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Joining in online: Social media for events

IT | Rob Dyson | 10 Aug 2010

Rob Dyson explains how Twitter has broadened the reach of conferences and events.

I've attended around five conferences and seminars - and participated in three television audience debates - in the last fortnight.

'Wow, where does he get the time?’ you might be thinking. Well, if you're familiar with internet and media commentator Clay Shirky, you might understand when I say I've been using my "cognitive surplus" (i.e. an over-complicated way of saying 'spare thinking-and-doing time') to follow and contribute to these events using their Twitter 'hashtags'.

For those that wince every time they hear or read the word Twitter, it's time to realise that a) it's improving the way you can communicate with your supporters and b) it offers a route to much greater transparency.

And if you need a c) you're already being talked about, so you may as well join in. What organisations and TV networks are coming to understand is that Twitter can turn your one-way broadcasts though the telly or four-walled seminar rooms into two-way focus groups and interactive 'events' by using Twitter as a stream for debate.

Hashtags (placing # in front of a chosen word, like #bbcqt - BBC Question time) - are announced at the start of a conference or programme, and tweeters in and outside of the room can follow discussion and have their say by using the same hashtag.

Twitter does the rest - click on the link and watch a stream of aggregated messages all talking about your subject.

Charities are among those using hashtags really well to increase a buzz and build a conversation around their conferences.

Both The Media Trust (#mtevents) and CharityComms (#ccevents) are routinely tweeting live from paid-for events, to allow those eavesdropping on Twitter to still get something from the speakers.

And it works as a nice marketing tool, as they might pay to come along for the full-deal next time.

The Institute of Fundraising used #iofnc to tweet from their National Convention this month, and reached hundreds more people than could physically attend.

Most of the presentations from the events are also shared on Slideshare.net; supporting openness and sharing knowledge with anyone interested in the subjects.

Of course for some events (such as sensitive public meetings, or user-group events), it will not be appropriate to 'open up' - and there is the argument that those that don't pay still get access to ‘digitally gatecrash’.

But are there ways that your charity could employ Twitter to exercise transparency and let others in? Next time think ‘outside the room’ – and take a chance on hearing voices from outside too.

Rob Dyson is PR manager at Whizz-Kidz and a board member of CharityComms

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