Mastering live-tweeting at events: tips and best practices

Live-tweeting at events has become a popular way to engage with audiences and expand your reach. Whether you're attending internal kick-offs, seminars, tradeshows, panels, keynotes, or conferences, incorporating live tweeting can benefit both you and your company. In this article, we'll provide you with valuable tips and best practices to enhance your live-tweeting experience and make the most out of your event participation.

When I say events, I mean internal kick-offs, seminars, tradeshows, panels, keynotes and conferences, it is beneficial for you and your company to attend these events physically and online from several perspectives.

When you attend an event next time, you can use your most appropriate device, a quality camera, and use these tips to increase your reach and connections through live tweeting.

Identify event panels and panellists

Before the event, take the time to familiarize yourself with the speaker and panel list. Identify individuals who have personal Twitter accounts, as well as companies that have a Twitter presence. Create a Twitter list to monitor these accounts during the event, allowing you to stay connected and engage with relevant content.

Prioritise quality content 

Ensure that the photos and videos you share are well-composed and edited before posting. Taking the time to present high-quality visuals will enhance the impact of your live tweets and attract more engagement from your followers.

Be a resource

Stand out during the event by going above and beyond to provide valuable resources to your audience. If the speakers or panellists mention relevant articles or videos, find and share the links. By being an appendix or reference list for event followers, you'll guarantee higher engagement and gain more followers.

Supplement with full summaries 

Recognize that event content can overwhelm those who missed the live posting. Help your followers and fellow attendees by translating your 140-character insights into a summary article. Include critical points, quotes, and highlights that provide value. Share this comprehensive summary using the event hashtag the following day, allowing participants to catch up and engage with the key takeaways.

Taking notes

Live-tweeting is akin to taking notes online in real time. When you encounter something interesting, make it "tweetable." This way, your followers will see your tweet, follow the event hashtag, and have the opportunity to retweet, like, or reply.

Pre-event tips

• Create Templates: Design images of speakers and quotes in advance, optimizing them for tweets. Tools like Canva can help you create templates without design skills.
• Prepare Tweets: Write tweets ahead, even if the timing is uncertain. Shorten links and check the character count, enabling you to easily copy, paste, and send.
• Research Hashtags: Identify the event's projected hashtag and related impactful hashtags to ensure effective and relevant tagging.

During-the-event tips

Follow these tips to maximise your live-tweeting effectiveness during the event:

• Use the Event Hashtag: Include the event's hashtag in each live tweet, ensuring maximum visibility and engagement.
• Interact with the Audience: Monitor official and unofficial hashtags to engage with your Twitter audience. Respond to questions, positive comments, and address any negative feedback.
• Incorporate Speaker Handles: When quoting speakers, include their Twitter handles to let them know you're tweeting about their sessions.
• Capture Quality Photos: Position yourself for a good seat at speaker sessions to take unique and engaging photos. Arriving early will increase the chances of your photos being retweeted.
• Utilise Photo Editing Apps: Familiarize yourself with quick photo editing apps beforehand to enhance and optimize your visuals.
• Employ Prepared Templates: Use the pre-created templates during the event. As you hear tweetable takeaways, add them to the templates, include the speaker's Twitter handle and the event's official hashtag, check for errors, and send the tweet promptly.
• Speed is Key: The first tweet featuring a quote often gains the most retweets, so aim to be quick and timely.
• Capture Tweet-Worthy Moments: Take photos of noteworthy moments and immediately upload them to Twitter.
• Direct Image Upload: When using Instagram to snap pictures, directly upload the image to Twitter to ensure maximum visibility in your followers' streams.
• Engage After the Event: Maintain communication with your Twitter audience even after the event concludes. Respond to their tweets, address queries, and express gratitude for their interaction.

Post-event tips

Consider these four tips to maintain momentum and assess the impact of your live-tweeting efforts:

• Compile the Best Tweets: Create a follow-up blog post featuring the best tweets from each session, including a mixture of your tweets and those from attendees.
• Stay Connected: Continue engaging with your Twitter audience after the event. Respond to tweets, answer questions, and address feedback.
• Analyse Engagement: Evaluate the performance of your tweets by assessing likes, retweets, and link clicks. Use this data to improve your future live-tweeting sessions.
• Express Gratitude: Show appreciation to everyone who interacted with you on Twitter, fostering a positive and lasting connection.

Live-tweeting at events effectively expands your reach, engages with audiences, and establishes yourself as a valuable resource. By following the tips and best practices in this article, you'll be well-equipped to master the art of live-tweeting. Good luck with your future live-tweeting endeavours!