#Digiblogchat July 12, 2022 SEO Do’s and Don’ts for Bloggers with @joeytrend

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/kanenori-4749850/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=6785763">Kanenori</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=6785763">Pixabay</a>

#Digiblogchat July 12, 2022 SEO Do’s and Don’ts for Bloggers with @joeytrend| Image by Kanenori from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, July 12, 2022 is SEO Do’s and Don’ts for Bloggers with special guest @joeytrend! Check out Joey’s website. Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat.

Here are the questions:

Q1. How does SEO benefit bloggers?

A1: SEO is a way to get ongoing referral traffic from Google, Yahoo, and Bing without paying for ads. More readers, more money.

Q2. What are the major ranking factors to consider when making a new blog?

A2: 1. Having relevant content. 2. Targeting keywords. 3. Page speed. 4. Security. 5. Online chatter. Getting these 5 things right does wonder for getting new web traffic from SEO.

Q3. How do you write SEO optimized content for blogs?

A3: Writing SEO content for blogs is easy when you use tools like @surfer_seo. SEO Surfer creates guidelines on what to write based on your target keywords with the SEO best practices in mind. Stop using Microsoft Word lol!

Q4. What tools do you use to optimize your blog for search engines?

A4: I use a few different tools to optimize blogs including,

@surfer_seo, @mangools_com, @Serpstat, @ahrefs, and @semrush. They all serve a unique purpose when I optimize blogs for search engines. My answers will reveal what I use them for.

Q5. What are some examples of what can hurt your blog’s chances of ranking higher in the search engines?

A5: 1. Thin content. 2. Not secure. 3. Slow page speed. 4. Spammy link profile. 5. Bad reputation online.

Q6. What are some examples of what can help your blog’s chances of ranking higher in search engines?

A6. 1. Valuable content. 2. Is secure. 3. Fast page speed. 4. Quality link profile. 5. Great reputation online.

Q7. How can you track the traffic coming to your blog from search engines?

A7: Using data analytic tools like Google Analytics or @clicky you can track user data and see the demographics of your blog readers. Don’t fly blind. Make sure to look at your data!

Q8. How do you find new keywords to make blog content around?

A8: Using keyword-finding tools like @mangools_com makes it easy to find great low-competition keywords to target. This tool will take a lot of y’all to the next level!

Q9. What are backlinks and how do you check the ones pointing to your blog?

A9.1: Backlinks are website links on other websites referring to your website. Search engines consider backlinks an endorsement from another website on a topic of authority. Quality backlinks build your blog’s authority on a particular subject over time.

A9.2: Using backlink checking tools like @ahref backlink checker you can inspect the backlink profile of your blog. It is simple, easy, and free.

Q10. How can SEO make your blog more valuable over time?

A10: Overtime blog content that has been optimized for search engines will bring in continuous web traffic. Every optimized article and every quality backlink make your blog more valuable to investors. That is if you ever decide to sell your blog one day.

#Digiblogchat Questions April 14, 2020

 

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The topic for April 14, 2020 is Mental health and well-being during difficult times! 

Q1. How do you think an extended quarantine will affect your mental health? 

Q2. Does having the data and facts about #Covid19 make you feel calmer?  How so? 

Q3. How does self-care change your psychological outlook?  

Q4. How does a feeling of gratitude change your outlook? 

Q5.  What effect does exercise have on your mental health? 

Q6. How do you feel about virtual mental health care?  

Q7. Has listening to the news about #Covid19 changed your sleep habits, and if so how? 

Q8. What are you looking for in other people’s behavior? Are you observing and reaching out to others? 

Q9. How has the stress of sharing your personal space affected you?   

Q10. What suggestions do you have for someone who just found out about #Covid19? 

 

How to Join #DigiBlogChat Twitter Chat

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What is #DigiBlogChat?

#DigiBlogChat is a chat on Twitter about social media, blogging, privacy concerns, and many other digital topics. #DigiBlogChat is every Tuesday from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Twitter.  My partner on the #DigiBlogChat is Larry (@LazBlazter on Twitter). It’s free to join. Although this post is about how to join #DigiBlogChat, you could join any other chat using the same procedure. Here are some tips for you.

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Mark Your Calendar

I try to start exactly on time and respect the time of our followers. Also, if you’d like a reminder about the chat, send me a DM on Twitter and you’ll get a reminder early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Search for the Hashtag

Once you’re on Twitter, search for the hashtag. You can join the chat right on Twitter, if you like.

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Look for the Questions

After a few minutes of saying hello, you’ll see the first question. Questions are labelled Q1, Q2, Q3, and so on. When you answer, use A1, A2, A3, etcetera.

Add the Hashtag

Make sure you add the #DigiBlogChat hashtag when you tweet so others can see your tweets. You can also add a column in HootSuite so you can see all the tweets.

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Use TweetChat or tchat.io

An easy way to add the hashtag is to get on tchat.io or Tweetchat, where the hashtag is automagically added to your tweet. That way you can focus on your answers and type a little less!

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TweetChats Move Quickly!

You may feel overwhelmed when you first follow any chat. If it’s too much for you, you may want to lurk until you get the hang of it. When you introduce yourself, you may also want to mention that it’s your first chat. Most moderators will try to include you (unless it’s a huge chat, where you may feel lost when you join).

Chat Rules

Most chat moderators frown upon blatant self-promotion. However, there are exceptions. For instance, if you just wrote a blog post directly related to the topic, you might want to ask the moderator if it’s ok to tweet. The other big rule is not to bully anyone or you may get kicked off.

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Tweet a Little or Tweet a Lot

There is a huge variation as to how much people tweet during a chat. Most of us tweet more during a chat than at any other time. You may want to warn your followers that you’re joining a chat. If you want to be a really good guest, you might like: How to Excel as a Twitter Chat Guest: 10 Best Ways.

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Questions?

Reach out to me on Twitter @Carol_Stephen. Or leave a comment here. Thank you.

How to Excel as a Twitter Chat Guest: 10 Best Ways

How to Excel as a Twitter Chat Guest: 10 Best Ways

How to Excel as a Twitter Chat Guest: 10 Best Ways

There are a number of things a person can do to be a better Twitter chat guest. Having been on both sides of that digital divide, here are my favorites. If you’re new to tweetchats, here’s an article that could be interesting: TweetChats: How to Participate.

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Introduce Yourself

People often forget that others may not know them in the chat. So introducing yourself is a good way to make yourself known. And you may need to say your name at the end of the chat, too, for those late joiners.

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Get There Early

Often, regulars to a chat like to show up early to say hello. If you’d like to e-meet more people, show up early and see what’s happening.

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Use the Hashtag

People often forget to use the hashtag. They don’t do it intentionally, of course. If you use an app, such as tchat.io, it can automatically add the hashtag for you, so you don’t have to think about it. Want to learn more about hashtags? Check out Hubspot’s The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Hashtags for 2018.

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Retweet Others

A great way to get more reach is to retweet the questions. Sometimes in a fast-moving chat, people miss the questions, so this is really helpful. You can also retweet some of your favorite replies to questions. By the way, using Twitter on your desktop is the best way to engage in a tweetchat. Being on a tweetchat with a mobile phone isn’t nearly as fun.

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Watch the Chat Before You Join

If you can be on a chat the week or two before you join one, you’ll get a feel for who the regulars are. And you’ll see how formal or informal the chat is, too. The chat I run with partner Larry Mount (@Lazblazter) weekly, #DigiBlogChat, has quite a few regulars, and those who drop in from time to time, too. If you’d like to join us, we’re there every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. pdt.

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Squelch Trolls

Occasionally, there will be a troll. Not very often, but it does happen. Although the chat moderator may be the one to block the troll, your blocking the troll can be very helpful, too.

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Hang out Afterwards

Stay on for a few minutes after the chat if there is more to discuss. Sometimes discussions will go on for hours after a chat has ended.

Connect with Everyone

People on chats are the most engaged people on Twitter. Follow as many as you can! Go back through the tweets and follow those you might have missed.

List People on the Chat

Create your own list, or subscribe to a list, if you feel like it. This way you can easily access those you’ve met on the chat. If you’re unfamiliar with lists, you might like Twitter Lists for the Power User.

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What Constitutes a Good Twitter Chat Guest?

What constitutes a good Twitter chat guest for you? Let me know in the comments! And thank you.

 

Insomnia: A Social Media Manager’s Battle

Insomnia: A Social Media Manager's Battle

Insomnia: A Social Media Manager’s Battle

Social media managers often get insomnia. I read about it one time on Mashable. I was sleepy, but I think that’s where it was. We worry about getting online traffic, clicks, and a whole host of other ridiculous things, such as the following.

The Ridonculous Headline

We worry about silly things like headlines. You’ve all heard that the headline is the most important part of writing an article or blog post. It needs to be catchy, but not linkbait. You want people to click on that link and then dive into the blog post. You might want to read about why headline writing is such a pain in the asterisk.

Forgetting

With social media, there’s always more to do. One more tweet to write, one more person to talk to, one more half-baked task to implement. So while you’re trying to sleep, there’s always a little voice saying “what did you forget to do?”

The Stupid Call to Action

As if writing a decent Facebook post isn’t hard enough, there’s always that stupid call to action. Sometimes it’s implied, but usually not. It can be a question, such as “tell me what you would do,” “do you agree?” “Tell us! Yes or No.” Sometimes it’s a button to subscribe or sign up for a newsletter. Hubspot has some terrific call to action examples, by the way.

The Ludicrous Return on Investment

If you track everything carefully and use your analytics, you can figure out where you’re getting the most return on investment (ROI). But with social media, it’s more like your audience gets warmed up before making a sale. Could you track where every single customer comes from?

The Image

The Image

The Compelling Image

Is the image captivating enough? Does it tell a story? Is it boring? Again, without sliding over into linkbait, the image has to ride that fine edge between captivating and linkbait. Will your audience lean in to see what’s happening in the image? Line, color, and texture all need to work together.

Timing

Timing is another preposterous thing to consider. If you post too early, no one will be awake (except the other insomniacs who haven’t been to bed yet. Post too late and only the zombies and creatures of the night will see it. Then again, you don’t want to do what everyone else does! That late night post just might get picked up and go viral! It could happen!

What if No One Shows up to the Twitter Chat?

What if No One Shows up to the Twitter Chat?

What If There’s a Chat and No One Shows Up?

Akin to “if a tree falls in the forest and no one’s there…”. You tweet out carefully crafted questions and nobody answers. Tick-tock, Tick-tock, Tick-tock. Crickets. Getting those first few people to join your chat can take forever. Meantime, you have to keep plugging away, and whistling a happy tune.

Scheduling Versus Being Online Live

Scheduling Versus Being Online Live

Scheduling Versus Being Online Live

Do you wait around for someone to respond to your tweet? Or do you post, go away, and come back three days later? That’s the dilemma right there. Of course, the more you’re online, the better your chances are of making a good contact. And as my buddy, Bridget Willard says, “Relationships are long-term investments.”

What Dopey Things Keep You Up At Night?

What Dopey Things Keep You Up At Night?

What Dopey Things Keep You Up At Night?

Leave me a ridiculous comment!

 

 

 

Twitter Chats: 101 Tips for Success

 

Tweet Chats: 101 Tips for Success

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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).

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

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?

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!

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

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.

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

Get Your Chat Listed

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

Don't Believe Everything Your Friends Say

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

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.

How Nostradamus Predicted Massive Twitter Failure

How Nostradamus Predicted Massive Twitter Failure

How Nostradamus Predicted Massive Twitter Failure

Most of Nostradamus’ predictions covered disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and droughts. Often he retroactively predicted catastrophes with specific locations or dates. Or so people thought! When reread in 2015, Nostradamus was obviously talking about Twitter the entire time. This is his true gift to mankind.

Let’s take a look at some of those predictions and see what they really mean.

People Will Live To Be 200

People Will Live To Be 200

People Will Live To Be 200

Obviously, Nostradamus meant that tweets will live for 200 years. In the future, your great-great-great grandkids will see your tweets and wonder just what you were thinking. Why so many videos of cats? And why always the headline and the link? What the heck?

The Dead Will Walk And Your Tweets Will Live Forever

The Dead Will Walk And Your Tweets Will Live Forever

The Dead Will Resurrect

That tweet you thought was gone when you deleted it? Not so much. Look at all the politicians deleting tweets before elections (Donald Trump comes to mind). Someone took a screenshot and saved that tweet, though. So be careful what you say, Donald! You can’t fool us!

California Will Have an Enormous Earthquake

California Will Have an Enormous Earthquake

California Will Have an Enormous Earthquake

Yes, we will. And Twitter is in California. Coincidence? No.

Fear the Sugar

Fear the Sugar

The Third AntiChrist Will Appear at the Beginning of the 21st Century

Now, that’s no way to talk about Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey. Come on now. He’s been trying to get the stock price up, to make Twitter easier to use, and to explain the benefits of only 140 characters, blah, blah, blah, as CNN Money explains in their article.

Is Twitter Facing Extinction?

Is Twitter Facing Extinction?

The Mayan Armageddon

Nostradamus was trying to say that Twitter was going down. But Twitter is not going anywhere in the down direction in 2015 (or 2012 as some predicted from Nostradamus’ texts). If you’re wondering whether Nostradamus was something of a Debbie Downer, the answer is yes.

The Differences Between Languages Will Disappear

Now people using hashtags all over the place makes me angry as much as the next Social Media Manager. And tweeting from Facebook is plain wrong. We’ve also seen the rise of pins on Twitter and links that go to LinkedIn, as well as Google translate. So maybe Nostradamus was right about this one.

Got a Prophecy About Twitter?

Want to be your own Nostradamus? Leave me a comment! Yes, I’d really like to know what you think!

 

 

 

 

 

Three Favorite Tools to Manage Twitter Chats

Three Favorite Tools to Manage Twitter Chats

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 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

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 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

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 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!

 

 

 

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