So you’re ready to party in the Twitter-sphere? Twitter Parties are great fun and a good way to meet new Tweeps by discussing a shared topic or interest. Parties usually last around 1-2 hours and are very fast-paced. We enjoy throwing Twitter Parties because it gives us the chance to chat with our members in the real-time world.

Twitter parties have the same format as a regular party at home. By searching and using the party hash tag you can see all the conversations that are happening at the party. You can retweet and respond to any of the questions or responses you see in the party.  If you like a response or comment retweet it, it’s a great compliment and that’s how you begin to meet people and be seen by others. 

How the Party Starts:

First, your host will tweet to welcome you and introduce you to the other hosts, panelists and VIP’s. There is usually a door prize and that is drawn from all those who RSVP to the party invite.  It’s not necessary to RSVP to join a twitter party but it does often increase the prizes you’ll be eligible to win, so don’t forget to do it before the party starts.

After introductions your host will introduce the party theme.  Usually the party includes a few fun questions and for each question a party favor can be won! There will also be information and fun facts for you to read and retweet.

The host will tweet out the first question, which you and the hosts should retweet while you think about your answer. As soon as you have a response in mind, tweet your answer with the party hash tag.  You need to be quick but be sure to read and enjoy the responses of others.

At the end of the party you will be asked to enter a grand prize, as with most parties the best is saved until last so it’s usually worth sticking around to enter your response. If you win a prize, it will often be tweeted during the party and you will receive instructions via DM about how to get your prize.

After you join a few parties you will get used to the format and the speed they run and other tweeps will begin to recognize your twitter name. 

Like we said, Twitter Parties can happen very quickly. Instead of using Twitter.com or a social media dashboard like HootSuite or Tweetdeck, we suggest using tools that are designed for high-speed Tweeting.

If you’re new to Twitter Parties, we want to make sure you know the basics so you’re ready to tweet, win, & have lots of fun!

TweetGrid:

Updating in real-time, TweetGrid is one of our go-to applications for Twitter Parties. You can watch our Tweet Grid 101 video here. Tweet Grid allows you to log into your Twitter account and follow a certain hash tag with the ability to pause the stream if it gets flooded too quickly. Remember, it doesn’t take very long for a hash tag to go viral so it’s nice to know you can “stop” time when you need to!

We set up a custom TweetGrid for all our Twitter Parties but if you’re using one from scratch – here’s a few tips:

1.     Head to www.TweetGrid.com

2.     At the top choose the “1x3” option

3.     Once the TweetGrid loads, you should see 3 columns and the words “Login” in blue towards the top of the screen

4.     Click “Login” and input your Twitter account information

5.     Find the box that says “Hashtag” and input the tag for the party (Ex. #shespeaksup)

6.     In the first column, we suggest putting your Twitter account handle

7.     In the second column, put in the party host’s account handle

8.     In the third column, type the party hashtag

Since the columns update in real-time, each column has the possibility to move fast so don’t be afraid to use the “Search” or “Stop” buttons to catch up!

The day after the party, make sure to do a quick search using the Search functionality on Twitter so you can go back and follow some of the people you met. (Especially the ones that replied or re-tweeted you!)

If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this blog, post on our Facebook wall, or tweet us at @shespeaksup.

Tweet you later!