seommunity.com (Spanish-language focused)
You can join any other Mastodon server and still participate in the SEO discussions.
I recommend choosing a server name that is short and memorable, something you can identify with. As mentioned, it becomes part of your online Mastodon identity.
Note: You do not need to select the most popular Mastodon server to discuss SEO. It does not matter which server you use to access and be active on the Mastodon network. Just choose a server with a name that you can easily type.
If you join an existing Mastodon server, be sure to read the community rules (this is important!).
When possible, donate to your server admin as they pay for all the traffic and services associated with your Mastodon handle and activity, often out of their own pocket.
Anything else I need to know about Mastodon?
Once you’ve joined Mastodon, there is a couple of quick facts to know. Here are a few:
There are no ads.
You can move from any server at any time, you are in control of your data.
You need to follow people to see content from your peers.
Using lists is recommended.
There are custom emojis, depending on each server’s settings.
The home feed is a firehose, where you easily go down the rabbit hole and can get lost.
Direct messages are not encrypted (unlike Twitter) and are not really private (due to the decentralized nature of the network). Use email instead, preferably with Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) for real privacy.
Posts are referred to as “toots.”
Mastodon is not the same as Twitter, nor is it meant to replace Twitter.
Due to the lack of commercial intent (e.g., promoting content for a fee and/or ads) and the implementation of community moderation rules to which users must adhere (to avoid being banned from their respective servers), the overall experience of many digital marketers on Mastodon has been:
“Refreshing.”
“[L]ike starting over without all the noise.”
“[T]alk[ing] about the real stuff again without being swamped with promotional content.”
I just joined, so how do I participate in SEO discussions?
Mastodon is a bit different from Twitter in terms of discussions. If you don’t hash it, most people will not see it.
It may pop up in the home feed of people following you, but so will many other “toots.” If you want to be visible and participate in discussions, hash everything you post on Mastodon!
Follow fellow SEOs
Next, get started with following SEO peeps who are on the platform. You can download the list of SEOs on Mastodon maintained by Jon Henshaw. Follow the instructions to import the list into your Mastodon account.
Customize the user interface
When you log into the server of your choice, by default you will have an interface similar to other microblogging platforms.
That said, you have an option in the account settings to display the advanced web interface . For marketers and power users, this is an ideal interface as it is loaded as a PWA in your browser and looks pretty similar to Tweetdeck.
In the advanced interface, you can create columns – including searches.
An interesting option is to combine multiple searches into one column.
First, search for one hashtag (e.g., #seo) and then pin this search.
Next, go to the settings of this pinned search (in the upper right corner) and select “Include additional tags for this column.”
Lastly, add any additional hashtags to the search “Any of these” (e.g., #google and #search).
Now the column includes posts for all three hashtags combined.
Finally, I have to reemphasize:
Checking and monitoring the #SEO hashtag is important to participate in SEO discussions on Mastodon.
So is tagging your own SEO-related posts.
A few more (fedi)tips
Becoming a Mastodon master
While getting used to the platform and posting messages, keep an eye out for posts with the #feditips hashtag.
These posts will assist you in getting better at using Mastodon to its full potential.
Management apps
Although there are a number of different (mobile) apps , there are not many advanced apps available for managing many accounts with scheduling and planning functionality built-in.
But as adoption grows, I suspect that a number of popular social media management tools will extend their services to include Mastodon.
If they haven’t yet and you want them to, ping them and ask them to do so. Often they just need a little push.
In the meantime, for the geeks among us, there is an API you can utilize and many libraries are available in different programming languages such as Python that you can use to programmatically plan and schedule your own posts.
Verifying identities
Unlike Twitter, you do not need to pay to verify. Actually, you self-verify.
To do so, you need to add your websites to your Mastodon account and add a rel="me"
link back to your profile from your (company’s) website, as a link:
<a href="your-profile-url" rel="me" >Mastodon</a>
Or as a link element in the HTML head:
<link href="your-profile-url" rel="me" />
This will turn the link in your profile green with a little tick, to confirm that you have verified your identity.
In addition, John Mueller wrote two great scribbles about:
Custom emojis
Depending on the server you join, you can use different custom emojis. These are loaded as shortcodes like:
When categorized, they are also available in the emoji selection menu.
Example of SEO / tech-related emojis on SEO.chat
Is that all?
No. There is so much more about Mastodon and this article just scratches the surface.
It reminds me very much of Twitter and microblogging in the early days.
So, should I join?
Why not?
As a digital marketer, embrace the opportunity to experiment with a new communication channel and learn about decentralized platforms.
Will it replace everything on Twitter? Probably not.
Does that mean it is a waste of time? Probably not, because some people (and their conversations) will be on Mastodon only and/or primarily.
Don’t miss out and join today.