IFTTT is a free web service that connects over 50 online services through "recipes" that automatically trigger actions between different channels. Recipes define an "if this" trigger from one channel and "then that" response in another channel. This allows users to pull information together, share it across networks, manage information flows, extend their reach, backup and archive files, and create alerts. Examples of recipes include archiving library mentions on Google alerts to a spreadsheet, tweeting alerts about possible library closures based on weather forecasts, and sharing bookmarked links across social networks.

1. Using IFTTT To Connect
And Spread Your Message
Gary Green
Surrey County Council Library Service
gary.green@surreycc.gov.uk

2. What is IFTTT?
• A free web service (www.ifttt.com)
• IFTTT = If This Then That
• Connect over 50 online &
messaging services (channels)
together
• Automatically feed information/data
between channels

3. Why is it useful?
• Pull information together
• Share information across different
networks
• Manage information flows
• Extend your reach & spread your message
• Backup & archive information & files
• Create alerts
• Do it all in one place
• Use limited time & resources more
effectively

4. Which Services Connect?
• Social networks
• Bookmarking sites
• Image sharing sites
• Blogging services
• Video & audio sharing websites
• File storage services
• Document collaboration services
• RSS feeds
• Email & messaging services
• Date, time, weather, stock alerts

5. How does it work?
• Connect 2 channels (some require
authorisation)
• One acts as trigger (A)
- you specify the trigger
• One acts as response to the trigger (B)
- you specify the response
• Each trigger/response combination is
called a recipe

6. If
trigger “A” does This
Then
“B” responds by doing That

7. How does it work?
• Some channels can either be used as a
trigger or a response
• Some channels can only be used as a
trigger or a response
• Different channels use different criteria as
triggers/responses – you define the criteria
• Recipes are automatically & regularly
checked to see if they need to be run
• The same trigger can be used for different
recipes
• You can share your recipes with others

8. Different Triggers
Facebook triggers

9. Different Triggers
Google Reader triggers

10. Different Responses
Facebook responses

11. Different Responses
Google Reader response

12. Recipes

13. Recipe: Google Reader + Twitter
1) Description of recipe
2) Activity & options
3) Trigger: Look for any item
in Google Reader I
tagged with “ggtwitter”
4) Response: Create & post
tweet using data in fields
pulled through from
Google Reader

14. In Google Reader

15. Examples (Library Use)
• Archive mentions of your library service in a
spreadsheet (Google alerts RSS + Google Drive)
• Send you an alert if someone mentions your library
service (Google alerts RSS + email/SMS)
• Save any library event photos you post to Facebook to
Flickr (Facebook + Flickr)
• Tweet an alert about possible library closures if snow is
forecast (Weather + Twitter)
• Share any bookmarked links to social networks
(Delicious + Twitter/Facebook)

16. Examples (Personal Use)
• Share library news articles to a variety of social networks
(Google Reader + Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook)
• Create a work or C.P.D. Log (Google calendar/Your
blog RSS/LinkedIn + Google
Drive/Evernote/Dropbox)
• Archive blog posts and status updates from a conference
(Delicious/LinkedIn/RSS feed + Google Drive)
• Alert a colleague/yourself if a new file has been added to
a shared project folder (Dropbox + email)

17. If
This = “You want to collect, share
& backup information quickly &
efficiently via a range of services”
Then
That = “try using IFTTT”

18. Using IFTTT To Connect
And Spread Your Message
Gary Green
Surrey County Council Library Service
gary.green@surreycc.gov.uk

19. Image Credits
• Social media beakers – iconshock.com
• All other screenshots www.ifttt.com