Update Facebook via Text Message using Twitter
October 14th, 2008 | by Rob |If you are on Facebook and you tend to update your status line and you like to text message people, there is no reason you shouldn’t also be on Twitter. Let me explain why and how.
I’ve talked before about how I feel the new Facebook design is better for communication (not necessarily layout of extra stuff). The main reason is because there is a better flow of communication and interaction on the site.
Notice in these two images the same status message is on both Facebook (first one) and Twitter (the second one)
Why?
One of the limitations of Facebook is the only way to publish and consume its content is to be inside Facebook itself. At this point you can not update your status line via text messaging (SMS). But you can update Twitter via SMS. And you can link Twitter to Facebook status. Therefore, once set up, you can update Facebook via text messages.
The biggest motivation to do this would be so that you can let your Facebook friends know where you are, what you’re up to, or what you’re thinking about from anywhere. The bonus is that by using Twitter, you can also have a new community of people to interact with.
How?
It’s actually easier to set up than one might think. First you need a free Twitter account from twitter.com. We can talk about building that community later, but for now, just create the account and fill out the simple account information (please!).
Next head over to your Facebook page and install the Twitter application. When you install it into your Facebook profile it will ask for a few settings to link it with Twitter. There is an option to have Twitter updates automatically update Facebook status. Let it do it and you’re set.
Now what?
So now you have Twitter plugged into Facebook. If you post an update on Twitter.com it’ll copy it to Facebook. Now go back to Twitter and link your mobile phone to twitter. Once it’s hooked up, simply send a text message to 40404 and that message will double-post to Twitter and Facebook!
Now that everything is plugged into each other, I hardly ever enter a status line inside Facebook. I just publish it to Twitter instead and let Twitter update Facebook. This way both communities will get the update – and Twitter offers many more ways to update.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter.
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13 Comments to “Update Facebook via Text Message using Twitter”
By JH on Oct 23, 2008 | Reply
A friend of mine was stumbling with this last night. Are there any security settings? Or just add the app?
J
By David on Mar 12, 2009 | Reply
Nice post – worked like a charm!
By AB on Mar 31, 2009 | Reply
Yesterday I added the Twitter app on Facebook and allowed Twitter to automatically update my Facebook status, but it my status has not yet been updated by Twitter. Any suggestions?
By Rob on Mar 31, 2009 | Reply
Apparently Twitter to Facebook is down right now. I’d expect it to return soon.
By AB on Apr 2, 2009 | Reply
It’s working now. Thank you!
By Heather on Apr 4, 2009 | Reply
If I do this, will Twitter send all the updates of the folks I follow TO my phone as well? I don’t have unlimited text yet. Should I have it first?
I would like to sent TO Twitter, but not receive FROM for now.
By Rob on Apr 5, 2009 | Reply
@Heather – All Twitter mobile phone texts you receive are set by you inside Twitter. To turn your mobile on or off to RECEIVE text, go to your device settings http://twitter.com/devices. Then for each person you want to get a text from when they post to Twitter, go to each person’s profile individually and make that choice.
However, this is all about SENDING text to Twitter. So you control how many times you’re using the service.
By Cody on Apr 17, 2009 | Reply
Does this work with all mobile phone services? I have a Nokia phone with T-Mobile service. I don’t have internet on my phone, but I can send text messages (SMS, whatever…). So can I do it or not?
By Rob on Apr 17, 2009 | Reply
@Cody – it’s SMS (text messaging) based, not mobile internet based. So if you can send a text message, you can update both twitter and facebook at the same time
By jc on Apr 21, 2009 | Reply
i cant get my phone to update my facebook or twiter why?
By Logan on May 13, 2009 | Reply
I’m trying to set up Twitter on my Samsung Rant phone. I have text messaging, so I’m assuming it should work; however, when I go to the device settings and put my phone number in, twitter responds by saying “Note: We currently don’t support sending SMS notifications to this number. You may still verify your phone and update Twitter, but we won’t deliver to your phone.” Any ideas?
By Psyop1 on Jun 5, 2009 | Reply
This only works if your profile on twitter is public; secured/locked twitter profiles will not integrate with Facebook using the twitter application, which means you’re opening yourself up to the world. Not a good thing, in my opinion.