At London Scottie Club we are chuffed at just how popular our WhatsApp messenger groups have become, and we want to help Members get the most out of these.

Since 2017, we have launched three WhatsApp channels to cater for different needs. Two of them allow all Members (UK-based) to post comments, namely Convo and Smart Mart.

Members have embraced WhatsApp wholeheartedly, but sometimes we have up to 5 mini conversations going on in the Convo. They could include comment on a photo a Member posted, someone asking for advice with a poorly Scottie, someone else asking if anyone saw a Scottie in a television commercial, and someone getting comments on a video they posted.

Sometimes posts get no response while others get many. This is partly to do with the swap of messages freely flowing daily as well as how visible a post is.

So with more Members not only signing up for Convo but also taking part in Britain’s biggest Scottie conversation, it is no surprise that it can become a bit overwhelming. Here is a response we received this week:

I’m not always able to scroll through all the messages. I’ve responded to some but then forget and find myself trying to catch up and can’t remember if or who said what.SC

We do not want to spoil the party, and we encourage the banter which is usually good-natured on Convo.

But comments such as those from SC explain why we were thinking for a while about producing some guidance on best practices using WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is constantly evolving as an app, but here are some useful tips for getting the best out of it.

  • Respect that there may be more than one thread of conversation going on, and some may be overspill from the previous day. Always post only during the UK hours of 0700 to 2300.
  • If you simply want to share an emotion on a post without writing words, using your smartphone simply long press on the post or photo/video you want to react to and a little menu of emoticons will appear, like: LSC thumbs up / Heart / Laughter / Gasp of surprise / tears and sorrow, prayers and a Plus sign that accesses an array of other emojis for you to use. Tap on the one you want, and a small version will appear tucked underneath the post you wanted to comment on. If others want to express emotion too, these will appear alongside your reaction. If more than one choose the heart it will enumerate how many of the same reactions the post received.

 

 

 

 

 

  • If you want to directly reply to a post with some text, long press on the post you wish to respond to, and then at the top of your screen select the bendy arrow pointing left which is to the right of the dustbin icon and this will allow you to type. Then post your response and it will come encased with the original post as the latest post on the Convo. Do not use the forward button (bendy arrow pointing to the right) as that forwards the post/photo/video and if you choose to post to Convo it will look like you are posting this yourself when it is someone else’s!
  • We would encourage such threading each time you respond, to limit the length of the scroll each day, and to ensure that it is easy to see responses. Posting a fresh post at the bottom of the page can confuse everyone. For example just posting “That was cute” could relate to any number of posts above!
  • If you start responding in error you will see a little X in the top right corner of your post. Just tap that  instead of the post button and it will erase the post.
  • Occasionally, you may post something that you did not intend to. And while Members are a polite bunch, this can cause you or others offence or embarrassment. In that case long press your post and then choose the dustbin top of the page to delete. You will be offered several options for deletion. Please only delete content that was yours and no one else’s. We are not the Soviet Union!

 

  • Finally, if posting a series of photos and/or videos, don’t post them one by one. This only fills up the screen and makes scrolling long and counter-productive for everyone. If you want, you can post up to 30 images or videos in one go. And you can select from your phone gallery which to share. At the bottom of the page where you compose your post, there is a paperclip icon. Click on that and select through to your phone’s gallery. Select the image or images you want by long pressing one of the images you want to post. It will dim and a white tick appear in the middle. This image is now selected. Then select another image nearby by short pressing, and up to 28 more images. then press ok, and finally press the post button bottom right corner as normal. All the images will start to get pushed into the Convo and they will be summarised so that Members can delve into the mini gallery you created. It means less scrolling and bother.

If you only want to message the person who posted something, rather than the group, just short press their name at the top of their post and you will see the option to message that person.

There are loads more ways to use WhatsApp (and ways not to!) but for now we think this is an overview of what you can do to make Convo a fun experience for all. Please note this guidance is dated August 2022 and could be subject to new practices from WhatsApp at any time. Thanks for your attention!

 

 

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