Why you should participate in Twitter chats

You share on Twitter everyday, tweet to other people, sometimes direct message them. But do you know you can have a real-time conversation on Twitter with dozens if not hundreds of people at the same time? Meet the Twitter chats. If you are looking to engage with other Twitter peeps on topics that matter to you, it is time to join one of the many conversations that happen online every day.

How does it work?

Every Twitter chat has its dedicated hashtag. This is how you will be able to follow the feed of tweets, as everyone posting during the chat will use the specific hashtag in all their tweets. There will be one Twitter account (sometimes 2 or 3) leading the discussion by welcoming the participants and launching and moderating the debate.

Twitter chats usually happen on a weekly or monthly basis, and last about an hour.

Follow the etiquette

•Follow the rules of the chat. They will usually be explained in a link tweeted by the main leading account. It sometimes requires you to RSVP before, and also gives you the topic.

•Before the chat begins, it is useful to warn your followers about an upcoming unusual number of tweets, so they are not surprised and don’t unfollow you.

•Be polite and respectful, especially if/when disagreeing.

•When you answer a question (Q1), tweet with the appropriate number (A1) so people know to what you are answering.

•Don’t go off topic. If you want to start a different discussion with a member of the chat, do so separately.

•If you answer to a specific tweet, tag the original author.

•Don’t hesitate to favorite and/or retweet posts that you find interesting, smart and useful.

•And of course, always use the hashtag!

Don’t stop there!

Twitter chats are a great way to share your thoughts and insights about a specific topic with the community and other professionals from your industry. They are also a place to make new connections and gain followers. Follow the leader of the chat so you are aware of the next ones coming. During the chat or afterwards, direct tweet to people you found engaging and with who you wish to continue interacting. Thank for retweets.

I personally gained several valuable followers since I have been participating in Twitter chats. I learn from their tweets every day and keep virtually meeting new people every time who either share or challenge my own views.

Finding customers:

One of the hardest things to do on social media is find the right kind of hashtags that you can use to target your customers in the hope of driving more sales. The hot social network using hashtags at the moment is Instagram , where there really is no limit to how many hashtags you can use in a post (unlike Facebook or Twitter).

You may find that you have certain hashtags that you use on a daily basis to describe your business and your posts but have you ever wondered how to find customers across multiple networks with Hashtags? Look no further than TagBoard .

You can create an account using your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account and TagBoard is free to use. You enter in a hashtag, and Tagboard will search and collect social media activity around this hashtag on the likes of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter .

follow:@olymidexz

 

Socialmediatoday.com