The New Twitter

Ashley Haugen

Over the next several weeks, Twitter will be shedding some old feathers and taking on a new look. In a move they hope will coax users away from third party apps and back to the main site, the redesign encompasses Twitter.com and TweetDeck, as well as its mobile apps. Here is a look at what you can expect.

There are three new buttons at the top of the page: Home, @Connect and #Discover.

            •            Home: Your updated news feed. See information about @replies and retweets, as well as linkable content (videos and pictures) right in the feed.

            •            @Connect: Shows who has mentioned you and suggests some accounts you might want to follow.

            •            #Discover: Shows what's trending and points you to notable stories and videos. This feature is a great example of the more personalized Twitter. Discover will identify stories and trends based on your connections, location and language.

The redesign also has Tweets housed on the right side, and your profile box in the upper left hand corner. Not exactly sure why there was a need to do this, but I'm sure there was plenty of market research and design psychology involved.

Other notables:

            •            Brand Pages: Taking a note from Facebook and Google+, the new Twitter will allow brand pages for companies which will have a bigger header, more customizable options and extended taglines. The coolest feature here is that brands will be able to choose what tweet stays at the top of their timeline, thus highlighting their best content.

            •            Embedded Tweets: Now website developers and bloggers can embed tweets right into their website. This gives visitors the ability to reply, retweet and favorite without leaving the page.

You can get the new Twitter now by downloading the updated version for iPhone or Android here. Otherwise, it will be taking over the Twittersphere over the next few weeks. Here is a video from Twitter showing off the new features:

The New Twitter

What do you think? Will the redesign be a hit or have us all atwitter? 

Ashley Haugen is a Gustavus Adolphus College alumna. She has had Marketing experience working with such organizations as the LOFT Literary Center, the Gustavus Marketing Department and the OrdwayCenter for Performing Arts. She currently is a PR associate at Axiom Marketing Communications.

Five Steps to a Successful Twitter Chat

Brandi Palecheck

Are you looking for a unique, meaningful way to connect your target audience? Do you want to engage your customers in a dynamic discussion while at the same time demonstrate your knowledge and expertise? One very effective way to accomplish all of these objectives is to host a Twitter chat.

What are Twitter chats, you ask? Twitter chats are regularly scheduled discussions held on Twitter moderated by one or more people. These conversations often include a guest expert or industry thought-leader. Twitter users gather together on a specific day and time to answer questions and give opinions on specific topics of interest.

During a Twitter chat, participants follow and contribute to the conversation through the use of a distinct hashtag. Using a chat tool like Tweet Chat or a 3rd party Twitter application such as Tweet Deck, where tweeters can track the discussion, respond to questions shared by one of the moderators, and read comments posted by other chat participants.

But just how do you manage a discussion on Twitter and what is involved in hosting one? Here are five steps to help you organize and host your very own Twitter chat. 

Step 1: Planning

Decide on the hashtag to be used for the Twitter chat and perform a Twitter search to determine if it is available. Choose the topic, date, and time for the discussion. Then determine who will host and moderate the conversation as well as any special guests or subject experts who will contribute to the chat.

Step 2: Preparation

Create a set of guidelines and instructions for the chat that can be sent out as tweets just prior to the start of the discussion. Write up a list of questions to ask during the conversation. Gather a list of articles, quotes, and other resources to can be shared during the chat. Be sure to include content and information from your own website as well as other resources. Follow-up with moderators and guests to confirm their participation,share prepared materials, and address any questions they may have before the day of the chat.

Step 3: Promotion

Announce the Twitter chat on your blog. Share information about the chat in your email newsletter or send a special invitation to customers via email. Schedule it as an event on Facebook and invite the community on your Facebook page. If your business or organization has a group on LinkedIn, list details about the event and create discussion around the topic of the Twitter chat. And, of course, send out several tweets to promote the event to your Twitter followers.

Step 4: Participation

About 10 minutes prior to the chat, send out tweets explaining the format and rules for the discussion. Begin the chat by introducing your guest. Contribute your own responses to questions to start the conversation. Keep the discussion flowing from one question to the next, but allow plenty of time for participants to share their thoughts. It can sometimes take several minutes for responses to start coming in. While you are waiting for replies, you can fill the "dead air" by sharing some of the resources you gathered before the chat.

Step 5: Post

After the chat is finished don't forget to send a message to the moderators and guests thanking them for their participation. Then create an event summary post for your blog that includes the best responses tweeted during the discussion. Share the post on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts so those who didn't get the chance to join the conversation will know what they missed.

Use the following questions to measure the success of a Twitter chat and evaluate your return on investment:

• How many new Twitter followers did you get during and after the chat?
• Did you get any new sign ups for your email list as a result of the Twitter discussion? What other calls to action got a response from participants?
• How long did the conversation last? How dynamic was the discussion?
• Who took part in the chat? How many unique Twitter users sent out messages?
• How many tweets were sent out with the hashtag for during the chat? How many retweets were sent?

After you have rounded up all the data, create a report for yourself (or your boss) to summarize the impact of the discussion to make improvements for your next Twitter chat.

So, there you have it. Did I miss anything? Do you have any other tips or tricks for hosting a successful Twitter chat?

Additional Resources

For those of you who would like to learn more about Twitter chats before hosting your own, I've gathered a few additional resources to help you join the conversation.

Tweeting With Your Twitter Community: How to Participate in a Twitter Chat

Chirping Up Your Tweeps: How to Participate in a Twitter Chat

Twitter Chats, The Ultimate How To Guide

What is a Twitter Chat and How to Make the Most of It

How to Participate in a Twitter Chat

Tweet to win a “coffee cupping” or tour at Caribou event Sep. 23

Lisa Baker

Don’t miss out on the chance to win a special experience at our upcoming “Pour It Like You Mean It: The Evolution of the Caribou Coffee Brand event”. Just follow us on Twitter and watch for tweets containing “Contest” as the first word.

WHY THE CONTESTS?

We want to spread the word about our upcoming programs to both AMA members and their networks. By engaging with you via social media, we hope you like what you see and experience, and interact with us again and frequently.

PRIZES

• 9 winners will get to participate in a coffee cupping (like a wine tasting but with coffee)
• 20 winners will get to participate in a tour of the corporate facilities and warehouse

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

• Follow @MNAMA on Twitter
• Watch for MNAMA tweets starting with “Contest” between Aug. 17 and Sep. 21
• There will be 3-4 contests including:
•  A specific retweet request
• A series of trivia questions (you must correctly answer all questions in the series)
•  Tweet your fill-in-the-blank response using the correct event information
• Answers can be found on the event registration page or Caribou Coffee’s homepage
•  Be the first to respond - we’ll choose winners in order of correct responses

RULES

• Participants must be registered for the event before they are eligible to win contests. You do not need to be an AMA member.
• Response to contest questions must include the hashtags #MNAMA and #Caribou
• Winners can only win once; you can win a coffee cupping or a tour, not both.
• Winners must allow for an additional 30 minutes after the event on Sep. 23 for the coffee cupping and tour.

Watch for details and winner announcements on our Facebook and Twitter feeds.             

               

Questions? Feel free to leave a comment here or reach us via Twitter @MNAMA. Good luck, and spread the word!

Lisa Baker manages B2B and B2C marketing for health advocacy products at CIGNA Healthcare, and she also owns her own agency - Elbie Marketing, LLC. She has a B.A. in communications and M.A. in ethnographic marketing research and servant leadership.