IFTTT is a web service that enables you to plug together difference applications to do useful stuff. So-called recipes connect a trigger, such as the mention of your name or a hashtag on Twitter, with an action, such as recording the tweet in a Google document.

To use the service you need to create an account and connect channels such as your Google Document and Twitter accounts.

In this post I’ve summarised a series of simple but really effective IFFFT recipes to enable you to listen and understand your audiences or publics on Twitter. Consider this a budget Twitter monitoring solution.

Add a #hashtag mention to a Google Sheet

This reciped adds a new row to a Google Sheet with the data from tweet with a specific hashtag. It's useful for recording conversation around a hashtag or Twitter chat. You need to edit details of the hashtag and the Google Sheet.

Twitter list of #hashtag mentions

This recipe also listens for #hashtag mentions but instead of recording them in a Google Sheet it builds a Twitter list. This is a useful way of creating a dynamic list of people using a hashtag at a conference or launch event. You need to edit details of the Twitter account and the name of the list.

Twitter allows you to create up to 1,000 lists of up to 5,000 accounts each so you've plenty of scope.

Add a @mention to a Google Sheet

This recipe adds a new row to a Google Sheet with the data from tweet with a @mention. It's useful for recording mentions of a specific Twitter account. You need to edit details of the Twitter account and the Google Sheet.

Twitter list of @mentions

This recipe also listens for @mentions but instead of recording them in a Google Sheet it builds a Twitter list. This is a useful way of creating a dynamic list of people that @mention a specific account. You need to edit details of the Twitter account and the name of the list.

Twitter list of people whose Tweets you've favourited

This final recipe creates a Twitter list of people that you've marked as favourites on Twitter. Its useful for building a Twitter list while you're browsing Twitter. You need edit your username and the name of your Twitter list.

If you've a favourite IFTTT recipe for public relations or marketing please share it in the comments below.

Finally a word of caution. IFTTT is a free service for now. Free services are never as sophisticated or robust as commercial tools and there is no guarantee of the quality of the output or continuity of service. No organisation provides tools for free without the expectation of a return.