Edit Tweets after they’ve been posted

For some reason, people often don’t see errors in text they’re editing until the text is posted publicly. I think this has to do with the fact that publishing often changes the line breaks, font, background, foreground text color, formatting or whatever so that the error suddenly becomes apparent.

This happens to me once in a while when using Twitter. In Janetter, the edit box for composing a tweet stretches the text out in one long line. But after being posted and appearing in a stream column, it’s line-broken into 4 or sometimes more lines depending on column widths. Once posted of course, there’s no way to correct the error except by deleting the tweet and re-entering it.

Now, what would be really great is to be able to edit a tweet after you’ve posted it, like you can edit a post on Google+. Twitter doesn’t support this, but Janetter could make it appear that it was simply by putting an “edit” button or link on the posted tweet and letting you edit the tweet (ideally, in place in the column) and then reposting the tweet and deleting the old one, all in one step. The new tweet would appear at the top of the column with its correct, new post time and the old one would disappear, reflecting what was actually done behind the scenes. This doesn’t do anything you can’t do yourself manually, it just makes it more convenient by combining several steps into one and corresponds better to the user’s mental model of “where” the tweet is, so to speak. The picture below attempts to illustrate how I think it could work. Click on it to get the full-size version.

I wouldn’t expect Janetter to try to maintain the conversation links to the old tweet, or anything else that gets deleted along with the old tweet. That would make the problem much more complicated and probably impossible, given the twitter API. The user just gets what they get when they manually delete and repost now.

The people I know on Twitter would love this little convenience feature. How about you?

Enable the ESC key to cancel photos and profile dialogs

This is a consistency and convenience issue. I instinctually hit the ESC key to cancel dialogs and I think it’s always good to give the user the choice of using the keyboard over the mouse when possible. Please note I would add this key response to the current method of clicking outside the dialog and not replace it! It doesn’t have to be an either/or choice. Both can work, right?

Mouse Rollover pauses column update

One of the things that drives me crazy about all auto-updating Twitter clients is that they inevitably update just as I’m about to do something with a tweet. The tweet I’m interested in gets scrolled away, and I end up clicking on the wrong tweet!

Now, I know that clicking on a tweet in a column in Janetter will stop updating in that column, but that’s not exactly what I want. I only want updating to pause while the cursor is over that column and to restart automatically when the cursor moves off, OR when the cursor hasn’t moved for say, a minute. Here’s a simple illustration of how it might work. Again, click on the picture to make it full size.

Janetter has built a really good product. I hope they’ll consider these improvements. I happily offer myself as a development tester.

The way AdTraqr works is that you create a “target” record in the database that contains a URL you want the user to be directed to when they scan the code.

The alpha test, which just ran in the New London, CT local paper The Day contained a QR code for each of three properties belonging to a realtor friend. These went into a 1/4 page size ad in the real estate supplement that is inserted in the paper on Fridays. To my knowledge, this is the first use of QR codes in advertising in The Day.

Click on the image first to get the full-size version and then try scanning the codes with your smart-phone.

What you should see is the agency’s property page for the listing you scanned with all details about price, square footage, etc.

The “tracking” part of the service comes in when you place different codes for the same target in multiple papers, real estate flyers, on the property sign or any other place. Each placement for the same target has a different QR code. When someone scans the code, it actually goes to a URL on AdTraqr.com, which increments a count in its database of how many times that particular QR code was scanned, and then redirects the user to the actual target page, in this case a real estate listing. The agent can then look at their account page on AdTraqr and see how many times each placement was scanned. This gives them direct information about the effectiveness of each placement, which can help them decide where their advertising dollars are best spent.

And of course, any business that advertises can use QR codes in this way, not just realtors. A retail store that advertises in a wide area could tell which town produced more customers by putting a different code in each local paper or flyer version that they publish.

There are many ways to use QR codes and AdTraqr. A web-savvy business will create different landing pages for each QR code or target that they produce. Coupons or discounts can be implemented this way or information on new products or services.

The exciting thing about QR codes is that they make print an extension of the internet, and that’s an intriguing concept.

AdTraqr.com is in private alpha right now. I expect to go public in maybe another month, at which time, I’ll update you. Thanks for reading, and go find a QR code to scan!

What I’m thinking about is the abrupt mental state change people seem to go through when they become a “seller” versus a “customer”. Everyone hates to be spammed, and we complain about it endlessly from the consumer side of our brain, but how many times have you gotten a DM or an @ message from just such a complainer to “Please RT”?

Unless it’s a case of public safety, for instance a severe weather threat, a traffic tie-up,  a shooter on the loose or a missing child, I steadfastly refuse to retweet something when someone says, “Please RT”. It seems to me presumptuous to ask me to pimp your event or product or idea for you. It’s particularly galling when it comes in the form of  a DM. I know you probably used HootSuite or some other automated tool to send it out to everyone that follows you without regard to its relevancy. It’s impersonal and inconsiderate and no better than any other kind of spam.

I know you are excited about your event or product and you want everyone to know about it, but “Please RT” says to me you don’t care who gets it, you’re just spraying and praying, to use the PR term. If you want to announce your event or product, use a little imagination and creativity. Make it worth my while to click the informational link. But let me be the judge of whether it’s RT-worthy or not. People who know me know that I love to pass on relevant or useful info to my friends, but I’ll do it when I think it’s appropriate, not when you do, thank you very much.

I’ve been guilty of being overly enthusiastic and over-tweeting about something I’m doing. Probably a lot of my friends are thinking, “Oh, like PodCampCT, Joe?” But except in the above-noted cases of public safety or other exceptional situation, I never ask people to “Please RT”. If my announcement isn’t interesting enough in itself for you to consider worthy of passing on to your friends, then who am I to ask you to do it? It’s like coming to me with a stack of handbills and asking me pointedly to shove them in the hands of all my friends for you. I’m sorry, it’s just inappropriate to ask me to exploit my friends for your gain. Feel free to tell me about something, but never ask me to become your shill.

So if I haven’t made it plain yet, please….don’t “Please RT” me anymore.

Postscript: This bi-modal behavior also manifests itself in the customer service area and web design.

If you think it’s impossible to get a decently sized hotel room for a reasonable price in NYC, check this out.

I responded with a string of tweets, about how restaurants should put their actual street address in a prominent place so I can enter it into my car GPS navigation system, and also to use regular HTML text (as opposed to a pretty image) so I can copy it easily. I also went off on “fake FAQs” that have softball questions written by the marketing department as a contrived way to push their message. For instance, “How does your restaurant have such consistently awesome food?”

Poor Todd. He had unknowingly triggered one of my hot buttons about business web sites, which is that a company’s site should be about customer service, not marketing. To me, it’s the simplest way to keep in mind the proper design approach and overall goal of the site.

One of my favorite quotes (author unknown) on this topic is, “Please. Just help me. Don’t make me endure the sales process.” I’m sure this will resonate with anyone who has been frustrated trying to find the simplest, most mundane piece of information on a over-wrought, cutesy, Flashy web site that was clearly designed by an agency accustomed to creating TV commercials or print ads.

It’s not about what you want to say, it’s about what they want to know.

As a restaurant owner, I’m sure you want to tell me about all the great things you have to offer, from drinks, appetizers, to decor. But often that’s not what I need to know. When I’m going to a restaurant, I want to know things like:

Where are you? Give me a real street address for my GPS system. If it’s in a crowded city location, give me some landmarks nearby so I can find the entrance. And as Jon Silk said, a Google maps link, not some cutesy schematic map.

Parking. This is huge one for me. If you have on-site parking, SAY SO! If you don’t, tell me where I can park without getting ticketed or towed. Tell me where the most affordable, accessible lot is nearby. Give me pictures of them, so I can find them easily. Don’t make me first double park outside, run inside, ask you where, and then have to go out again.

Dietary options. Are you vegetarian or vegan friendly? Or conversely, for veggie-oriented places, do you accommodate carnivores? How about gluten or lactose sensitivities? Do you use MSG? The list goes on. Know your customer base and let them know what to expect.

Busy/Slack time. Of course restaurants want their places packed all the time. Some actually enjoy that status, but most places have slack time. Personally, I prefer going at quieter times, when I can have a little privacy, talk and perhaps get better service. Rather than people be frustrated having wait an hour for a table, let them know when it’s quieter. You might even out your traffic and get more business overall.

Seating options. Does your restaurant have features like a child-friendly or adults-only section? (I’d LOVE an adults-only section, by the way). Handicapped access should go without saying, but provide details, if necessary. Older buildings sometimes have to use alternate entrances or elevators.

The more real-time, the better…

Nothing’s worse than an out-of-date site with stale information. I’ve actually seen sites lately with the wrong address after they’ve relocated, or bios of the former owners still up.

The ultimate is real-time information. I want to jump on a chat or be able to send a Tweet to a restaurant and ask them a question if their site doesn’t already provide it. I think a lot of people are like me and have grown to detest using a telephone to get customer service. I don’t like being tethered to a handset while  being on hold, or getting a sales pitch (live or recorded) or having to deal with some officious hostess who acts like she’s doing you a favor to talk to you.

How about an accurate wait-time, or even perhaps web-cams, so I can see what’s going on? Give people a Twitter hash tag to use so they can tweet while they’re there. If you love your customers and treat them right, they’ll do right by you, too. And it will give you a real-time sense of what kind of experience people are having, while they’re there, so you can do something about it!

FAQs that aren’t faux

Every restaurant manager knows the questions people ask and what they want to know. Just answer those questions. Ok, you may want to shy away from the last three health department citations you got, but if that’s the kind of place you’re running, this advice won’t help you much.

So, don’t look at your website as just another advertising or promotion medium. Use it to really help your customers and they’ll love you for it!