Are you thinking of hosting a Twitter party or chat for your business or organization? Hosting a chat on Twitter can be a lively way to engage your followers and help spread the word about your business or organization. However, not all products and services are a good fit for a chat.

So what are some questions to ask before you dive into the Twitter party scene? Here are some ideas:

Where are your followers on social media? If you have very few Twitter followers, having a Twitter party might work as a way to gain more. However, if your customer base consists of a demographic that has little interest in tweeting (perhaps Baby Boomer males?), you might want to hold off on organizing a chat. Often, we advise companies that followings on a larger scale work best for Twitter parties (for example, a business people can find online or a nationwide chain). Occasionally, we have seen a Twitter party work well for a small, local business or brand. If you are a small company with a group of hardcore, loyal Twitter followers, having a Twitter party might go a long way in reaching out to this group, engaging them, and perhaps creating brand awareness amongst their followers and friends.

What is your business? Some Twitter chats that have been very successful include: chats during televised programs or events, parties sponsored by mom-favored brands or products, chats for a non-profit organization that included helpful information to increase awareness about an important subject or a chat that included a well-known celebrity participant. Controversial brands often do not fare well during live events. If you are a company that recently faced negative publicity, then having a Twitter event might backfire. For example, a well-known maker of cleaning products held a ‘Healthy Child’ Twitter party with the intent of teaching parents how to keep their homes cleaner and thus, their kids healthier. Many parents joined the chat and questioned the toxicity of their products and how they could be considered healthy for kids. If you think your product might create discord in your chat, it’s best to find another promotional venue.

What are your objectives? What do you hope to achieve in having a Twitter party? Do you want to interact with your followers or get them to tweet about you with the hope that their followers will become aware of your business and follow you too? Do you hope your hashtag will become a trending topic and bring a lot more attention to your brand or organization? Or is your goal simply to interact with people in real-time and generate some good PR? In all of these scenarios, having a Twitter party can be a great idea. However, if you are hoping for immediate sales as a result of the party, you might be disappointed. Like any form of advertising, repetition is the key. We’ve even found some brands who have multiple, regular chats and parties to really benefit from this form of advertising. If you believe having one party will work miracles when it comes to sales, you had better look elsewhere.

What is your timing? Why do you want to have a Twitter chat at this point in time? Are you launching a new company, product, service or website? Will your chat coincide with a live event, such as a conference, grand opening or t.v. show? Twitter parties often are celebrations of newsworthy events: a product launch, an industry gathering, an announcement or contest. Twitter parties are newsworthy; the promotional goal is to make that news known even more throughout the Twittersphere. Twitter parties work best when there is reason to celebrate. Find an angle that is newsworthy about your business, and the party will be easier to promote and sell to others to attend.

Twitter parties and chats can be great ways to communicate with people in a fun, festive atmosphere. Not only will your interaction with followers increase during the chat, but also before an after. There are some additional aspects of having a chat that are beneficial for businesses and organizations: if someone engages in a conversation once, they might be more willing to do so in the future, or more willing to listen to your future messages. Also, Twitter party sponsors have discovered that live chats can be great ways to get feedback from those who use their products and services. If you feel that a Twitter party or chat might be right for your company but you’re not sure where to begin, contact us on Twitter or email us at [email protected]. 

Tags: twitter chat, Twitter party guide, twitter party tips

You might have heard the term ‘Twitter Party’ tweeted about here & there on Twitter. But what are they and why should you consider having one?

Twitter parties are live, online events held on Twitter that are usually hosted by a company or organization that wants to introduce its products, services or cause to a social media-savvy audience. Twitter parties occur at a specific date and time, and people ‘attend’ the event by tweeting the party’s designated hashtag in each tweet they send. They also search for that specific tag to find others who are participating in the same conversation.

The terms Twitter ‘party’ and Twitter ‘chat’ are often used interchangeably. However, Twitter chats are typically seen as recurring events (weekly or monthly) that focus on a specific topic of interest to a special interest group, niche or industry (for example: #smallbizchat or #sewingchat). On the other hand, a Twitter party is usually a one-time event sponsored by a company or organization with the intent to market their products, services or as in the case of a non-profit-its mission.

Maybe you’ve attended a Twitter party or chat or perhaps you are a company thinking about throwing one? If so, here are ten reasons why you might want to consider setting a date and donning your Twitter party hat:

10. They’re inexpensive. Traditional advertising campaigns can cost thousands of dollars to set up and execute. By comparison, Twitter parties are inexpensive. You’ll have to pay for your time to organize the event-or for another company to set it up and run it-as well as the cost of prizes and fulfillment. But these costs are small compared with what it costs to run an ad in a magazine or other form of traditional media.

9. They’re newsworthy. A Twitter party is news: it becomes an event that you can promote by tweeting, posting, announcing via a press release, a Facebook ad, etc. It is something that people can attend from any place that has an available internet connection. It becomes something you can promote, announce or invite people to, just like an in-person event. We’ve even seen Twitter parties mentioned on news sites. Why? Because a party thrown by a company or organization — even a virtual one — that is open to everyone is, well…news!

8. You’ll build buzz for your brand. Tweets about Twitter parties get noticed, especially when prizes or guest celebrities are involved. People get excited about parties and like to tweet and retweet information about them. Sometimes companies will even have a pre-party tweeting contest to help build even more buzz for the party. When you throw a Twitter party, you will see many more tweets mentioning you and your brand. If you want to give your buzz factor a boost, try a Twitter party.

7. You just might become a trending topic. When you have many people tweeting one hasthag at the same time, you have a greater chance of trending. More and more chats and parties are becoming trending topics each day, which is valuable, since becoming a promoted tweet (the top spot in the left column) costs approximately $120K per day. People watch the left column to see what’s trending. If your hashtag trends, you’ll have a greater chance that more people will click on your topic and wonder what it’s all about (and in turn, learn more about your business).

6. You’ll open the lines of communication between you & your followers. By making yourself available for a live one-hour chat with your followers, you’ll lend some transparency to your brand and add a human element to your social media presence. People like to know they can talk to a brand — ask questions, have a conversation with the company and know that they are being heard. Once you start a conversation with those who attend, it’s likely to be one that will continue once the party is over.

5. You’ll gain followers. People who attend a Twitter party usually end up following the sponsor or hosts. Will they unfollow you afterward? Perhaps. But if you give them a great party to attend filled with helpful tips, links, and prizes, they’re more likely to stick around afterward and really listen and respond to what you have to say.

4. You just might learn something. Often companies ask for feedback about their products & services from atttendees. I’ve been surprised by how many clients have told us they really learned something about their customers or received valuable feedback during a party. The conversation might give you a fresh perspective on your business or insight into your audience’s wants and needs.

3. You’ll make friends. Why do we say ‘friends’ instead of ‘followers?’ When the party starts, you will gain new followers who follow you for the sake of following the chat. However, converse with them, answer their questions, give them helpful tips, and those followers will likely turn into friends — or people you’ve established a relationship with, who just might in turn like you enough to become advocates for your brand.

2. You’ll give your brand a boost. If you send out one tweet, how often does it get retweeted? Maybe by a few followers-if you’re lucky? As we mentioned above, a Twitter party becomes news: it’s an event anyone can participate in. There are prizes involved, which helps generate excitement on Twitter. A Twitter party is an event that often gets lots of buzz on Twitter: many retweets, mentions, posting of links with more information. If you would like to boost your brand’s social media presence, organize a Twitter party and make yourself newsworthy.

1. They’re fun. Who doesn’t like to go to a party? In-person parties are fun - - and virtual ones are no different. Sometimes there are celebrity spokespeople who drop in to chat, prizes to be won, special offers, coupons and helpful tips and advice to be learned by participants. Host a Twitter party, and you’re likely to develop a reputation as a truly fun company to follow social media.

So if you’ve thought about having a Twitter party or chat, what are you waiting for? Give it a try! And if you need some help getting started, check out our homepage at TweeParties.com.

Ever want to know how to host your own live, interactive event on Twitter or how using social media can help give your business an edge?

Learn the ins and outs of planning and hosting a Twitter chat or party during our FREE Webinar this Tuesday, August 2nd at 1pm EST (10am PST)!

We are proud to be part of this weekly webinar series created by Mikaela Louve at Louve Notes Media. Mikaela has done a great job helping small businesses learn about how to best apply social media to their business marketing plans.

During the August 2nd webinar, TweeParties founder & president Erin Boudreau will take attendees through a step-by-step process of creating, promoting, hosting and analyzing a live Twitter event. Learn why Twitter parties and chats are a great way to ‘spread the word’ on Twitter and Facebook about your business, products and services, and to engage your followers in a meaningful, valuable, interactive event.

For more information and to register, please visit this Eventbrite page!

See you at the webinar!

Erin

Tweet

In theory, if you are an avid Twitter user, you can learn to plan and host your own Twitter party. I mean, we weren’t born hosting parties — it’s something we learned to do. At first glance, Twitter parties and chats are pretty simple: pick a date and time, a hashtag, and start promoting. However, while it sounds simple enough, there are many reasons why you should enlist the help of a professional.

Why go with a pro? Because putting together a party for the first time can be a challenge. If this is something you want to do regularly, then get help initially from someone who is experienced and learn from them. Here are some responses from clients we have helped with parties:

“I didn’t realize how much time it took to plan a party.” Twitter parties take a lot of planning. A host can help with brainstorming party ideas and themes, devising discussion topics, creating hashtags, setting up a registration page, writing legal copy, promoting the party, training new/guest hosts on how to best attend, e-mailing subscribers about the party, hosting the party, fulfilling prizes, writing press releases, creating a post-party recap post, and providing sponsors with post-party stats. If you have time in your schedule to do all of that on your own — great! If not, you might need some assistance from a host.

“I didn’t know how to promote it.” Sometimes a sponsor decides to have a party to increase their number of followers and fans. An experienced party host comes to the table with a following comprised of those users who like to attend parties and tweet about them. We promote parties via Twitter, Facebook, our subscriber list, blog, and even sometimes paid ads. If you do not already have a strong social media presence, you might want to consider working with someone who does to give your following a boost.

“I was nervous during the party and at times, didn’t know what to tweet.” Some people are a little anxious when hosting their first Twitter party. For an hour or two, you are the center of attention and you must lead others in what you hope will be a thought-provoking and entertaining discussion. You usually have to start discussions, field many questions, chat with attendees, giveaway prizes. An experienced host has done this many times before, knows what to expect and how to conduct a party. They are confortable with being a host and are good at conversing with attendees. It helps to have someone ‘emcee’ the event-start discussions, conduct giveaways-while the sponsor might remain on hand to answer questions and converse with attendees. If you don’t want to be overwhelmed for your first live event, it might help to go with a pro for peace of mind.

“I overlooked a key component of the party.” A regular party host knows everything you need to do to put together a successful party. If this is your first time hosting, you might forget something important. We have helped people remember to include important information on the info/registration page or in a promotional tweet, or to include disclaimers or other legal wording necessary for a giveaway. Someone who has ‘been there, done that’ with regard to planning a party will know what needs to be done to make the party a success.

If you are going to invest time and effort into planning and hosting an online event, consider having TweeParties help. For more information about our affordable Twitter party & chat hosting services, visit our hosting page at TweeParties.com!

Tags: plan Twitter event, social media marketing, TweeParties, Twitter party

I’m one of those people.

In a movie theater, I have to do everything I can to suppress my chatter. As the film unfolds, I want to talk about it. When watching t.v.—be it a football game, documentary, reality show or drama—I feel the need to add discussion to the mix, most often to my husband’s chagrin.

But apparently, I’m not alone.

Last week at the NewTeeVee conference, a Twitter executive spoke about the low-cost way for shows to incorporate “a social and community element” to watching t.v. by bringing viewers together via Twitter during a show (from PC World article). And it just might pay off: according to a study mentioned in that article, 60% of t.v. viewers surf the net while watching shows.

Through the use of a common hashtag, Twitter can unite people of similar interests and engage them in discussing the same topic. Pick a unique hashtag, and a date and a time—such as the time a new show premieres—and you have a live event viewers can participate in. By offering a Twitter party or chat that occurs while a show is in progress, you will only adds to the viewers’ experience. If someone feels they cannot participate in both, then so be it; however, for those who crave some discourse during a commercial break, the combination is a marriage made in virtual heaven.

Last week, I co-hosted a Twitter party during the airing of a PBS Documentary. The purpose was to encourage discussion about the issues that were addressed in the film. Twitter parties and live t.v. events go hand-in-hand. I’ve seen Twitter parties and chats organized for the Super Bowl, The Oscars and Emmys, MTV Music Awards, Project Runway, Comedy Central roasts, Top Chef, and even one this week for Bobby Flay’s Throwdown.

In the old days, people used to gather around the water cooler to discuss the previous night’s episode of Seinfeld. Now Twitter is the new water cooler, but instead of having to wait until you meet the gang the next day at the office, now you can log on and share comments live and in real-time. This presents a tremendous opportunity for networks and those presenting the shows: to engage people who are interested in your program and get them to chat about what they see on Twitter, thus spreading word of the discussion to their followers. You can even take it a step further and include ‘calls to action’ during the party, such as asking them to become Facebook fans or give them special offers from an advertiser.

Don’t have a t.v. show? No problem! Create your own by adding live, streaming video to your party via UStream or LiveStream (which now can stream directly to your Facebook page). Invite a guest speaker, celeb spokesperson or showcase your products via streaming feed to give your viewers something to watch while participating in the discussion.

Twitter events that coincide with t.v. programs offer the shows an even greater opportunity to connect and entice viewers and enhance viewers’ overall experience. And for people like me, I can ‘discuss’ all I want while keeping my trap shut, thus saving my marriage.

Tags: live tv show event, livestream, twitter chat, Twitter party, ustream

You probably already have a Twitter account for your business and regularly send out tweets that are informative and helpful to your followers. You might reply to all inquiries and use your Twitter account as a venue for Q&A, customer service or a mode to distribute news and information about your company. But is simply sending out tweets and replying to your followers enough?

One of your main goals for using Twitter for business should be interaction. That’s what social networking is all about: being social. So how do you get your followers to interact with you? Here are five easy, cost-effective steps you can take to convert your followers from being passive readers of tweets to active participants in a conversation.

Hold a Contest Nothing generates more buzz online than word that a company is giving something away. Have a contest and you’re sure to get people tweeting. Encourage your followers to take some sort of action to help spread the word about the contest, either by retweeting or posting the contest info on their Facebook page. Be sure to keep in mind any legal terms and conditions that you will need to adhere to for your contest to be legit. And remember to post your contest guidelines somewhere on your website and link to it in tweets so the rules are easy to follow and view.

Give a Special Offer Make your offer one that’s nearly impossible for a fan to refuse. And make exclusive to Twitter followers or Facebook fans only. With a special offer made just for them, you’ll make them feel special and glad that they’re ‘part of your club’ and following you. It might be a discount, a freebie or a ‘two-for one.’ Regardless, an offer distributed to Twitter or Facebook users alone might help you generate more followers or ‘likes’ and help create a buzz around your offer that can have far-reaching effects through social sites.

Have an Event Throw a Twitter party or a Tweetup as a way to open the lines of communication in a fun, interactive way. Pick a date, time and hashtag, as well as a theme. Invite an expert on the subject of the party to join you as a guest host to help answer questions of those in attendance. Give away some prizes during the party to generate more attention while promoting it and attracting more people to the event. A Twitter party can be a fun and informative event that not only gives your followers the opportunity to learn from you and interact with you in real time, but gets them talking about your business before, during and after the event. (For a guide to the differences between Twitter parties and Tweetups, click here).

Seek Opinions Another great way to engage your followers is to ask them for their input. Often TweeParties has asked our followers about what they like or don’t like about Twitter parties, things they would like to see change, what some of their favorite events have been like, etc.. The feedback we have received not only has shaped the way we host parties, but it also has helped us stay connected with our followers and better understand their needs and expectations. It’s a win/win situation: you engage your followers in a conversation, and you gain valuable feedback that you can apply to make your business even better. You’re also showing your followers that their opinions matter.

Make Them Feel Special People like to feel that they are part of something special. Everyone wants to be a VIP. This last point calls on you to make your followers feel that they are part of a select group or club. They’re your followers so they must be an awesome group of people, right? Make them feel that way by creating special offers or giveaways just for them; let them be the first to learn of any news or changes within your company or with your products or services; and always do what you can to respond to their tweets in a timely manner. Give them a peek at the ‘face’ or personality behind the Twitter avatar. Let them know that there’s a person (or persons) behind those tweets and that you’re hearing what they’re saying. Make a connection and you’re sure to feel the love in return. Or hopefully, feel the love in the form of more tweets and retweets about your business.

Tags: Engage followers, social media tips, Twitter, Twitter party

Some Twitter users have attended hundreds of Twitter parties and love them. Others have just heard about them and are curious to learn more. If you fall into the latter category, here’s a short ‘Top 10 List” of reasons why Twitter parties are worth delving into:

1. They’re Free All you need is an internet connection and some free time. You don’t have to pay to get in or pay for gas to get there.

2. You Can Attend in Your Jammies How many parties can you attend in bunny slippers? Have nothing to wear? Who cares! Bad hair day? Not on Twitter (unless you dare to post a pic)! So grab a comfy blanket, pillow and your laptop. And remember: BYOB. Or BYO mug of cocoa.

3. You Can Learn Something New Most Twitter parties have an element of education or tip-sharing to them. There are often expert hosts who have vast knowledge on a subject whether it’s parenting, auto maintenance, sewing, travel-you name it! Also, often attendees are experts themselves on a variety of topics and contribute advice and helpful tidbits to the parties. The bottom line is: come to a Twitter party and you’ll most likely have learned something new by the time you log off.

4. You Can Make a New Friend (or Two) When I first started attending parties, I was surprised by how many new Twitter friends I made. People whom I then followed and chatted with afterward. The topics and themes of Twitter parties usually bring together like-minded people who share similar reasons for attending. A lot of times you will see attendees address each other like old friends do. That’s because they are just that. Twitter is social, and there’s no better way to get people socializing than throwing a party.

5. You Might Win a Prize Usually at parties in ‘real life’ you give gifts. At Twitter parties you get them. The hallmark of the Twitter party is the giveaway. Most parties have them. Businesses sponsoring the events draw more people to them by giving away their products and services. So if you register for a party and attend, there’s a chance you’ll walk away from the party with a nice gift.

6. You Can ‘Ask an Expert’ Many parties include an expert guest host who contributes to the topic by tweeting tips and advice. If you attend a party, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to ask a question about the topic and have it answered by an expert on the subject or a representative from the company sponsoring the event. Twitter parties are fast-paced, and not every question can be answered during the event. Most often, sponsors are more than happy to answer your questions afterward via Twitter or e-mail. All you have to do is ask!

7. You Might Gain Some Followers When you attend a party, you make new friends. In Twitter, friends follow each other. It’s as simple as that!

8. Great Chance to Network First let’s just say this: never, ever spam a party. Someone else’s Twitter party is not your opportunity to spread the word about your business unless you’re asked to do so. But in meeting new friends through parties and gaining more followers, you might make new connections that can lead to more opportunities down the road. Maybe even think of the parties as ‘soft networking’ events. In the future, maybe a follower will see a special offer you’ve tweeted about, recognize you and take you up on it.

9. You Can Multi-Task I’ve attended parties while watching t.v. Actually, some Twitter parties are hosted by t.v. networks and held solely for the purpose of discussing a particular show while it’s in progress. It is possible to attend a Twitter party while working on a project, surfing the ‘net, or making out your grocery list. You might not see every tweet or take party in every conversation, but parties can be something fun to attend while tending to a project a bit more tedious.

10. You Can Help a Good Cause There are many parties that have a theme that involves helping a good cause. Recently, there have been breast cancer awareness parties,an ovarian cancer awareness party, a pet adoption party, parties that discuss issues such as bullying, self-esteem and other topics of interest to parents. By participating in such parties, you help generate more awareness by placing that hashtag out in the Twitter stream. By retweeting the party, you help spread the information to your own followers, and thus help bring attention to a good cause.

So that’s the list! If you haven’t yet attended a Twitter party…what are you waiting for? Check out the TweeParties Twitter party calendar and find one to explore! And have fun!

Tags: party attendee tips, top ten lists, Twitter party, value in twitter parties

Yesterday I came across an old blog post someone had written about a year ago that questioned the use of Twitter parties as a social media marketing tool. The writer argued that the events tied up the Twitter stream for non-partying users. Also at issue was the effectiveness for companies. The blogger wondered if a party host could give a company tangible stats to prove that a party held gave some sort of results.

That was then and this is now. And fortunately, Twitter parties have evolved somewhat from a year ago. And they’ll keep evolving and becoming more and more useful for both the companies sponsoring them and the users attending them. Here’s why:

Cost effectiveness: I’ve spoken with many small business owners who have wanted to place ads in magazines only to discover that it would cost them thousands to do so and wasn’t in their budget. Broadcast media can be just as expensive. Pay-per-click advertising is more reasonable, but when someone clicks, are they really absorbing your company’s message or simply clicking? Maybe, maybe not. The great thing about Twitter parties is that they are low cost. You can learn to do them yourself, or have an organization like TweeParties help you for not thousands, but rather hundreds of dollars. And instead of simply posting an advertisement for someone to read or hear (or not read or hear, as they case may be), you’ll have a group of people engaged and interacting with you. People who are listening to your message might tweet about your party to their friends, and so on. How many magazine readers clip ads and pass them on to their friends?

Results tracking: In the past, it might have been difficult to track results, but not anymore. There are a number of web sites and applications that track the frequency of hashtags. Simply register your party’s hashtag in advance, and you’ll be able to see how many times that hashtag was tweeted, when it was tweeted, and what users tweeted it the most (typically the hosts during promoting phase of the event). Many hosts also do not request the e-mails of participants upon registering. TweeParties does, usually with a disclaimer that any e-mail correspondence will be limited to communications from the party sponsor and that the attendee can unsubscribe from the list at any time. In supplying a company with e-mail data from attendees, the party sponsoring the event can send a follow up e-mail thanking the user for attending, requesting that the recipient take further action (such as complete a survey) or receive a discount, special offer or product sample.

Technical issues: With any emerging technology, you sometimes hit stumbling blocks (look at the recent antenna issue with iPhone 4). Twitter is still evolving. With approximately 600 tweets per second hitting the Twittersphere, Twitter is constantly being pushed to its limits, and sometimes fails.  The blogger I mentioned above was concerned that very large parties could bog down Twitter and disrupt service for other users. Worldwide discussions about World Cup soccer bogged down Twitter; I seriously doubt a party with several hundred participants could. The only concern in the case of a party would be excessive tweeting by those several hundred participants, which thanks to Twitter’s policy of temporarily freezing accounts that tweet close to 100 tweets per hour (Twitter Jail), would be difficult to achieve. Besides, Twitter is constantly looking for ways to free up traffic. They recently announced they will expand to a large facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, in an effort to better keep up with demand and avoid outages caused by bugs. No emerging technolgy is perfect and most users understand that. Growing pains are common, but they have to be endured to grow into something even better.

I do not believe that a company should have one Twitter party and be done with interacting with its customers. It is just one piece of the puzzle, but one that I truly believe in. Social media does just that: it helps people socialize. Companies with a presence on social networking sites should keep finding ways to engage their clients. We at TweeParties believe that a Twitter party is a great way to open up conversations with consumers and keep them interested in your brand. Have Twitter parties, talk to your followers, answer their questions, come up with other contests & events to hold on Twitter and Facebook (or Foursquare). When it comes to social media, it’s all about engagement. Otherwise, you might as well drop $25K on a glossy magazine ad and be one with it.

Tags: Facebook, Having Twitter parties, interactive advertising, social media marketing, Twitter