it to my Hootsuite account it says “Please enter a valid application key”.
I also get the following note on Ping.fm:
“Note: API keys are meant for application developers. If you are using a Ping.fm app that someone has created, it shouldn’t require you submit an API key. Since we’ve recently changed this process, some of the apps might not have been updated to meet new requirements.
If you are using an app that requires an API key, contact the developer, or visit the app’s website for an up-to-date version. “
All good, I worked it out, blonde moment!
Wow, one cool stuff. LOL, I suppose I should use this one…
@Mari Smith
By the by Mari ~ Glad to see even you high profile Marquis are in the learning mode too! And so you know, your photo (brand) is working girl!
It’s been awhile and it looks like the multiple ping groups idea has been shelved. Any word on if it’s still coming? The integration is AWESOME, but that would make it AWESOMETASTIC!
@Luciano Evaristo Guerche (Gorše)
That is a great idea, one of the reasons I found this comment page. Luciano, have you found a solution, yet?
If you have any unresolved questions related to the ping.fm integration, or any other hootsuite/owly related feedback, please send your queries to feedback.hootsuite.com
i want to connect hootsuite to my facebook business page, not my personal page. do you know how i do that?
Please refer to http://feedback.hootsuite.com for support.
Hootsuite totally rocks! I love this service!!!
However (you knew this was coming), I wish there were a tutorial on how to use it with ping.fm…specifically, how to parse out different messages. For example, I may want to use hootsuite to schedule a message that gets posted to a FB page and a specific twitter account, but schedule another message to post to my FB profile, twitter, and digg…
I am kind of lost in getting this set up in the most efficient and effective way.
Hi, in HootSuite, as an admin, click on “Settings,”and I couldn’t find Ping.fm section at the bottom of the“Account”tab.
I’ve found it at the “Add Social Network” of the “Social Networks” tab.
That is awesome. HootSuite is the best.
This would be great…but none of the pictures are loading?
Can we get the broken pics fixed?
Yes indeed, images on some older blog posts were deleted – we’ll work on getting them reposted.
Nice app! Hootsuite is the best.
Glad you enjoy Wendy!
Images are not showing up on this page.
Yup, there’s a wee problem.
I had a question. What if I had multiple accounts that I have with ping.fm (each accounts has a different appi key), if I am able to upload multiple accounts with hootsuite and intergate ping.fm would I be able to use different api keys?
@Roger — Yep. Just add each Ping.fm account separately.
When will you be adding Pixelpipe to your network? Awaiting a response. Thanks.
Hi Lee,
We’re always looking to add new features and improve the dash. Submit Pixelpipe to our Feedback Channel for consideration.