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

Web-based Twitter Aggregator, Twubs.com

A few months ago, Twitter upgraded its API to Version 1.1. Normally, that techie-lingo doesn’t mean too much to us non-developers, but for those of us who regularly attend Twitter parties and chats, it has had a huge effect on how we attend Twitter parties.

The most noticeable change is the disappearance of one of the most popular Twitter aggregator programs: TweetGrid. As of now, TweetGrid has not completed an upgrade to v. 1.1, making it unusable. The program’s creator has left open the possibility that it might upgrade down the road, perhaps even for a small user fee. Many are waiting with fingers crossed.

So what are Twitter party and chat attendees to do? Fortunately, there are options out there that do work with the new API.

First, there are a couple of easy-to-use programs that operate in a single-column format. One is Twubs.com. Visit the Twubs website and plug in the hashtag you wish to follow. You can sign in either with Twitter authentication or by signing up for a free Twubs.com account. If the host of the party you are attending has set up a custom Twubs page (and many of them are now doing this), you not only get the benefit of being able to follow a chat and tweet from the same page, but also the host’s tweets will appear separately from the other tweets and will remain at the top of the page — so you can keep an eye specifically on the host’s tweets while following the entire conversation as it unfolds below. Once logged in, the hashtag automatically will be added for you to each tweet you send, so you won’t need to worry about retyping it in each tweet.

A similar program that  hit the Twitter chat scene this year is tchat.io (http://www.tchat.io). This program has a sleek interface that makes it easy to tweet, retweet, favorite and follow a chat all from the same page. Like Twubs, tchat.io is also web-based; you can log in with your Twitter account and tweet directly from your hashtag’s page and the hashtag you enter once will automatically be added to each tweet you send  thereafter. We’ve tested it out and tchat.io updates all tweets very quickly — sometimes more quickly than Twitter. The downside? The single-column format doesn’t allow any highlighting of the host’s tweets. (However, tchat.io’s developer is considering adding a multi-column function down the road).

Web-based Twitter aggregator, tchat.io

TweetChat.com has also made a comeback by switching to v1.1 after a brief haitus. Like Twubs and tchat.io, the long-running, web-based aggregator TweetChat also lets you log in with your Twitter account and auto-populates your tweet with the hashtag you input at login. It also has a User Control area to help you block spammers, as well as ‘Smart Pausing’ that allows you to stop the tweets from pouring in, which makes it easy for users to scroll down, catch up and reply to specific tweets.

If you love the multi-column format that TweetGrid used to offer, we suggest logging into TweetDeck via your Chrome browser. In TweetDeck, you can create as many columns as you want, follow a specific user or hashtag, and see replies to you and DM’s. It takes a little work to set it up to get it just the way you want it, but if you loved TweetGrid, this might be the application for you. To add a column, just click on the “+” sign in the left sidebar. It will then ask you what type of column you want: to follow a user, your messages, or your timeline. To create a column for a hashtag, you have to select “Search,” then type in the hashtag with the “#” sign in front (such as: #Hashtag). Then click “add column” at the bottom of the column, and away you go! Want to follow two hosts? Create a new column by selecting “Search.” Then, type something like the following, the way TweetGrid used to set it up: From:Host1 OR From:Host2 — that way you’ll capture tweets in a single column from both hosts of a party. The downside of using TweetDeck? You have to type in the hashtag each time, if you want to send a tweet directly from the TweetDeck interface.

TweetDeck for Google Chrome

Finally, you can always search for a hashtag from Twitter itself, by inputting the tag into the Twitter ‘search’ bar. Whenever new tweets are ready to load, you will be prompted by a gray bar that appears with a message such as “20 new tweets” that you will then have to click on. The constant clicking/updating can be cumbersome. Another downside is that you have to keep remembering to type in the hashtag in each tweet you send-something that might be hard to do, if you are a rapid, prolific tweeter.

Do you have a favorite way to attend a Twitter party? If you’re up for sharing, we’d love to hear them, and share them via Twitter and Facebook! Just tweet us @TweeParties or visit us on Facebook!

Tags: Aggregator, twitter chat

In requests for more information about our Twitter party and Twitter chat services, we are often asked, “How can I get my hashtag to become a trending topic on Twitter?”

The question’s frequency makes sense: To have your hashtag or brand name displayed along Twitter’s ‘trending topics’ column is a coveted position, with the top or ‘promoted’ trend costing an advertiser a reported $120K to achieve it. Trending topics are seen and monitored by millions of sets of eyes per day; to be one of them can be game-changing for a company. When a user clicks on a trending topic, they will see a list of all recently-tweeted tweets that contain that term. For companies, this means having more people learn about them and get introduced to their products and services. And free advertising that could be seen by millions is impossible to resist.

What exactly makes a topic trend?

According to Twitter, “an algorithm determines which topics are ‘trending’ in the location you’ve selected. This algorithm identifies topics that are immediately popular, rather than topics that have been popular for a while or on a daily basis.” What this means is, one million people each day might tweet Justin Bieber’s name, but sheer volume doesn’t make a topic trend. A trending topic usually represents a surge of tweets, even if the volume is less than that of a topic tweeted about regularly. It’s Twitter’s way of trying to keep is users aware of what is current and newsworthy. If sheer volume was the only factor, Justin Bieber might be the top trending topic every day for years, making the whole point of having trending topics useless.

How do I do it?

Often a trending topic is something that is newsworthy that suddenly becomes talked (or tweeted) about by a large number of people at the same time. For example, an event being watched on t.v., such as an awards show or sporting event, are likely to become part of a trending topic due to the number of people who are likely to tweet about it at or around the same time. So there is the element of timeliness as well as volume that seems to make for a trending topic. Your goal then should be to get a lot of people tweeting your hashtag at the same time. If you do not have a national stage to work with (such as a high profile t.v. show or event), then a great way to attempt to achieve this is a Twitter event, such as a Twitter chat or party. Twitter parties occur at a specific time, have a certain hashtag that people will tweet to be included in the event, and usually have a significant number of attendees online at the same time who will tweet using that tag. However, simply deciding to have an event and holding it won’t guarantee that your hashtag trends; you still have to put together a quality event with a skilled host, informative content, noteworthy or high-profile guest contributors and awesome prizes and special offers to really get some buzz. We’ve found that those elements are a big draw when it comes to Twitter parties, and are most likely to get tweeted about. However, there is a downside to becoming a trending topic during a chat: hashtag spam. Once you’re topic starts trending, beware of spammers hijacking your tag by using it to promote their own links completely unrelated to yours. Be prepared to offer followers of your chat an alternative hashtag to switch to for purposes of the chat, to steer clear of spammers and get the chat’s conversation back on track.

How not to do it.

Twitter has specific guidelines for hashtags and tweeting that, if not followed, could get your account flagged when trying get your hashtag to trend. If you see another topic trending and try to get your hashtag noticed by including it in a tweet along with the other trending topic’s hashtag, that is considered spammy and unacceptable (Twitter does not like unrelated hashtags in tweets; it’s misleading). Repeatedly tweeting you hashtag, or encouraging others to do as much as possible so as part of a tweeting contest, in an attempt to get it trending without adding value to the conversation the hashtag is part of is another no-no (tweeting contests are acceptable if limited to one tweet per day). Also, taking a trending topic hashtag and tweeting out links to your profile or website along with those trending tags is another way to get into trouble. On Twitter, like everywhere else on the web, organic is good. Create hashtag tweeting opportunities that are natural and not forced. While it’s great to get a topic to trend, it’s even better to provide excellent content to your followers, become a value to them, and remain in good standing with Twitter.

With ‘Tailored Trends,’ Are Trending Topics as Valuable as They Once Were?

Recently, Twitter allowed users to get ‘tailored trends’ — or to turn their list of trending topics into a column customized just for them. Twitter says this about tailored trends: “Trends offer a unique way to get closer to what you care about. Trends are tailored for you based on your location and who you follow.” To turn this setting off or on in your own account, go to the “change” button next to the trending topics column. Click on that, and you’ll get the option either to turn this feature off or on, depending on your current settings. The intent of this feature is to help users see trends related to those issues/places/people who matter most to them. Tailored trends takes into account a user’s location and those users he/she follows to come up with a list of trends that are relevant that user alone. With this feature turned on, the topics you see trending are no longer the same as what everyone else is seeing, but rather made just for you. What does this mean for trending topics in general? When your hashtag trends, it may not be seen by as many eyes as in the past, since everyone might not see the same trends. However, if you don’t succeed at making your hashtag trend on a worldwide (or countrywide/citywide scale), it still might have the ability to trend to your followers — or those who might really matter to you and who are already eager to hear what you have to say. Tailored trends might have put somewhat of a damper on widely-viewed trending topics, but on the flipside, the service might help topics that would normally have trouble trending on a large scale now get noticed more easily. On another note, if you are hosting a chat or party, and see your hashtag ‘trending,’ check to make sure whether or not you have tailored trends turned on. You just might be ‘trending’ to a limited audience, rather than citywide, nationwide, or worldwide.

Tags: hashtag, tailored trends, trending topic, Twitter, twitter chat, Twitter party

Tags: exposure, hashtags, impressions, reach, statistics, tweets, Twitter, twitter chat, Twitter party

Tags: interactive events, social media, twitter chat, Twitter party

Tags: blocked account, twitter chat, Twitter party, twitter search

Tweet

Each day, we field lots of requests from companies and organizations to list their Twitter parties and chats on our calendar. About half the time, we get everything we need to make an informed post in our weekly e-newsletter or in a tweet.

However, often we find that the company or organization hosting the event makes the information difficult to locate. We end up having to do some detective work to get the facts straight.

So much work goes into planning and organizing a live Twitter event. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to draw more people to your party or chat by leaving out important information about your event or making it a challenge for people to find it. If prospective attendees have to dig to learn about it, they might end up skipping the event altogether.

Here are some tips to make your party or chat easy to learn about:

Information/Registration/Landing Page: Often upon hearing about your event, people who are interested want to know more. They have questions that they want quick, concise answers to: When is the party? How do I attend? Are there giveaways or guest hosts? Who is eligible? By including a link in your tweets or posts that directs people to a landing page listing complete event information, you’ll make it easy for them to learn about your event, and reduce the chance that you’ll field lots of questions beforehand. Simply tweeting the date, time and hashtag usually isn’t enough. A well laid-out info page will answer everyone’s questions and help entice people to attend. You can set up a page on your website or blog, create a Facebook event page to link to, or even use a third-party site such as Twtvite to create an ‘invitation’ page that can be shared across social networks.

The Five W’s: In creating an information page, don’t forget the who/what/where/when/why of your party or chat.

• Who: List who the hosts are and their Twitter IDs. Also, if you have giveaways with certain eligibility requirements or terms, be sure to list that information as well. If your giveaways are intended only for U.S. residents, make that clear on your info/landing page. You might want to link to a more detailed page with official rules for those who are interested in the fine print.
• What: List what exactly will happen during your event — what the theme is, topics/discussion points that will be covered, and any sponsors for the event or giveaways. The more details the better.
• Where: Letting people know what hashtag(s) are to be used — or how to find your party on Twitter — is a must.
• When: List the date. When listing the time, be sure to make it clear what time zone you are referring to.
• Why: Each party should have a theme, or purpose. Is it to inform people about a new company or product? To raise money or awareness for a non-profit? To network with other mompreneurs? To trade parenting tips and stories? To coincide with a trade show or conference taking place? Somewhere in your post, be sure to list a reason why the event is happening.
• How: Will your event require registration beforehand? If so, make it clear what an attendee needs to do to enter to win any prizes, if applicable. Also, some of those who want to attend your event might be new to Twitter and/or Twitter parties. Be sure to include information on how they can attend the event, whether it is by using Twitter’s search feature or through a third party application such as Tweet Chat, Tweet Grid or Tweet Deck. To make it easier for you, you can place a link on your info page to the TweeParties Beginner’s Guide to getting started.

Tweets (Short, Sweet & Complete): In tweeting about your event, it’s not enough to say, “Twitter party tonight at 8! Join us!” Be as complete as you can in 140 characters. At a minimum, list the name of the party, date, time, hashtag, and  a shortened link to your information page. If you can fit even more information than that (such as hosts, giveaways, etc.) then do so. The more info you can squeeze into your tweets, the more likely you will have others tweet about your event and follow your link to learn more.

Timing: Sometimes we get wind of a party the day of the event. If you decide at the last minute to have a party — or wait until the same day to announce it — you’re not giving it much of a chance to spread around social networks and be heard. Announce your event at least a few days before the date, to give it time to be tweeted about. With a little more time, you might even get some blogs to pick up the news and help spread the word to their followers.

Looking for a place to start to promote your party? List on our calendar by sending us an e-mail at [email protected]. We’ll list it and tweet about it, free of charge. If you need help in planning your party, we can help with all of your hosting needs! Visit our hosting page for more info and to request pricing.

Tags: hosting tips, twitter chat, Twitter party