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Twitter chat?is a wonderful way to meet new users and engage in thought-provoking conversations with people who share your interests.
It is basically a group of users who agree to organize around a specific
hashtag?(or topic) at a pre-appointed time so that everyone can follow the exchange of tweets in a single thread.
There are many tweet chats going on at any given time and all you need to do is look for a topic that best suits your interests and schedule. Here's a great place to start looking for
scheduled chats.
Tweet Chat Behavior
Of course, just as tweets require a certain minimum behavioral requirements to be successful (and stay within
Twitter Regulations), so do tweet chats. After all, you don't want to be joining a tweet chat and be ignored or, worse, have everybody else
unfollowing?or blocking you.
Maximizing Your Tweet Chat Experience
1. Before joining a tweet chat, decide first if this is the conversation where you really want to be.
You don't have to be a guru at a specific topic to qualify for a tweet chat. In fact, anybody can join, except, of course, if you've been blocked by its creator. Otherwise, it's free for all.
Tweet chat creators use
Twitter chat tools?that will help them better monitor the conversation and eliminate unnecessary chatter or unrelated tweets. Moderators have the mandate to steer the conversation, set ground rules and block users who they think should not be in the list for various reasons.
If the tweet chat doesn't interest you at all, then there's no point staying and reading on what others have to say (if you even read, at all). Be clear about your objectives before stepping in so you don't waste your time and the other users' in the thread.
2. Be consistent.
Most tweet chats happen if not daily, bi-weekly, weekly or monthly. If you want to build a solid network of friends around a topic you truly care about, you must be consistent in your attendance.
Engagement, or getting into conversations, with other users in the tweet chat is the core of the Twitter experience, so be sure to be visible and active the next time the tweet chat is scheduled. This is how you will build a network that, if you're trying to promote a brand, will certainly help boost your follower numbers and activity.
3. Be true to yourself.
People who are truly engaged in a topic will spot a fake among them. This is why it's very important that you enter a tweet chat topic that you really care about or are very interested in learning.
Don't go annoying the group by pretending to be engaged and then failing when the conversations go into more detail. Also, deliberately trying to challenge people just to stir conflict and create heat just because you think the topic is boring or there's nothing much happening is a major way to get blocked out of the group.
4. Ask questions.
You're all in the chat to learn something new from each other, so don't be afraid to ask questions. More likely than not, the bigger tweet chats will have thought leaders in the group who will be able to answer even your most complicated questions. Don't miss the opportunity to pick their minds for ideas.
Overall, a tweet chat is really designed to give you the chance to talk to other users who have the same interests as you do. Take this opportunity to share new information or learn more from others who probably have more experience and training on a specific subject.
Engage in the conversation and place valuable input. Before you know it, you'll see your Follower numbers soar and you'll develop solid and lasting relationships in Twitterverse.
