Learn how to Twitter chat like a pro with these 10 top tips!
Your dream career could be waiting for you in a Twitter chat…
It’s where my career transition began.
Last year, I joined a Social Media Today webinar which had an accompanying chat #SMTLive. This was my first taste of a Twitter chat, and I had no idea what I was doing! The Tweets were flying by fast and furious. Forget about sharing intelligent and thoughtful Tweets, I was just trying to keep up!
After the webinar, I thanked each guest speaker with a Tweet. One of them replied back: Robert Moore, co-founder of oneQube, home of oneQube SocialAudience.
Fast forward a year later and I am now the Director of Strategic Communications at oneQube!
Social networking on Twitter is a top skill in today’s hyperconnected and global marketplace and workforce. Making Twitter chats part of your networking activities is a smart social strategy. With Twitter chats you can:
- Expedite your network growth and reach.
- Demonstrate thought leadership.
- Cultivate online connections into offline connections.
- Connect with leads, B2B, C-suite executives, social influencers, job candidates.
- Expand your personal interests and hobbies.
I was fortunate to make a pivotal career connection during my first Twitter chat. But I lacked the confidence and knowledge to engage in other Twitter chats. Over the next year, I developed a chat strategy and want to share my top tips to Twitter chat like a pro!
There are 2 prerequisites before you jump into a Twitter chat:
- Choose a Twitter chat to join.
There are hundreds of chats to choose from! Start with an industry-related chat. Many chats offer a preview of the chat topic and questions. Here is a list of several excellent chats to start with:
| Twitter Chat #Hashtag | Time | Moderators |
| #PeopleSkills | Sunday 10amET | @KateNasser |
| #BlogChat | Sunday 9pmET | @MackCollier |
| #ContentChat | Monday 3pmET | @SmarterShft @JeniseFryatt |
| #H2HChat | Monday 3pmET | @bryankramer@suzimcc |
| #SbizHour | Monday 4pmET | @isocialfanz@rachelloumiller |
| #InternPro | Monday 9pmET | @MarkSBabbitt@YouTern |
| #SMTLive | Tuesday 12pmET | @socialmedia2day |
| #JVMChat | Every other Tuesday 1pmET | @CBarrows@JayVig |
| #BizHeroes | Tuesday 2pmET | @KDHungerford@MagdaATQ |
| #GetRealChat | Tuesday 9pmET | @PamMktgNut |
| #TChat | Wednesday 1pmET | @MeghanMBiro @KevinWGrossman |
| #CloudTalk | Thursday 12pmET | @isocialfanz@danielnewmanUV |
| #MediaChat | Thursday 10pmET | @kilby76 |
Choose a Twitter tool to follow the chat:
A dedicated Twitter chat tool is essential for a pleasant chat experience. My go-to tool is TweetChat. The stream displays across most of the page for easy viewing. TweetChat highlights the chat questions facilitating visibility in the stream. You can also limit the stream to 5 Tweets at a time for those super speedy chats.
I also supplement TweetChat with Tweetdeck when I want to share images and other media.
There are many chat tools to choose from. Try out a few and see which ones work best for you!
Now that you have your chat picked out and a tool you’re comfortable with, it’s time to CHAT!
Here are my top 10 tips to Twitter chat Like a PRO!
1) Hype up the chat! A chat countdown is a great way to let your followers and chat moderators know you are ready to participate! For example:
- In ONE Hour! Join me on #BizHeroes for Community & Collaboration
- Only 10 minutes until #Bizheroes Preview ?’s HERE (link to website)
- Join NOW: #Bizheroes w/ guest @MediaLabRat
- Warning: HIGH Tweet volume over the next hour for #BizHeroes!
2) Introduce yourself: Keep it simple. Name, where you’re from, what you do. This is not the place for shameless self-promotion, unless you have a previous arrangement with the moderator.
Bonus Tip: Tweet a image or video relevant to the chat!
3) RT questions from the moderator: The moderator may request the chat community RT the questions. If they don’t, do it anyway:
- Lends a helping hand to the moderator.
- Keeps you active in the stream.
- Adds context to your answers when non-chat participants read your Tweets.
4) Let people know what question you’re answering: Tweet your answers beginning with “A” followed by the question number: A1, A2, A3, etc.
5) Always include the chat #hashtag in your Tweets: Ensure your Tweets show up in the stream using the chat #hashtag. Some chat tools, like TweetChat, automatically add the #hashtag to the end of your Tweets.
6) Engage with others: RT, Fav, and reply to the other chat participants. Make an effort to share Tweets from the moderators and chat guests.
7) Mind your manners: Always be respectful when sharing your opinions and thoughts. Manners matter!
8) Don’t worry if you “fall behind”: Missed a question or a Tweet directed to you during the chat? It happens. Go back to your notifications post-chat and reply to the Tweets you missed.
9) Thank the moderators and chat guest: ALWAYS thank the mods and guests!
10) Make a list of chat participants: A Twitter chat list is a super way organize people to follow, connect, and engage with after the chat.
With these 10 tips you are ready to start chatting like a pro!
Have you participated in Twitter chats before? What are you favorite chat tips?
Tweet me @connect2life and hope to see you in a Twitter chat soon!
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CEO & Managing Partner Trajectory Capital. Lifetime serial entrepreneur, CEO, Board Member, mentor, advisor and investor. Obsessed with the infinite realm of possibility in the disruptive innovation driving global digital transformation in tech, digital media & advertising, cloud-based infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and the blockchain.
