Quick Tip: Use Twitter Chats to Network Online

Online networking can be a great way to meet and connect with new people and new audiences. An example of an easy way to network with a lot of people with a common interest online is to take part in Twitter Chats.

Taking part in Twitter chats are a great way to engage with your audience. It can also help you find new audiences/people on Twitter on your expert topic (or other topics that you are interested in talking about). As with all networking, you get out what you put in. If you’re active and engage with others, you can form relationships, build credibility and grow your brand. Particularly if you engage in the same twitter chats on a regular basis.

Prepare

Once you have identified a chat to take part in (you can find out more about finding Twitter Chats here) you will need to make sure that you prepare in advance where you can.

For example, in the social media planner, the preparation section includes space for identifying hosts and participants in advance (alongside some market research) and planning out any content that you might use during the chat.

Engage

To make the most of the Twitter Chat you should actively participate in the chat and engage with the others participating in the chat (not just the host). Reply and engage with the other attendees.

Don’t multi-task, be present and engage properly.

Follow-up

After the chat is over, follow-up with the other participants and remember to follow / message people of interest. Manage the people who you connect with and engage with by using Twitter lists.

If you are using the social media planner this includes space for following up including content follow up, new followers follow up, participants follow as well as making notes for the next chat and inspiration from the chat.

Review

Finally, if the chat works for you and you are meeting the right people – make the chat a regular activity. Being a regular will mean that you will build your relationships with the other participants over time (in the same way that you would by attending networking events in real life).

The social media planner includes space for you to carry out a Twitter chat review including space to note things to do next time.