Are you using Twitter to find nearby tweets? It can be a powerful way to connect with your community online. Twitter doesn’t make it easy to find people nearby. I’ve got a few ways to find others:
Your Local Media and Public Service/Works
Go look for the newspapers, tv stations, radio stations, police departments, schools, chamber of commerce and other civic organizations that serve your local region. Look by towns, cities, counties, zip codes, and any other geographic organizations. Look through who is following them, and who the brand is following. See what lists that organization has been added to, and who else is on lists that they are on.
Twitter Nearby Tweets
Twitter has it’s own way to search for nearby tweets. The easiest way is to to see Twitter’s Advanced Search.
I find this tool to be a bit buggy, and is best used if you are not logged in to Twitter while using it. It seems to also work better based upon a zip code than a city and state name. By default, it searches a 15 mile radius. You can look in the address bar for “15” and modify it to fit your needs.
Hootsuite Nearby Tweets
To use HootSuite to help you see tweets in your area, you’ll need to first add the HootSuite Hootlet. You can use the free version of HootSuite or use my link for a free 30 day pro trial. It has a lot of great features:
Once you have that added, go to http://maps.google.com to find nearby tweets.
There are lots of other tools that aim to help you find nearby tweets. These are the easiest ways to find your local community and get started.