If you are involved in the Twitterverse, you may have either taken part in or come across hashtags(#). These are used as a way to search tweets and sort them in chronological order by specific keywords. They have also been used as a way to thread conversations on Twitter, allowing for a new micro-blogging style of communication affectionately know as the Tweetchat.
The Tweetchat has sprouted many online scheduled events, ranging from discussions on small business information to household cures! One topic that I’ve noticed with increasing interest is wine. Personally, I have taken part in many of these chats, and briefly took center stage when I created #socialwine, a once weekly wine chat geared at educating the online community about wine and those involved in it.
I think these Tweetchats are a fantastic way of delivering a message, as long as the message maintains a level of purity. By this, I mean that the discussion isn’t rigged, and that those leading the chat are genuine, not simply advertising spokespeople put online together to push a message to the audience. Some of the “tweeters” can deliver marketing messages about a product, if they are combined with some authentic voices, presenting real choices, open discussion and honest opinions.
I have seen Twitter used to market new products and have also been part of wine review events online. Both are examples of good use of Twitter which seamlessly connects people and allows virtually anyone to view and participate in the conversation. In both cases, the winemakers provided wine for selected individuals to review at the scheduled Tweetchat. The wine sent out for review was packaged with some tasting notes to provide guidance to the reviewers. This helped direct the wine tasters without dictating what they would say. In this manner, there is moderate influence, but not outright control. Allowing the wine blogger to speak freely is important to the credibility of the process.
Thinking about starting your own Tweetchat? Here are a few things to consider!
If you are not an authority be sure to find one to help represent your topic; having an authority builds credibility and can help generate buzz.
Choose a day and time that will improve the likelihood your audience will attend. For example, a business chat may have better attendance during the business day, but a topic directed at consumers should be in the evening. And don’t forget your time zones!
Use tools such as Facebook, Eventbrite or email marketing tools to invite guests to take part in your Tweetchat.
Make early decisions on whether or not to moderate your Tweetchat. There is the possibility of many people tweeting at the same time, so providing a time limit on questions and answers can help you manage high traffic chats.
Have some other suggestions on ways to make your Tweetchat a success? Please add to the list!
