Media Explorer
WordPress is trying to compete with Storify by offering users a new way to embed YouTube videos and Tweets. The newest WP plugin called ‘Media Explorer' will add some spice to your WP blog while also providing a pretty clever way to quickly insert videos and share tweets of interest. Here's how it all comes together.
Using Media Explorer
Directly from the post editor page, you can click on the ‘Add Media' option. From there, you can simply choose ‘Insert Tweet' or ‘Insert YouTube.' You can also search through tweets using hashtags, keywords, user names, replies, mentions, and a ton of other search options. The same can be done when searching for a YouTube video.
The Media Explorer feature drastically differs from previous ways of inserting YouTube videos and tweets into a WordPress blog. Prior to Media Explorer, WP users had to insert tweets and video links manually, now it can all be done with the tap of a button – simple and effective. No HTML, no short code, no buttons or other gadgets to mess around with – just click on that ‘Insert' button, and insert tweets and videos to your heart's content – but, act with caution.
When to Insert Tweets and Videos
Obviously, if you have created a YouTube video or sent out a tweet that you want your blog readers to see, you can insert videos and tweets to your heart's content. Otherwise, the same social media rules apply here. You have to gain permission from YouTube creators to re-post a video, and you'll want to carefully select which tweets to re-post.
Adding videos and Twitter posts to your site is a great way to make your blog stand out, but do be sure that what you are posting is worth it. WordPress has rolled out the new Media Explorer feature to WordPress.com users and to WordPress.com VIP users for now. The feature will arrive on self-hosted WordPress sites through JetPack in the very near future.
No Twitter or YouTube Account? Find Your Balance!
Really, find that right balance between content, videos, and Twitter posts. You don't want your blog to be full of videos or Twitter posts, but you might want to add in some of these things – especially if you send out a Twitter comment that gets a lot of responses. There are a lot of ways to use the new Media Explorer feature, just make sure that you use it wisely!
If you're having trouble with this new feature, feel free to ask for some tips or advice. If you've been dying to enter Tweets and YouTube videos into your WordPress blog, there's no time like the present! Need help? Let us know!
