The Power Behind Twitter Chats

I have recently begun diving into the world of Twitter chats and have realized the power behind them. A Twitter tweet chat is a pre-arranged chat that happens on Twitter through the use of tweets that include a predefined hashtag to link those tweets together in a virtual conversation.

Formal Twitter tweet chats are arranged in advance and occur at a specific time. They may include a formal agenda with a specific leader or "speaker", or they might involve a free flowing discussion between all participants.

This past Tuesday night, I participated in a popular Twitter chat known as #PRStudChat, thanks to a Temple University alum, Jessica Lawlor (@jesslaw), who was chosen to host it this month. Developed by Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge) and Valerie Simon (@valeriesimon), #PRStudChat is a community designed to bring together PR students, professionals,and educators for a dynamic conversation about the Public Relations Industry and to provide opportunities for learning, networking and mentoring relationships.

Live conversations held each month on Twitter using the hashtag #PRStudChat offer insights into the practice, business, career, and future of Public Relations by bringing together current and future industry leaders.

There are many reasons to participate in Twitter chats but here are a few ways you can benefit from one:

Connect With People Beyond Your Network 

By participating in a Twitter chat, you have the ability to connect with like-minded people across the world. Engaging with others' responses is a great way to network during a Twitter chat. Thought provoking topics can really breed intriguing conversation. As aspiring PR pros, learning from others is extremely vital. Being able to build your network in under an hour or two is incredible and really speaks to the real-time nature of the PR field.

Foster Creativity 

When you have to react quickly and respond in real-time, it really gets your creative juices flowing. Being able to respond positively to pressure-filled situations helps to develop critical thinking skills which are crucial in any career. Getting creative with 140 characters is definitely a challenge!

Build Knowledge 

You can always learn something new from a Twitter chat. Being able to discuss a concept or idea with others leads to understanding. As I mentioned before, learning from others is crucial in this profession.

Participating in Twitter chats, or even just listening and learning, will benefit you both personally and professionally. Go tweet! What are you waiting for?

#TU101

It seems that nothing is a more effective marketing tool than guerrilla social networking. A perfect example would be the explosion of the #TU101 hashtag on Twitter last Sunday, July 7^th. The hashtag was started by a rising senior who thought it would be a great idea to start a conversation on things to know upon coming to Temple University. It didn't take long for the trend to catch on and students began to share their own advice, experience, and quirks that come along with being a Temple Owl. Within the hour, the trending topic jumped to the number one most tweeted topic in the Philadelphia area. As more students discovered the trending topic, more students tuned in and contributed to the conversation. Eventually, it wasn’t just current students joining the conversation. Incoming freshman began asking questions and receiving tips that I’m sure every freshman wish they had before college. In just a few short hours #TU101 went from the top hashtag in the Philadelphia region to the third most discussed hashtag nationwide!

While people expressed a few grievances about the school, the overall tone of the conversation expressed adoration for Temple. Without a marketing team, this hashtag not only boosted the morale of the students and generated pride for Temple University, but also raised awareness to incoming students of the great opportunities that the school has to offer.

So how was this spontaneous campaign so effective? It is a relatable topic. Temple University has over 35,000 students and each one of them has a story to share or, in this case, a tweet to send. If you have a topic that you want to share you don’t necessarily need a social media team behind you. All you need is a simple, relatable topic that can generate a conversation.

Have you started a trending topic? How effective was it? We would love to know!