VioletteNov 19, 2022
Peter Binkley

Mastodon habits I'm trying to lock in, rather than revert to my Twitter habits:

1) use CWs liberally
2) when threading, set first post to "public" and the rest to "not listed"
3) don't forget the description text when posting images (had to work on that in Twitter too)
4) throw in hashtags like it was Tumblr or Instagram when you want to reach beyond your followers
5) pin and visit hashtags to find more people
6) boost a lot

Nov 5, 2022 at 5:49pmWeb
Show thread✨ Abby ✨Nov 5, 2022
@pbinkley Tell me more about #2.
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 5, 2022
@proactivebusybody I haven't actually done it myself yet, but the idea is explained in various guides I've seen, e.g. https://blog.djnavarro.net/posts/2022-11-03_what-i-know-about-mastodon/#how-can-i-make-threads - it avoids having your thread tweets take up space in feeds, while still having the existence of the thread signalled by the first tweet (which should be descriptive, I guess). Some people are setting their default permission to unlocked, and only setting it to public on posts that need it
Notes from a data witch - Everything I know about Mastodon

A hastily written guide for data science folks trying to navigate the fediverse.

Show thread✨ Abby ✨Nov 5, 2022
@pbinkley Thanks!
Show threadCheri Lucas RowlandsNov 10, 2022
@pbinkley #2 is helpful! looks like i can't go back and do this to already published threads, but i now know for the future. thanks!
Show threadSimon WillisonNov 5, 2022
@pbinkley out of interest what's the reason for the not-listed threads - is that to avoid clogging up the timelines of everyone who follows you with all of the tweets in that thread?
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 5, 2022
@simon that's right - I suppose it means you need to right that first post like an opening paragraph, so people can tell whether they want to look at the rest of the thread - don't bury the lede!
Show threadYlfingr, 黒い狼Nov 6, 2022

@pbinkley @simon Unlisted actually still ends up in your followers' home TLs (which makes it great for when you don't want to actively hide something but don't want randos finding it either).

This does still avoid clogging up the local TL, though.

Show threadYlfingr, 黒い狼Nov 6, 2022
@pbinkley @simon If you wanna hide the rest of the thread, CWs are probably your best bet.
Show threadMany Colors, Maybe MovedNov 6, 2022
@simon @pbinkley unlisted posts still appear in your followers' home tab! they won't go to local or federated tabs though. some creatures use CWs on long threads so they're easy to scroll past if you follow the author.
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@moonbolt @simon thanks! still getting a grip on all the nuances
Show thread]colemankane[Nov 6, 2022
@moonbolt @simon @pbinkley Thank you, that's a great approach to the feature!
Show threadRomeo ValentinNov 5, 2022

@simon
@pbinkley Yeah pretty much. Same for someone browsing your profile directly.

It's also not just "clogging up" it's also displayed in reverse order if people scroll top to bottom.

Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 5, 2022
@romeo @simon good points! Together with cw's it gives you a layered presentation when you scroll your feed - I'm finding I'm grateful for that given the longer posts here
Show threadMike MacFerrinNov 13, 2022

@pbinkley @simon @romeo To be clear (help me out, I’m new here and this is a genuine question), when you post replies as “not listed”, can others (even from other servers) still see those replies if/when they open the first post?

If not, I’m genuinely unsure why you’d want to “hide” the rest of a thread from everyone. But I get the feeling that’s not what you’re saying.

Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 13, 2022
@icesheetmike @simon @romeo yes, others can click to open the thread and see all our posts (and members of your instance will see all your posts right away). It ends up acting like a CW: the initial post tells readers that it's a thread and what it's about, and they can decide wether they want to open it.
Show threadMike MacFerrinNov 13, 2022
@pbinkley Awesome. 👍 This is really useful info. Thank you!
Show threadDavid PattemoreNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley Question from a total newbie; I entered alt text for my images, but I can see anywhere to view alt text on published toots (on mine or others’). Is it a setting that’s missing on the iOS app?
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@DPattemore I'm afraid I don't know the iOS app - on Tusky on Android you see the alt text at the bottom of the screen when you tap the picture to enlarge it, and on the web interface on my laptop I see it when I hover over the pic - it must be there somewhere in your app, or if not, maybe try a different app?
Show threadElizabethNov 6, 2022
@DPattemore @pbinkley depends on which app. I see it in Toot! and in Metatext
Show threadŚéáńNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley Thank you for the unlisted threading tip, that's always been a point of unease when making long threads on twitter, the idea of annoying others by spamming their feed. This is a great solution to that.
Show threadPatrick LaForgeNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley Why #2?
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@palafo here's what I know about that: https://triangletoot.party/@proactivebusybody/109292818908659608
✨ Abby ✨ (@[email protected])

@[email protected] Tell me more about #2.

Triangle Toot Party!
Show threadTony YatesNov 6, 2022
@palafo @pbinkley why ‘boost a lot’?
Show threadColin the MathmoNov 6, 2022

@t0nyyates Broadly, because that's how connections are made.

On The Big Blue Bird Site, tweets are shouted into the huge screaming cacophony, but here, toots go to your instance, your followers, and anyone they are boosted to.

If you like something, boost it, then people can judge the sort of thing you like and follow you, and thus connections are made.

@palafo @pbinkley

Show threadVivekaNov 6, 2022
@t0nyyates @palafo @pbinkley Unlike the other place, there’s no algorithm pushing things here. Likes and replies will not make things go further. Only boosts will do that.
Show threadEamonn KerinsNov 6, 2022
@palafo @pbinkley so that people on your server who may not be interested in a particular thread can scroll by easily in their local timeline.
Show threadGrant 🇺🇦ArmUkraine🇺🇦Nov 6, 2022
@pbinkley Bookmarking as a reminder to me. Thank you
Show threadMr. Funk E. Dude 🍑💨Nov 6, 2022
@pbinkley been here since 2019 and I just learned about #2. Cool.
Show threadpamdorraNov 6, 2022

@pbinkley for number 3, there’s a bot that will remind you if you forget.

https://botsin.space/@PleaseCaption

Please Caption Bot (@[email protected])

6 Posts, 8.59K Following, 12K Followers · A bot that reminds you to caption your toots' images and videos

botsin.space
Show threadexcited for the mastodon riseNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley boosting (retweeting) generally lost me follows, cause I did it too often. May be different when you already have a lot I guess?
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@qkslvrwolf I guess getting to know your little community is always a thing. The advice I'm reading, though, is that boosting and hashtags are the way to make stuff visible, given the lack of algorithmic push and text search
Show threadSteve SawczynNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley Still wrapping my mind around 2, I'm sure I'm missing something incredibly obvious, but if subsequent toots in a thread are unlisted, how can others read them if they want to?
Show threadDanny (he/they)Nov 6, 2022
@SteveSawczyn @pbinkley yes if the user chooses to click that first public toot the subsequent unlisted toots will be visible as replies under it
Show thread🌶akeNov 6, 2022
@SteveSawczyn @pbinkley it must be through the starting post, I guess
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@fury @SteveSawczyn yes, the first post is the teaser/abstract for the thread, that lets people decide whether to click and read the whole thing. I'm finding that this, along with CWs, makes scrolling a feed easier, given how long the posts are compared to twitter. but it is a different way of thinking about your posts
Show threadSteve SawczynNov 7, 2022
@pbinkley @fury It really is, but the more I see it in practice, the more I like the idea.
Show threadAmanda Schrepf 🌍Nov 6, 2022
@pbinkley Oh, I didn't know about point 2 🤔. I'll improve my toots!
Show threadAgnesNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley thanks!
2) makes a lot of sense! Realising I should have done that for the thread I sent out recently...
Show threadDanny (he/they)Nov 6, 2022
@mxkoder @pbinkley it's ok I feel like folks are getting this compressed experience of my first months (year?) of using the fediverse. Everyone makes mistakes but as long as we all learn to play nice together eventually the future is looking bright. Plus I bet there are interesting ways of interacting not explored yet (both good and bad) that the new expanded userbase will bring!
Show threadAgnesNov 6, 2022

@danwchan @pbinkley

Yes, I think there's a lot of steep-learning-curve onboarding going on!

I tried to write this to help (it's the thread I mentioned where I might have set the visibility wrong) - https://hachyderm.io/@mxkoder/109293223113462388

If there's anything that looks off in it please comment 😊

Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@mxkoder @danwchan nice - thanks for sharing that! I don't often find myself on a learning curve in company of such a large cohort all more or less in sync - it's exhilarating
Show threadAgnesNov 6, 2022

@pbinkley
You're welcome! 😊

Learning together is fun, but I'm also looking forward to what my feed(s) will be like on here when the majority stop being about switching to here!
@danwchan

Show threadAuntie DenierNov 6, 2022
@mxkoder @danwchan @pbinkley hi Agnes! Helpful tips! A bit mystified by this bit tho: “One thing to point out is there are max 4 key value pairs available to use (Edit profile > Profile metadata). These are customisable & can use them for links / pronouns / favourite ice cream flavour / anything really!” Can you share a screenshot maybe? I think it’s that list under About when I edit my profile but when I make one it just disappears. (Do I have one?)
Show threadAgnesNov 6, 2022

@cordeliane @danwchan @pbinkley

Here's a screenshot of how it looks on my profile & the section of the 'edit profile' menu to look at (need to keep scrolling down ).
It might look slightly different depending on which client you're using.

I can't see it on your profile..

Show threadAuntie DenierNov 7, 2022
@mxkoder @danwchan @pbinkley really helps, thanks! I’ll try the PC client since not sure my iPhone client is handling this well.
Show threadAuntie DenierNov 6, 2022
@danwchan @mxkoder @pbinkley Danny, I am glad that you (and other Fedivets) are excited to have us newbies here. It’s gotta be startling/strange to have this huge influx of newbies if you’d been here awhile. #TwitterMigration
Show threadcarthikNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley @PleaseCaption might help with 3. :)
Show threadPeter BinkleyNov 6, 2022
@carthik @PleaseCaption thanks! I didn't know about that!
Show threadMuirinnMacNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley newbie here, how/what is Boosting?
Show thread🌶akeNov 6, 2022
@muirinnmac @pbinkley like retweet; more important here
Show thread𝗣𝗠𝗝 ⚫Nov 6, 2022

@pbinkley

never thought about 2) but it makes total sense to prevent flooding of the federated stream

Show threadSimon GrayNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley This is perhaps a dumb question, but what's a CW?
Show threadDaniel Mclaughlan (He/Him)Nov 6, 2022

@simongray Content Warning😊

https://gist.github.com/joyeusenoelle/74f6e6c0f349651349a0df9ae4582969#what-does-cw-mean

An increasingly less-brief introduction to Mastodon

An increasingly less-brief introduction to Mastodon - Mastodon.md

Gist
Show threadSimon GrayNov 6, 2022
@straydogstrut thank you!
Show threadDer stille FuchsNov 6, 2022
@pbinkley
Thank you! A really good summary for us newbies 👍
Show threadrobtherunt 🌱Nov 6, 2022
@pbinkley CWs? Sorry, I’m new
Show threadDaniel Mclaughlan (He/Him)Nov 6, 2022

@robtherunt Content Warnings😊

https://gist.github.com/joyeusenoelle/74f6e6c0f349651349a0df9ae4582969#what-does-cw-mean

An increasingly less-brief introduction to Mastodon

An increasingly less-brief introduction to Mastodon - Mastodon.md

Gist