People first ask why to use Twitter, then they ask how to use Twitter. One of the most effective ways to use Twitter is at live events.
There are many enhanced events on Twitter each year: the South by Southwest Music and Multimedia festival (#sxsw), College World Series (#cws), Big Seminar (#bigsem), and hundreds more.
There are several reasons why you want to use Twitter at live events. These are the main reasons:
1. Use Twitter to prepare for the event. You may be looking for other people planning to attend, or asking questions about the speakers or the event. If you see a social event on Saturday night, you can tweet the organizer and ask if there are any special outfits you should bring. You can coordinate trips from the airport by asking if someone else will be arriving around the same time.
2. Use Twitter to connect with other people in attendance. How often have you sat in an audience of several hundred or several thousand people and wondered how you could find someone you knew? Where will you meet for dinner?
With Twitter, simply tweet that you are attending the event and you will be amazed at how many people you know respond to you. Even if they are not at the event, they will tell you about someone they know who is at the same event.
3. Use Twitter to join the conversation. First, find out what hashtag is being used for the event. Just search for the event title and see how the other tweets are tagged. If the event has a Twitter-compatible organizer, ask them what hashtag they are using.
When you use the hashtag (#event), all tweets from the event appear together. Makes it easy for someone following the event to find all the information in one place.
4. Use Twitter to keep others informed about the event. As you listen to the speakers, tweet about what they are presenting. Offer your opinions. Others who are at the event will enjoy your perspective, and those who cannot attend will appreciate the updates.
5. Use Twitter to follow up. If you enjoy tweets from someone else in attendance, start following them. You can ask them for more information, based on their tweets. You can retweet the items that are most useful to you. It is a great way to start new relationships, based on a common event.
While Twitter is a great marketing tool, it is also a great tool for enhancing your experience at seminars and events. Start using it for your next event.