By Alan Glazier, OD, FAAO
ROCKVILLE, Md.—Welcome to the world of social media keyboard shortcuts. I'm sure you frequently use keyboard shortcuts to navigate your various programs but I bet you didn't know there are keyboard shortcuts that can help you navigate social media sites, specifically
Facebook and
Twitter! The advantage to using keyboard shortcuts is obvious—it saves time and reduces errors in transcribing, editing and increases posting efficiency.
However, beware: These shortcuts are so efficient it may turn you into a social media maniac like me!
Stream "Scrolling"
"J" for down, "K" for up. By using these keys, you can browse Facebook and Twitter with your hands never touching a mouse. The arrow keys simply scroll, but using the "J" and "K" keys skip between posts. What's wrong with "mousing?" Nothing, but why stop to move your hand from the keyboard to the mouse between typing and navigating...? If you think about it, it's rather inconvenient!
Socializing
Want to post a comment? The "C" key would make sense, and works for Facebook. So what do you do to "reply" on Twitter? You got it...hit "R." You can use a shortcut to "reply" too. Whether you're leaving a comment on Facebook or sending a response on Twitter, the keyboard shortcut for replying is a single button. Facebook users can press "C" to leave a comment. Wanna "Like" a post on Facebook? Correct...use "L." Navigating Facebook has never been easier—J/K and K/J your way up and down the timeline hitting "L" when compelled to. You've never had so much use for fingers 2,3,4. Use "F" for favoriting a tweet and "T" for retweeting on Twitter.
Messaging
Use the "N" key to open up an empty Twitter message. There is no Facebook shortcut for this, so just use the J/K function to scroll to status update and when it's selected hit Enter. You'll find yourself in the posting box able to post.
Find More Shortcuts
There is a complete list of Facebook keyboard shortcuts here on
FaceMELoud. For Twitter, simply hit "?" while on Twitter.
Navigating in this way carries certain responsibilities. Remember, shortcuts make things faster and more efficient, but respect peoples' news feeds and "don't gunk with junk," as I like to say. Social media is for growing networks and making "friends," so post responsibly!
Alan Glazier, OD, FAAO is founder of
Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care, a large medical-model practice in the Rockville, Md. suburbs of Washington, D.C. and a regular contributor to CLICK.
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