3 reasons you should live tweet your next event.

If you have a Twitter account you’ve probably unknowingly done it. Either at a conference you’ve attended or from your own couch, you have live-tweeted. Live-tweeting is the participation in a Twitter discussion using specified hashtags or replying to specific Twitter users who are hosting the discussion.

At most conferences and events live-tweeting is becoming a staple. There are typically large screens that display the tweets of people who are using the specified hashtag for all attendees to see. Regardless of the size of your business or the number of attendees, you should consider incorporating live tweeting into your next meeting, conference, or event. Here’s why.

1. Increases networking opportunities.

Live-tweeting makes networking a lot easier at events. Attendees will be able to see who is at the event by checking out the live tweet feed or the hashtag on their mobile devices. This will give them the opportunity to meet people face-to-face that they have connected with online. Participants will be able to have discussions with speakers and attendees that they may not have the opportunity to meet. The larger discussion that is happening online takes networking at these events to a whole new level.

 2. Encourages Attendee Engagement

Attendees will now be able to tweet questions to presenters, comment on the flow of the event, and can engage with the organization that is hosting it all. Users will share photos from the event using the hashtag to show how much fun they are having. They will take the opportunity to ask the question to the speaker that they came to hear, and possibly have it answered. The more engaged people are, the more likely they are to spread a positive message about the event and your organization.

 3.  Helps make next year’s event better!

Finally, live-tweeting gives your organization an opportunity to get feedback. You can search through the hashtag conversation to see what people enjoyed about the event, and what they hated, and even archive the photos to use to promote next year’s event.  You can also tweet out links to event evaluations about the speaker, meals, and whatever you want feedback on.

There are countless other reasons why you should consider including live-tweeting at your next event, but the list would be a lot longer. It’s crucial to send out email reminders to attendees about the appropriate hashtag to use and how they can participate before the event gets started.

Don’t forget to participate in the conversation yourself, and have fun!