What’s the Best Social Media Site for Connecting with People?

October 4, 2018 By Carol Stephen 4 Comments

What’s the Best Social Media Site for Connecting with People?

Twitter Is Terrific for Connecting with People

Twitter is a wonderful place for connecting with people, but it isn’t the only site that’s good for connecting. LinkedIn and Facebook also allow you to connect and engage with people. You can also use Twitter to build relationships, check the weather, do research, search for content, as well as engage in chats! For more about Twitter chats, check out Twitter Chats: 101 Tips for Success. And if you haven’t checked out #DigiBlogChat, do come visit us on Twitter. Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. PDT.

Whatever You Really Use Tends to Work

Recently, I wrote about my brother and how he used Yelp! for his business, and how successful he was. You don’t have to do whatever the latest guru is saying to do. Like my brother, you can find your own way, and rocket to success. Of course, you’re also going to have to do the hard work to get there. You can choose to go deep on one platform and really learn it inside and out, or you can go light. Or, of course, you could hire someone to take over for you.

Romantic Connections

Instagram is certainly filled with lots of romantic destination, as well as adorable babies, but what about romance? Recently I was a guest on a Zoom webinar, and we discussed Instagram as a way to meet people romantically. And a recent New York Times article seems to indicate that Instagram, played correctly, can be a good place to find love: Instagram is Now a Dating Platform, Too: Here’s How it Works. So if you’re looking for romance, Instagram might be the place to go.

Backyard Barbeque

To quote the incredibly talented, yet humble Carol Stephen (a personal friend), in her soon-to-be translated into 5200 languages including Klingon and Esperanto “Twitter is the friendliest place to engage. To me it’s like a backyard barbeque, or an informal party, where you’re likely to meet all sorts of people, at every hour of the day, from all over the world.” By the way, her book 21 Ways to Total Social Media Engagement That Will Make You Look Like a Pro is for sale on Amazon.

Do You Have a Favorite Site?

Where have you met the most people? Leave me a comment! And thank you.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: backyard barbecue, DigiBlogChat, friendliest social media platform, Twitter chats, Yelp

Twitter Chats: 101 Tips for Success

August 6, 2015 By Carol Stephen 9 Comments

Tweet Chats: 101 Tips for Success

I’ve been hosting #DigiBlogChat (a Twitter chat) since August 5, 2015. Besides this chat, I’ve hosted other chats for years for various brands. So I’ve learned a few things. This is for those of you who want to host your own chat. If you want to participate, you might want to read my post: TweetChats: How to Participate.

What is a Tweet Chat?

A twitter chat is a live event on Twitter, organized around a hashtag. It can be a one-time-only event, or an ongoing event.

1. Participate first before hosting your own chat. Get on a chat or two. Or four.

2. Cohost a chat to see how much work it is. You’ll probably need at least two hours per week to host.

3. Before you jump in, ask someone else how much work is involved.

An Occasional Cartoon Can Help When Your Chat Lags

4. Research your hashtag. Search for 2-3 best hashtags, the shorter the better.

5. Register your hashtag. While no one “owns” a hashtag, registering one gives you legitimacy. You can register on Twubs.

6. Register your tweet chat (also on Twubs).

7. Upload a header for your chat.

8. Send reminders to the people on your list.

@_DanMessina @Joshanisfeld @catsatwork @RandyClarkTKO @JanMagee @Greydock We'd love to see you at #DigiBlogChat Tuesday, 8/4 at 1pm pdt!

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) August 3, 2015

9. Use a scheduler for reminders. Send them (at 7:00 am or earlier) a day or two before the chat.

10. Schedule reminders for the following week right after a chat. It saves time.

11. Group people on reminders,

Keep a Tickler File so You Don’t Have to Consult Your Magic 8Ball

12. Keep a tickler list of topics and cohosts.

13. Flesh out your topics. Create 8-9 questions.

14. Stay open during the chat for an additional sub-question.

15. Save off-topic questions for another chat.

16. Don’t be afraid to repeat topics and tweak questions a little.

17. Involve participants.

18. Have a good, engaging topic to attract new participants and keep everyone interested.

19. Send more than one reminder, especially if you’re just starting out.

20. Remind people about the chat on Facebook.

Have a promo image for your Twitter Chat

21. Create a promo image with the time, hashtag, etc.

22. Change your promo image for each chat if you’re super-ambitious!

23. Promote your chat on Pinterest on your “events” board.

24. Delete and repin your promo on Pinterest before each chat.

25. Ask others to promote for you.

26. Get on the chat at least 15 minutes early.

27. Clear all your notifications and reply to people before you start your chat.

28. Use TweetChat or Twubs.

29. Keep both TweetChat and Twubs open; use whichever is most reliable that day.

30. Keep your questions nearby.

31. Cut and paste your questions into the chat.

32. Welcome everyone.

33. Encourage newbies.

34. Encourage a friendly atmosphere.

35. Get help to welcome people.

The Co-Host for #DigiBlogChat is Larry Mount

36. Have a co-host for help with topics, promotion, and for more reach, too.

37. Have sponsors create topics and questions.

38. Get a sub if you go on vacation.

39. Create a tweet or two for the sub to explain that you’re on vacation.

Questions will appear as Q1, Q2, etc. Please respond to these with A1, A2, and so on. #DigiBlogChat

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) August 4, 2015

40. Remind everyone of the chat’s format.

41. Favorite tweets for inclusion in a post later.

42. Tell people you’re favoriting tweets for a curated blog post.

Time for a short intermission – don’t forget to stretch! #DigiBlogChat

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) August 4, 2015

43. Halfway through send a “stretch” reminder. Hat tip to Bridget Willard of You Too Can Be a Guru for this one.

44. Check TweetReach for a free “slice” of your chat.

45. For complete analytics, use Tweetreach ($20).

Tweets about #digiblogchat have reached 50,370 accounts https://t.co/jx1cP8YZ0q via @tweetreachapp

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) July 28, 2015

46. Send a tweet with the Tweetreach stats.

47. Keep the Tweetreach window/tab open.

48. After the chat, do a screenshot, go to Facebook, and post the screenshot, along with a link to the Tweetreach stats.

49. After the chat, update your Twitter profile to the next chat’s date.

Change Your Profile to Show the Next Chat

50. Update your Twitter list with the new people.

51. Schedule reminders. Keep a Google list. Schedule those reminders right away.

52. Prepare eight or nine questions for the next week.

53. Space your questions, starting at about 1:03 and then every 7-8 minutes.

54. Still reading? Holy cow. You should get a prize.

55. Side conversations are a good thing.

56. Friendships will develop. Also a good thing.

57. Don’t worry about spam. The community will probably block the spammer themselves.

58. Nip bullying in the bud. Prepare a statement to discourage it.

Holy Cow! Are You Still Reading?

59. Decide upon your ultimate goal. To create a community? Gain followers?

60. Use a simple way to measure your goal. Number of tweets or reach, for instance.

61. Set interim goals, as well as long-range ones.

62. Use tools to extend the life of your chat. Storify is excellent.

63. Edit your Storify to 3-4 tweets per question.

64. Create a blog post from your chat.

65. Add images to your blog post.

66. Tweet the blog post.

67. Tag people from the chat who are mentioned in your post.

68. Research your topic if it’s one you don’t already know thoroughly.

69. Create Tweets from the research, such as links about articles.

70. Tweet images, such as cartoons.

71. Invite more people to the chat.

72. Invite people who might be interested in a particular chat topic.

73. If your invited guests join the chat, add them to the list.

74. Rinse and repeat.

75. Remove people from your list if they don’t attend.

Try to Keep the Chat on Topic Because Squirrel!

76. If people get goofy and go wayyyy off topic, rope it back in. Or not.

77. Decide if you want to tweet about religion, politics, or sex.

Don’t Worry Too Much About Low Attendance

78. Despite low attendance, as long as your attendance trends upwards, it’s all good.

79. Set up HootSuite or Tweetchat with a column for your chat’s hashtag in between chats.

80. Avoid selling your own product.

RT @Carol_Stephen Topic suggestions are always welcomed so contact either me or @LazBlazter! #DigiBlogChat

— Tripp Braden (@TrippBraden) August 4, 2015

81. Ask for topic suggestions and co-hosts.

82. Consider the time zones of your target audience. For instance, my friends in England stay up late to attend.

83. Have special guests to create excitement and extend your own knowledge base.

84. Offer the occasional prize or gift. For instance, for an anniversary or special event.

85. Track the number of tweets, impressions, and contributors.

Get Your Chat Listed

86. Make sure you’re listed in chat directories, such as Kneaver.

87. If your friend Adam tells you that making a list of 100 items for a blog post is easy, don’t believe him. It’s harder than making pie. People say pie is easy, too.

88. Use your desktop for the most control. Do not attempt to host a chat on mobile. That way madness lies.

89. Search for other chats in your industry on Google by “keyword + twitter chat” before you pick a time/day for your own.

90. Join other chats to search out new topics for your own.

91. Don’t choose a time that clashes with other chats in your industry.

92. Your chat name doesn’t have to end with chat (although most do). You could end with talk, for instance.

93. Send questions to guests (or publish them) ahead of time. Some people like to prepare beforehand.

94. Schedule at least two tweets the day of the chat and one the day before to promote.

95. Reward your best contributors. Give them a shoutout after the chat to say thanks.

96. If you have a guest answering questions for the brand, you can have them live on the phone during the chat.

97. Use your email list to promote and grow your chat even more.

98. Follow all the newbies on your chat–unless they’re spammy.

Publicize Your Twitter List After the Chat

99. Publicize your Twitter list after the chat. Ask people to subscribe as a service.

100. If newbies forget etiquette during the chat, remind them (e.g., don’t forget the hashtag!).

101. Above all, be a good host. Like a party, a Twitter chat needs structure and planning to operate smoothly.

What Advice Do You Have?

If you have any advice, let me know in the comments! Thanks.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: DigiBlogChat, event, promotion, tips, Tweetchat, Twitter, Twitter Chat, Twubs

Three Favorite Tools to Manage Twitter Chats

May 28, 2015 By Carol Stephen 10 Comments

Three Favorite Tools to Manage Twitter Chats

If you’ve been tweeting for awhile, you are already familiar with some of the more common tools out there. However, you may not know about which tools you can use to help you with Twitter Chats. Many people use the Twitter app on their smartphone to tweet, or manage their accounts with Tweetdeck or Hootsuite. For a chat, it’s much easier if you use the desktop–there’s so much going on and so quickly.

You can use Tweetdeck/Hootsuite with specific columns for your chat’s hashtag and mentions, but specialized tools are much more helpful. What other tools are available to help you manage your chat and keep your sanity? Here are three of my favorites.

TweetChat is a Favorite Tool to Manage Twitter Chats

TweetChat

TweetChat is an interface that allows you to run and attend Twitter chats. Enter your hashtag to start, and login through your Twitter account. As moderator, your questions will be highlighted and more visible to others in the chat. You can slow down the stream, which is handy if you’re on a busy chat. TweetChat automagically adds the hashtag to your tweet, too.

TweetChat Automagically Adds the Hashtag to Your Tweets During a Chat

The screenshot above shows you the TweetChat interface during an actual chat (#DigiBlogChat is on Tuesdays at 1 pm Pacific time, run by myself and @LazBlazter). Note the green “Pause Stream” button–very handy sometimes! I also like the “active rooms” feature, where you can see which chats are active.

Twubs is a free and easy-to-use tool to help you manage your Twitter chat

Twubs

This free and easy-to-use tool helps you manage your Twitter chat. Simply enter your hashtag and sign in through Twitter. Like TweetChat, Twubs adds the hashtag for you, and lets you isolate tweets from the chat. There’s also a handy list of chats if you get on Twitter and feel like chatting (tweetchats are an excellent way to get high-quality followers), but don’t have a chat in mind.

On Twubs, people can join as contributors or members of a chat

Another nifty feature of Twubs is the ability to register your hashtag. Keep in mind, though, that no one “owns” a hashtag. And people can join as contributors or members if they are regulars to your chat. On a busy chat, you could easily miss someone’s tweet, so seeing contributors is a handy feature–though this is a partial list of total contributors.

TweetReach analyzes the reach of your Twitter Chat

TweetReach

TweetReach analyzes the reach of your Twitter Chat. Also use it to see how far a url or phrase has traveled (could be a handy way to see who has retweeted your blog posts, for instance). If you use it halfway through the chat you can get an idea of how well your chat as a whole is doing. You could also pay the $20 to get the full-fledged report with all the analytics. If you like data, you’re likely to be in Nirvana if you see the full report!

Have a Favorite Twitter Chat Tool?

Leave me a comment, below. I’m always fascinated by the tools that people use to help manage their Twitter chats. And thank you for reading!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: analytics, DigiBlogChat, HootSuite, Tools, Tweetchat, Tweetdeck, Tweetreach, Twitter, Twitter Chat, Twubs

The 9-1/2 Best Places to Find Inspiration

February 5, 2015 By Carol Stephen 2 Comments

The 9-1/2 Best Places to Find Inspiration

You’ve been wracking your brain trying to figure out what to write about on your next article or blogpost, but have come up with nothing. Zero. Zilch. When you’re at your wit’s end, here are a few places to go for inspiration.

Go Into Nature for Inspiration

Go Into Nature

There’s something about the sight of trees, the sound of rain, the smell of the ocean, and the feel of sand and rocks that help you to refocus and rediscover what’s important. Here’s an interesting article about sounds: Why Buffalos and Crickets Help Us Relax. A field trip to a nearby park can really get the inspirational juices going.

Take a Shower if you want inspiration

Take a Shower

A warm shower is one of the most relaxing places there is. You don’t have to take one with your dog to get the benefits, but that could help as well. Look at how happy that dog looks!

Get Enough Sleep for Better Inspiration

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep has been touted lately as important to alertness and health. And if you don’t believe me, take a look at these articles:

Go for a Drive

A drive forces your mind to focus on something other than your work (unless you’re a taxi driver). Hopefully, there’s a place to drive nearby with trees and that doesn’t involve sitting in traffic. Rolling the windows down and feeling the wind can help clear the cobwebs out of your mind and help inspire you.

Get inspired: Go Drive

Explore Other Blogs–Or Your Own

Other blogs may give you ideas that you hadn’t thought about. You could even search Google for “Inspiration,” and see where that takes you. Another idea is to go back through your own blog and see if you could take off or expand upon an idea that you had.

Explore Blogs

Spend Time with Pets to Be Inspired

Spend Time with Pets

Your pet cat, your pet iguana, and your dogs would all like you to inspire you. And it turns out that you can get a lot of great ideas from man’s (and woman’s) best friends. Being more curious is but one of the things you can learn from your pets.

Go Somewhere with No Internet

Better still, go there without any way to record those new ideas. Then you’ll be forced to remember that idea. Many of us who are online all day find being offline a welcome relief.

Answer the Questions Your Clients Ask You

Clients will often ask you the best questions, questions that you didn’t know that anyone had! Last week, someone asked me how to have a conversation on Twitter, and seemed surprised that a conversation was even possible. That could turn into a blog post, or a series of tweets.

Talk to Your Friends

I’ve talked about having a blogging buddy before. That is someone who supports your crazy, crazy ideas, and inspires you to have more of them. Bridget Willard is mine. You could also have coffee or lunch with someone, especially if, like many entrepreneurs you often eat lunch alone.

Let Tweetchats Inspire You

Sometimes I’ll get inspiration from others on the #DigiBlogChat Tweetchat (Tuesdays at 1 pm pst if you’d like to join!). Recently, someone asked about Twitter best practices, so that became a blogpost and it also turned into chat questions, too. Yes, the tweetchat idea was the 1/2, but really it’s more like one and one-half. That chat always invigorates me!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Blog, blogging, DigiBlogChat, drive, inspiration, Internet, nap, nature, pets, shower, Tweetchat, Twitter

TweetChats: How to Participate

August 5, 2014 By Carol Stephen 10 Comments

TweetChats: How to Participate

Getting the Most from a TweetChat

You’ve been invited to a tweetchat and, full of enthusiasm, you say yes without fully realizing what you’ve committed yourself to. After all, how difficult could it be, right? Actually, this is one of those times when you can do a Happy Twitter Dance because TweetChats are fun and easy to learn! You can easily participate in a TweetChat, with the help of a few tools (not necessarily a Weedwacker). As my ol’ granpappy used to say “Never bring more than one Weedwacker to a TweetChat. But I digress.

Each TweetChat Has Its Own Hashtag

For instance #DogFriendlyChat or my friend Amy Donohue’s #KidneyChat. Hashtags help to organize chats. If you need to know how not to use hashtags, here you go!

The Day or Week Before the Chat

A chat’s creator will often create and post questions so that you can prepare for that chat. For instance, Bridget Willard holds #ConstChat for Riggins Construction, and tells people the questions ahead of time. In last week’s #ConstChat, we chatted about insulation. This gave everyone lots of time to study the questions about insulation and prepare ahead of time if they wanted to. Bridget has created a really neat Tagboard for #ConstChat.

Prepare Ahead…or Not!

You can prepare answers to the questions ahead of time and for extra super-duper bonus points, you can even put your answers into a file which you can then cut and paste during the chat itself. But for the most fun during a chat, why not be spontaneous and interact with the others in the chat? When it’s your first chat, or maybe any time, maybe it’s fun to just be spontaneous.

Whether you decide to be spontaneous or prepare ahead of time, so long as you follow some basic etiquette, you’ll be fine. Don’t talk about the heartbreak of psoriasis, unless you’re on #PsoriasisChat, for instance.

Five Minutes Before a TweetChat

Log into TweetChat.com using your Twitter account. Get a cup of coffee or water, and take a deep breath. TweetChat.com automagically adds in the hashtag for you, so you don’t have to think about. It aggregates all the tweets with the hashtag for you, making the chat extra easy. Another benefit is that you can slow down the stream using TweetChat.com. It’s really a great tool. There are other third-party apps to help you, but TweetChat has been the most reliable for me.

During the Chat

The most important tools you’ll need during a TweetChat are your ears and eyes. Watch what everyone else is saying and have a discussion, be engaging, be funny, or entertaining. Everyone will have a much better time if you’re not too serious. Retweet others, have fun, and talk to everyone.

Follow Others

Follow Others After a TweetChat

One of the biggest benefits of being in a TweetChat is to gain high-quality followers. So join TweetChats that are important to you as a brand and that will help you grow your business. If you have a new interest or your business is growing, seek out a TweetChat related to your new interests. You’ll meet other like-minded people to follow and connect with.

After the Chat

I like to add people to a list if the chat is one I regularly attend. For instance, Larry Mount (@LazBlazter) and me will be starting #DigiBlogChat today, Tuesday August 5th at 1:00 pm pdt. So I’ll start a list called DigiBlogChat within Twitter. You can read my previous post about how to use Twitter lists (for the power user). You can create a list even if you’re a participant. Or, subscribe to someone else’s list (why reinvent the wheel?).

Keep track of those you’ve met virtually in the chat through your own or others’ lists. Engage with them, retweet them, and check up on them regularly.

Please Participate in #DigiBlogChat!

Please drop in some Tuesday and visit! It will be loads of fun!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: DigiBlogChat, Follow, Following, follwers, hashtag, Tweetchat, Twitter