FINDING PEOPLE AND CONTENT

A lot of people have joined Mastodon, only to then look at their home timeline and see it bare. As there is no algorithm here to fill it with content for you, it is key to learn how to find people to follow from across the Fediverse and how to follow hashtags to help you find the content you are interested in.

The search capability in Mastodon is a bit different to other platforms and so it is important to learn how the #search features work.

Here is a short video on how to best use search to find what you want and I also cover why you may sometimes not initially find what you are expecting.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/9cIbSPPszIE

#MastodonTips #FediTips #Search #MastodonHelp

FINDING YOUR OLD NETWORK

A lot of us already have a large #Twitter #Network and would love to be able to easily search #Mastodon for them to fill out our network here. The #Fedifinder site helps make this a reality and it recently got some updates to make it easier and faster to use.

With the recent changes that have been implemented by Twitter, I can't vouch for how much longer this will work, but it should at least help you get started.

This video walks through the steps to #Migrate your network across in minutes.

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https://youtu.be/37S246Wr_JE

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COMPOSING A POST

Composing a post is one of the first things you will do upon joining Mastodon and I highly suggest creating you introduction post for others to learn a bit about you.

There are many options available to you when composing a post such as using Alt Text for accessibility and Content Warnings where appropriate. You also have options surrounding post language settings and filters to tidy up your timelines.

I have done my best here to cover all of these and more in a short video to make it as easy to follow along with as I could.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/Pg0rtrUOoJY

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#BOOST, #LIKE or #BOOKMARK?

Mastodon is extremely different from other platforms in that there is no algorithm or analytics here to dictate what you and others see. As a result, I see people asking things like "When should I boost?", "When should I favourite?" and "How do I save a post?".

Getting the most likes on a post doesn't really mean anything here and so you can freely favourite peoples posts. This is kind of like saying that you have seen the post and you acknowledge it. Basically the same a s "thumbs up" reaction.

If you feel that the content should be shared around and seen by more people, the boost is the way to go. This will then proceed to share the post with your followers as well. This knock on effect can help amplify the message in a big way as your followers can then potentially see and boost a post that they otherwise would not have known about.

Saving a post on other platforms was usually done via liking it etc, but on Mastodon, there is a specific option to bookmark a post. This allows you to easily find it later by visiting its dedicated space in your menu.

Here is a short video guide showing all of these in action and a bit more explanation on them too.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/yBs_Mi5_DVs

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#TWEETDECK for MASTODON?

For those of use that made the move over to Mastodon from Twitter, you may be used to using one of the many tools like Tweetdeck or Tweeten to truly enhance your experience. If you were one of these people like me, then you will be super happy to learn that Mastodon has a similar feature built in natively called the Advanced Web Interface.

Here is a short video guide on how to turn this awesome feature on as well as how to leverage a few of the features that it allows for such as multi colums and granular control of each column.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/I4l9FjzGywc

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Do you love Keyboard Shortcuts as much as I do? Do you possibly have a temporary or permanent impairment that makes using a mouse difficult?

Mastodons web interface has a large selection of keyboard shortcuts that you can use to easily navigate around the interface, make posts and more. This short video guide shows you how to find these shortcuts and will also show you a few of them in action.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/fAXn5nxcYRk

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp #YouTube #KeyboardShortcuts

PERSONAL NOTES

A little known feature of #Mastodon is the ability to create your own personal notes about an account.
This is a great way to potentially remind yourself why you follow particular accounts (or just about any other reason you can think of). I have seen some people that even use these notes to keep track of a "three strikes, you're out" rule that they use before blocking someone.

Also, these notes are private. The account does not know what you have written down, nor the fact that you have even made these notes.

Please note that technically your instance admin could theoretically look at these if they were so inclined, but the same could be said about anything on Mastodon for that matter.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/npoBM9Ev2CQ

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp #YouTube #Boost

#MUTE AND #BLOCK

With all the new members that have been joining #Mastodon over the last few months, the chances of you running into accounts that you feel the need to mute or block will undoubtedly increase.
That is completely fine as your experience on this platform is dictated by you and you alone.

Mastodon has a pretty robust set of features surrounding muting and blocking accounts that you can easily leverage to cater your timelines to your preferences. THere are even options to temporarily mute people for set time periods if you just want a break from someone for a few hours or days.

This short video guide covers how you use these tools effectively to make your timeline just the way you want it.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/X3L4FxyTZYc

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp

FILTERING CONTENT

Seeing a little too much #Caturday in your feed? Want to hide #spoilers for a TV Show until you see the episode?
#Filters are easy to set up and customise on #Mastodon. They are also extremely customisable with options around where to filter content from and for how long.

This short video walks through how to use them step by step to make it as easy as possible for you to manage your feeds.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/2yt5JvFoGrw

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp

USING #LISTS

Lists are a feature that many are used to using from other platforms, but they likely work a bit different over here on Mastodon compared to what you were used to.
They are a great way for you to create some of your own personally curated timelines should you wish to.
They are also personal for you and you alone.

Check out this super short video guide that works through how to set them up for yourself.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/YpEQmc9W3zc

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp

DIRECT MESSSAGES

Direct Messages on Mastodon are probably one of the most confusing things for new users as they don't really work in the same way as on other platforms. They are a great way to continue a conversation between people, but please be aware that they are not encrypted etc and so should not be used for confidential information etc.

I have done my best in this video guide to explain what they are in just a few minutes. I cover how they work as well as the ways you can initiate and continue them.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/XWiaQAmHvys

#MastodonTips #FediTips #DirectMessages #MastodonHelp

MOVE YOUR DATA TO ANOTHER #INSTANCE

For one reason or another, you may find yourself wishing to move to another instance of #Mastodon, and that is completely fine (I have done it a couple of times myself in fact).

The question that invariably arises though is how do I move my data such as the people I #Follow, #Mute or #Block? Well luckily, that process is quite simple and can be done in a matter of minutes. Once done, you can then migrate your account across and that will bring your followers along for the ride with you.

This short video guide walks through the process of moving your data step by step to make it as easy as possible for you.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/bjzetO-zl3Q

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#MIGRATE TO ANOTHER #INSTANCE

For those that joined #Mastodon and grabbed the first server they could find but would prefer to #migrate to a different one, the process to do so can seem complicated at first. Luckily, I am here to tell you that it is pretty simple and can be done in just a matter of moments.

It also allows you to easily move any followers across to your new profile and leaves a redirection on your old profile for those that find it.

Here is a step by step guide to help walk you through this process to get you migrated in mere minutes.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/BpI-SplOXVE

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp #YouTube

SCHEDULED POSTS

EDIT: THERE IS NOW A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS, CHECK IT OUT HERE: https://c.im/@paulomalley/109787786840938314

Need to set up #Scheduled posts for a business account or just want to post something later?

#Mastodon doesn’t support this natively, but you can use a website and a #Development App to create a scheduler for yourself.

My short video shows how to do this in a step-by-step way to make it easy for you to follow along on your own device. And the best pat is that it takes mere minutes to set up and use.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/4nMDN9PSvSA

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp

FEATURED HASHTAGS

Is there a handful of #Hashtags that you like to post about? Do you want people to be able to easily see your posts about these when they look at your profile?
Then #FeaturedHashtags are the thing to use instead of just posting them in your #bio.

This allows people visiting your profile to filter your posts for some of your most commonly used tags. Great for getting to know you better before following you.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/TQA0o_qntQk

#MastodonTips #FediTips #MastodonHelp #YouTube

FIND TAGGED POSTS ON A PROFILE

Just loaded up someone's #profile (or your own) and only want to see their posts that contain a particular #hashtag? Turns out that its not one of their featured hashtags?

There is no UI to be able to do this, but it is possible with a small modification to the URL you visit.

In the URL, add a slash, the word 'tagged', another slash, and then the hashtag you wish to see.
e.g. /tagged/hashtag

In this short video I show how this works and highlight a couple of examples of it in action.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/hv7B7m4gd5I

#MastodonTips #FediTips #YouTube

GRAZE FOR MASTODON

Tried following someone on their profile only to be asked to sign in? Confusing, yeah?

The Graze for Mastodon extension by @jaredzimmerman helps negate this and allows you to interact with users, even on their own instances.

I've made a short video on how to install, setup and use this great tool.

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/7rEk_iOKPNo

#MastodonTips #FediTips #YouTube

PIXELFED IN MASTODON?

Given the open nature of the #ActivityPub protocol, it is possible to pull in the Instagram alternative, #Pixelfed, into your Mastodon Home Timeline.
This is great for those looking for an alternative to Instagram, but not wanting to use yet another app.

Here is another short video on how this works and how you can use it yourself!

Please #boost to help spread the knowledge and if you like the content I make, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

https://youtu.be/iPq-NqtTEqU

#MastodonTips #FediTips #YouTube