Located in the US Midwest, concepts are generally slower to be accepted by the mainstream. Also true for social media!
I do tweet live from events that I attend, and have suggested this to others as a way to promote their cause.
I've been asked recently, "Why tweet live from an event?"
For those that have done it, they ask:
Why NOT tweet live from an event!!?
So, one might compare it to riding a roller coaster -- Until you ride, you're not sure what you're missing. But, once you experience it.........you wanna ride again!! :)
Lets talk about that...
Reasons Not To Tweet Live From Your Event
- Requires no additional planning.
- Requires no adjusted coordination of staff.
- Requires no change in approach to your event planning.
- Information is conveyed as it always has been.
In short: Same ole', same ole.
Reasons To Tweet Live From Your Event
- Ignites enthusiasm before the event.
- Aides preparation.
- Enhances camaraderie among staff.
- Increases the number of people affected by the event.
- Allows reference to discussion.
- Encourages awareness of your organization and the topic discussed.
- Keeps the information discussed a topic of conversation afterward.
An analogy I'd offer: It's like having a live action news team report on your exciting story!
I've tweeted live from individual events, online conferences, and also en route to interesting places. Each time, this has resulted in new relationships, engaged a new audience, and changed my Klout analysis for the better.
Live Event Tweeting: Holy Hashtags, Batman!
The real gravity from live event tweeting comes from assigned hashtag.
The what?
The hashtag.
Just last week I tweeted at New Media Dayton for an event, "5 Ways To Use QR Codes." (see image above)
They use the hashtag, #NMDayton.
Participants of the group chat with it before, during, and after events. You can search for that hashtag any day of the week and see, in the Twitter stream, the latest conversation between members of New Media Dayton.
So, using the Twitter hashtag also benefits:
- Communication between events.
- Planning.
- Promotion.
This is true for small business, nonprofit, and business to business activity.
For your organization, come up with a few desired #hashtag options, verify it is not already in use by looking it up in a hashtag directory, make the hashtag official within your organization, and then.....begin using it!
Inside The Batmobile
So, you want proof and example, eh?
Lets take a look under the hood!
Here is a transcript of much of the discussion from before, during, and after the New Media Dayton event:
Within that curated collection of tweets you would find the following information:
- 64 tweeters participated in conversation (and their followers "heard" them).
- 4 tweeters from other international places chimed in.
- 6 images were shared by 7 people.
- 4 Facebook comments fueled additional discussion about the event.
Not bad, huh?
Let me re-emphasize:
Every time a tweet with the #NMDayton hashtag was made, that information went out to each individuals' following -- bringing greater attention and hopefully attracting new members!
Batman Bonus:
You can compare the transcript above with the transcript for the singular New Media Dayton Twitter account.
Did I leave anything out?
Will you use live event tweeting in the future?
Tell me your curiosities in the comment box below...
Image Credit: Rick Cartwright
This article is meant to be shared - please feel free to pass along to those you feel would benefit! :)
