Hi Cissy,

HootSuite doesn't have a way to post to Hoop.la.  You can post via email if you have that enabled, but HootSuite hasn't integrated with Hoop.la.  Enabling posting via email is done on a forum by forum basis, in the individual forum's settings.

The various social networks do need to be setup for the entire platform, in order to log in with them, or to enable the share buttons.  Once they are enabled in the master control panel they are site wide.

Hi Dave:
I appreciate the quick response! 

Do you know of any other programs/apps that DO support posting to Hoop.la for communities that want to post to our social network as part of their broader social media plans?

Any posts with pros/cons and things to know about integrating or not integrating FB/Twitter/Linked In (and are there other options as well)?

Cissy

I don't know of any programs that post to Hoop.la other than visiting with a browser, or posting via email (if it is enabled).

The pros for using the Social Network logins are that it lowers barrier of entry for some people. They don't need to remember another login, and another password if they choose not to.  Even if you don't enable the share buttons and just provide the login functions it can help. People are using to them now.  Login with google/twitter/facebook/linkedin is almost everywhere now.

The cons are that some of them can be really hard to set up.  Facebook is pretty easy. google is pretty hard.  The rest are in between, but they all take some time.

And if someone gets themselves locked out of their twitter/facebook/ etc account they get locked out of your site too.  People who have created an account with a social network can set a password in case they get locked out of the social site, but often forget to.

Last question Dave.

Could you point me to a How-to post via email from a group/community so I can link to that and share it with the hundreds of Community Managers we have in our Community Manager Community? THANK YOU!
Cissy

Dave:

O.k. That is super helpful. Any stats on if user engagement has gone up re: posts/comments/ etc. when the social media sign in options have been used vs. not? We have SO many members, so many views, but not as many folks who sign in and since that's required to comment, post, etc. we are putting some focus and energy on this issue. It's a barrier to engagement we're trying to work with.

Cissy

I don't have real numbers for engagement. Would love to see some if you get some.

Posting/replying by email is two part.  The first is a site wide setting, will you allow posting replies via email?  Here is the KB article for that.

https://community.hoop.la/s...d-replies-by-email-1

The second part is will you allow users to create new topics via email?   That's one on a forum by forum basis.  I don't have a how-to to point you to, so here are the instructions. feel free to copy/paste and lift the images too.

1. Go into your group's Settings.  You call them communities.  At the top right of the community page you'll see the following. Click Configure Group.



2. Click on UBBForum



3. Click on Forum Settings.



4. From the list of forum choose one that you want to enable posting new topics via email in and click the name.  Yes, you have to do it one by one.

5. Scroll to the bottom and click Allow Topic Submissions by Email.  You'll see the email address that you can use for each forum where I have the green line.  If you check the box labeled promote then the address will be visible to all users within the forum.  I'd turn it on. Otherwise how will they know that they can start a topic via email, and find the address?

I'd caution you on using the Vanity Email Address. It's a great feature but if you don't have the vanity email address set up properly on your mail servers then it can't work. It can be a lot of setup for mail forwarders given all the forums and communities that you have.

Thank you! Exactly what I needed to know.

You're welcome. Glad to help.