By Raheel Ramzanali, Melissa A. Venable & Laura Milligan at the edSocialMedia Summit.

1. Twitter Chats: Tools,
Tips, and Techniques in
Higher Ed
Inside Online Learning
#IOLchat
Tweet along! #IOLchatESMS

2. Why start a Twitter chat?
What's the Value?
• Students - Access & Availability
o Host an open discussion with a special guest.
o Meet online students in a different environment:
you're hip with hashtags!
• Educators & Schools -
o Deepen relationships with existing network
o Expand your influence to a new network
o Commit to learning more about your role in
education.

3. Maintain the momentum
• Decide on your goal.
o What do you want to accomplish?
o Keep it simple.
• Give your chat structure.
o Pick a format.
o Remember tone.
o Remember your brand.
o Be flexible

4. Standing Out in the Crowd

5. Promote your chat
Pick the perfect hashtag
• #IOLchat_edSocialMediaSummit
• #IOLESM2013
• #IOLchatESMS
Introduce your chat to the world!
• Set up a landing page on your site
• Write a blog post
• Send an invite
• Tweet about it!

6. Researching & Selecting Topics
Participant input
Current events, trends, issues
Common questions, concerns

7. Creating Questions
Format Options:
Q&A, Open Mic, Guest Hosts, Special Events
Foster an Exchange:
• Ideas and opinions
• Recommendations and lessons learned
• More than Yes/No response

8. Finding Support Materials
Web-based | Current
Relevant (topic and point of view)
• Type: Academic research, News
• Media: Presentations, Podcasts, Graphics
• Voice: Students, educators, administration

9. Facilitating Conversation
Positive Environment
Look for:
o RTs, @Replies
o Follow-up questions
o Shared resources
Chat Report & Transcripts
Before - During - After Checklist [PDF]

10. Facing Potential Challenges
• Spam
• Hijacking
• Technology
Issues

11. Attracting Participants
Using Twitter Searches and Simply Measured
• Search for keywords that deal with your
chat and interact with accounts about
the topic.
• Run a Simply Measured free Twitter
report to search your followers' bios for
keywords.

12. Twitter Searches

13. Simply Measured

14. Simply Measured

15. Simply Measured

16. Simply Measured

17. Searching Your Follower's Bios

18. Target Chat List
This list will help you interact with
the right people leading up to
your chat.

19. Using Your Chat Hashtag in
Conversations and Shares

20. Other Social Media Networks
Google Plus
Facebook

21. Questions