
Have you ever considered hosting a Twitter chat, but didn’t know how to get started?
If you are new to hosting a segment or would like to improve your Twitter chat skills, this article will give you all the knowledge necessary to be a successful host of either #BldgREChat or #USAMfgHourChat.
So, this article will largely emphasize what is needed from our hosts in order for everyone involved to have an effortless and successful Twitter chat experience, as much as possible.
What is a Twitter chat?
A Twitter chat is a professional networking Twitter event that is around a specific hashtag. It usually involves multiple people tweeting about the same topic or answering questions that have been posed by the chat’s organizers.
It is an open Twitter party linked together by one hashtag.
So basically, it is a social gathering without the need to leave your chair! It’s the most exciting way to jump into conversations with other people about the subjects and topics that matter most.
Budding Twitter users, old school gurus, professionals, and enthusiasts passionate about the same subject gracefully collaborate in this lively discussion.
It allows for organic dialogue, where ideas can flow freely and perceptive responses can provoke deeper engagement. Everyone gets to explore discoveries or share perspectives on complex topics with ease.
If you’re looking to join in the fun and connect with others over shared interests, what better place to start than a Twitter chat?
What is the difference between the #USAMfgHour and #BldgREChat?
#BldgREChat
Anyone can join this chat. It is geared towards builders and contractors, realtors, home service professionals, including technology, finance and other allied businesses. If you champion small, local businesses, this chat is for you.
Schedule:
Wednesdays on Twitter
12nn Pacific
Co-Chairs:
- Beth Bigelow, Home Building Solutions, LLC
- Steve Chin, Steve and April
- Ruby Rusine, Social Success Marketing
#USAMfgHour
Anyone can join this chat. It is a for U.S. manufacturing companies and U.S. manufacturing advocates, including supply chain technology, logistics, niche manufacturers, warehousing and other allied businesses.
Schedule:
Thursdays on Twitter
11am Pacific
Co-Chairs:
- Kirsten Austin, DCSC Inc
- Julia Basello, Radwell International
- Dan Bigger, Optessa Inc
- Ruby Rusine, Social Success Marketing
What is in it for the Twitter chat host?
Hosting a Twitter chat should be top of mind if you’re looking to up your social media game. This engagement tool packs plenty of punch when it comes to promoting your brand and connecting with customers and influencers in real-time.
A study of Twitter chats found that hosts reach a broader audience and generate more interactions when posting the hashtag multiple times throughout the day.
It’s the ultimate platform for increased exposure, inviting followers, building relationships, accessing feedback and gaining business leads. But the benefits don’t stop there: you can use the data gathered during a chat to gain new insight on customer behavior, product features, marketing strategies, more.
The time investment is minimal but the returns exponential — that’s what a winning strategy looks like! Plus, it provides an added bonus: dishing out valuable information as you become an authority in your industry. With effective Twitter chats sprinkled into your weekly mix, success is always just around the corner!
Hosting a Twitter chat can seem like a daunting task, but the payoff is worth the effort!
Twitter Host Tips
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of hosting a Twitter chat:
How to Structure the Chat Segment You Are Hosting
1:00 PM | Introduce yourself, share your topic, and ask participants to introduce themselves + chat hashtag (#BldgREChat or #USAMfgHour) |
1:05 PM | Q1 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:10 PM | Your A1 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:15 PM | Q2 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:20 PM | Your A2 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:25 PM | Q3 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:30 PM | Your A3 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:35 PM | Q4 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:40 PM | Your A4 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:45 PM | Q5 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:50 PM | Your A5 goes out + chat hashtag |
1:55 PM | Your closing thoughts on the subject go out with a closing Q for people + chat hashtag |
2:00 PM | Share where people can find you online and any free resources you want to provide + chat hashtag |
Note:
Although we have a structure as shown above, we encourage our segment hosts to get creative and not be stymied by it. We had a “This or That” chat and another had the participants guessing what the photo was about and still remained relevant.
The power of the business networking chat lies in the hashtag of the specific business chat you are hosting. So, make sure that your questions, your answers and your replies to all participants during the chat should have the right hashtag.
What to do with your chat content?
We need your questions and answers in Word document two weeks before the chat for the recap team to work on. It will also come handy in case something comes up on your end, and you can’t make the chat. For example, Wi-Fi’s down or there’s no power. It happened, and happens.
You schedule your questions and answers on the tool of your choice (we have suggestions below) that are free.
Some hosts use their own graphics or stock photos, and some do not. Whether you use graphics with your questions and answers is at your discretion.
What tool can I use to schedule my chat? And is it necessary?
Scheduling your Twitter chat is a great way to ensure that you are organized and prepared for the event. There are several tools available to help you schedule your chat, such as Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Twitter.com and Buffer.
Scheduling your chat can be beneficial in many ways, including:
- Automatically tweeting out questions at predetermined times
- Allowing you to focus on engaging with participants rather than worrying about timing
- Ensuring that all questions are tweeted out in a timely manner
- Helping you to keep track of the conversation and respond quickly
While it is not necessary to schedule your chat, we strongly recommend that you should. The chat goes really fast! It is helpful in making sure that everything runs smoothly.
Steve Chin, likened it to having a catered party. Everything’s prepared, all you need to do as a host is to chat with your guests.
Twitter chat host: Frequently Ask Questions
