Recently, GFM has been lucky to counsel a few clients through their first Tweetchat. If you aren’t familiar, a Tweetchat (sometimes called a Twitter Chat or Twitter Party) is a way to focus conversation happening on Twitter for a defined period of time – usually an hour – using a specific hashtag. Typically the host (or hosts) will promote the Tweetchat and hashtag via their own social channels, newsletters and website a week or so prior to the event, inviting fans, friends and influencers to jump on Twitter to ask and answer questions, share their thoughts and resources, and just generally connect with others. If you haven’t attended (much less hosted!) a Tweetchat before, here are five easy tips to get started.
- If you haven’t already, sign up for Twitter.
- Identify a topic of interest and search for a related Tweetchat! A quick Google News search for Tweetchat returned upcoming options focused on personal finance, hosting BBQs, cancer, and parenting – how’s that for variety?
- No need to RSVP, but… many Tweetchats offer incentives for pre-registering, such as a chance to win a gift card, so don’t overlook the option.
- Decide how to listen. We recommend setting up a column in TweetDeck or Hootsuite to track the hashtag and follow the conversation during the Tweetchat, but you can use other services like Tweetchat.com to aggregate the conversation, too.
- Jump in! Tweetchat organizers want you to jump in with comments and questions – so simply listen closely and respond when it feels right by retweeting, replying or favorite-ing various tweets.
Once you’ve attended a Tweetchat or two, you’ll quickly find your comfort zone and determine what form of listening and engaging works best for you. Are you a Tweetchat veteran? If so, we’d love to hear your tips and tricks for the best Tweetchat experience!
