Best free Twitter applications – part 1

Twitter is a fantastic social networking tool that allows tweeps to connect in 140 characters. However, a lot of people miss the point of the platform, because they do not understand its great benefits. One of them is the possibility to use applications to make the experience more interactive.

In this series of articles, I will share the best Twitter applications I have come across in all my years as a fervent user of Twitter. They are all free!

1) TwitLonger

If you like to write Facebook-like updates, Twitlonger is the perfect application for you. ”Twitlonger is a way to let you post to Twitter when 140 characters just isn’t enough.

With Twitlonger, you can write what you need and a link to what you said will automatically be posted to your Twitter account. It’s like twitpic for text.”

Start using Twitlonger by clicking here.

2) JustUnfollow

JustUnfollow is a great application that lets you see who follows and who does not follow you. It is very simple to use. Sign in with your Twitter account, click on “Show Non-Followers” or “Show Fans,” and you should be set.

Start using JustUnfollow by clicking here.

3) Tweepi

Tweepi ensures that you get rid of spammers and deadbeat users and find quality tweeps among your followers. Give it a try, it is very nice. Click here to start using it.

4) Twit Cleaner

“Analyses your friends list, identifies spammers, the absent, the non-interacting, the boring & the bots. Easily trim your following of them & radically improve the quality of your Twitter experience.”

I really like Twit Cleaner, because the application tells you exactly what you need to know about your followers.

Start using Twit Cleaner by clicking here.

5) TrueTwit

“TrueTwit helps you filter spammers from authentic humans. New followers get a DM with a link to a CAPTCHA page. When they enter the correct information, you are notified of their validation!” The application offers an added layer of security.

To start using TrueTwit, click here.

6) Caltweet

I use Caltweet to promote all my events on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and beyond.  The two things I like the most about the application are the following:

–Invitations are sent to my general stream and reach people directly through DMs.

–Invitations are Re-tweeted automatically several times a day on Twitter until events are over.

Start using Caltweet by clicking here.

7) POLLpigeon

This application allows you to create and take polls to find out what other people think. Follow the instructions and your poll will be available on Twitter within minutes.

To start using POLLpigeon, click here.

8) TwitWall

“TwitWall is an instant blogging companion for Twitter. TwitWall enables Twitter users to post full length blog entries with long text, videos, embedded widgets, audio, and images into their own walls.”

To start using TwitWall, click here.

9) Twitpic

“TwitPic lets you share photos on Twitter in real-time.

You can post photos to TwitPic from your phone, from the site, or through email. All popular Twitter clients have built-in support for TwitPic using our API.”

To start using Twitpic, click here.

10) TweetDeck

TweetDeck is a desktop application for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Buzz, Foursquare, and MySpace. Just download and install it on your computer. Then, let the magic happen! View and update all your account from there.

To start using TweetDeck, click here.