A Twitter Conference Primer: Part 3 – Onsite Engagement, Follow-Up And 16 Resources

Image modified. Original image by Andrew Abogado

This is the third in a series on using Twitter at your conference or event.

A Twitter Conference Primer: Part 1 – Preparing For The Event

A Twitter Conference Primer: Part 2 – Marketing And Engagement

You’ve set up your hashtag, marketed it on your conference materials and your marketing engagement plan is moving forward. Is there still more to do?

Yes.

Now it’s time to think seriously about your onsite Twitter engagement.

9 Steps To Use Twitter For Onsite Engagement and Follow-Up.

1. Follow the Twitter hashtag stream with a 3rd Party application

Don’t try to use twitter.com to follow your hashtag stream. Use a 3rd party application like Hootsuite, Seesmic, Tweetdeck, Twitter for the iPhone or iPad, etc. Set up a column in the app that automatically follows the hashtag. That way you can view the stream and updates.

2. Encourage speakers to use 140 character sound bites.

Encourage your presenters to put some of their information into 140-character bite size statements that can easily be shared in Twitter. Ask them to promote the hashtag at the beginning of each presentation and to include on their first PPT slides.

3. Assign a dedicated Twitter moderator to each session.

This is extremely important to create engagement and success with Twitter during the event. The Twitter moderator can share questions and comments from live or remote participants as well as help keep the conversations going.

4. Create a bloggers and Twitter hub in your general sessions.

5. Schedule a couple Tweet-ups for participants actively using Twitter.

This is a great way for people to meet other likeminded social media users. They are usually very well attended with very influential participants.

6. Setup a Twitter Kiosk in your pre-convene or registration area.

Staff this kiosk with conference Twitter evangelists to help others learn how to use it and understand its benefits.

7. Consider a Twitter backchannel display.

There are pros and cons on displaying the backchannel on the big screen during a live presentation. At a minimum, set up some Twitter plasma screen displays in the registration and common areas to create interest and buzz.

8. Post event, go to wthashtag.com and download all of the tweets for your records.

Some participants use Twitter to take notes and download their report from wthashtag.com. Once they are downloaded, it’s time to analyze them. Were you able to answer all the questions? Did you and your team miss anything? What needs further action? Who are your online influencers and HEROs?

9. Send personal tweets and email thanking those that tweeted during the event.

This will have a great impact on the social engagement of your future conferences. Don’t miss this step.

Still need more information? Here’s a list of 16 resources for using Twitter at your conference or event.

16 Twitter Resources For Your Conference Or Event

Using Twitter At Your Conference Or Event

Twitter For Events: Eye-Opening Data From Ten 2010 Events

35 Tips To Successfully Use Twitter For Your Event

25 Ways To Use Social Media For Your Next Event

The Big Tweet Theory: The Evolution Of A Conference Tweep

Tweeting At Conferences And Events: The Good, The Better, The Best

Eight Ways To Make Your Meeting Or Event Blog And Twitter Friendly

Twitter For Presentations

Tips For Using Twitter During Presentations

Twitter Isn’t Ruining Your Presentation: You Are!

Using A Backchannel At Your Conference Or Event

10 Reasons Why You Should Use A Back Channel At Your Conference

16 Criteria For Choosing Your Conference Backchannel Tool

The Audience Talks Back

Twitter 101 Tips & Tricks

10 Tips For Managing Twitter As Your Usage Increases

8 More Tips For Managing Twitter As Your Usage Increases

Twitter Search In Plain English: Common Craft Homerun Video Again!

Ten Ways Twitter Is Like Star Trek

Why Do You Tweet?

What other steps would you add to this Twitter Primer Part 3 on onsite engagement and follow-up for your event? What questions do you have about using Twitter for events and conferences?