How to host a tweetup: Lessons from #NASATweetup

Creating a Community:#NASATweetups

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Stephanie Schierholz, Office of Communications

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Stephanie L. Schierholz Social Media Manager, NASA Headquarters

@NASA @NASATweetup @schierholz

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

First Tweets from SpaceNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Tweeting from space now:

@AstroCoastie@Astro_Pettit@Astro_Andre

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

NASA Social Media Today

What is a #NASATweetup?

An in-person gathering of @NASA followers.Range from two hours to two days in length.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

How does a Tweetup Help NASA?• Spread the word as widely as possible by going

directly to the public to tell our own story• More “traditional” news coverage…

…in more places• Diversity of audiences• Building a community of advocates• Worldwide in person AND virtual participation

ENGAGEMENT

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

6http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Successful Tweetups are special and memorable

Provide unique or exclusive: InformationSpeakersAccess Setting

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Tweetup Planning

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• 12 weeks before: begin planning meetings to identify a date and time, theme, venue, etc.

• 10 weeks before: Draft news release, web page, agenda; review logistics requirements

• 9 weeks before: Announce tweetup• 8 weeks before: Open registration• 7 weeks before: 1st round selection notifications• 5 weeks/30 days before: Finalize list of non-US

citizen participants

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• Number of participants (buzz, exclusivity, opportunity to build community)

• Type of event• Length of event• Location of event• Who is going to speak?• Can you provide a tour of some sort?• Will you invite non-U.S. citizens? Minors?

What Will Your Tweetup Look Like?

Successful Tweetups Rock Logistics• How many people will

the room accommodate?

• Tables and chairs• Power• WiFi• Audio• Refreshments?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Making a Tweetup Agenda• Senior level manager• Social media team

representative • Subject matter expert(s)• Participant introductions• Breaks and time to share• Can you provide a tour or go

behind the scenes?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Tweetup Participants

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• Requirements (following your account, level of activity, age, citizenship?)

• Will you allow a guest? If so, is there an age requirement for the guest? Must guests have a Twitter account? Be sure to include guests in your final count

• Guest pros and cons

Announcing the Tweetup

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• Give time for the buzz to build - announce ahead of when registration will open (1 week)

• News release/media advisory + Twitter• Have an online FAQ page with more info• Post to all your social channels regularly to

remind people registration is coming • Reach out to key influencers to ensure they

see the announcement

Tweetup FAQ page

• When is registration and what is required?

• Who can register?• When is the event?• What is the event?• What does registration

include/not include?• When will registrants be

notified?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Tweetup Registration

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• Online registration• OMB-approved form: first and last name, Twitter

handle, email and citizenship• Optional fields: age, city, state, accounts followed• Confirmation the registration went through

(recommend email vs web page)• Keep registration open for a set period of time

instead of first come, first serve (monitor Twitter!)• Check boxes to ensure they agree to certain things

Tweetup Registration Form

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

*First Name: City:*Last Name: State:*Twitter Account: Age:* Your Email Address:*Citizenship:• Favorite NASA twitter accounts (ex. @NASA, etc.):• Do you need any special accommodations?• I acknowledge registration is for one person only, is non-transferrable, and that

NASA cannot accommodate guests. • I confirm I am 18 years old or older.

* Denotes mandatory field

Tweetup Participant Selection

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• Random or not?• Proprietary selection process• Did you stipulate any requirements?

Ensure they meet the requirement. Remove those who do not.

• Will you allow prior participants to re-apply for future events?

Tweetup Participant Notifications

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• Everyone who registered should be notified: selected, not selected, on the waiting list

• We require those selected to reply to confirm their intent to participate; after confirmation, they receive a second email with additional information and instructions

• Our waiting list is about the same number as those selected• Sometimes we have a standby list of people who have cleared

security and can fill a spot with little notice• Create a Twitter list of participants• Send the agenda and details about one week in advance• Create a list serve for easy communication

Enable the Conversation• Designate a hashtag like

#NASATweetup• Do you want the same

hashtag for future events, or a separate one for each event?

• Plan to capture all the hashtag traffic? Set it up in advance

• Q&A

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Introduce Tweetup Participants

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• Let them write their own intros to tweet• Online interaction (e.g. Facebook groups)• When you get on site, in person introductions

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

On-Site Tweetup Tips

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweeetup

• Create a staffing schedule and contact information for the team

• Our most intense time is registration and check in and getting everyone online

• Be prepared to troubleshoot• Build in free time in the agenda

Remote Participation• Encourage use of the

hashtag; can you create a discussion landing page?

• Can you broadcast the event or a portion of it? If not, can you record it to post later?

• If you Ustream, do you take questions from Ustream?

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Tweetup Coverage

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweeetup

• Media release announcement and a news release about those selected and what they will get to experience (encourage participants to pitch their local press)

• Engage with key influencers on related social media platforms

• Video, webstream, photos• Real time posting to social media

Badges of Tweetup Success

• Create name badges

• Banners and backdrops

• Tweetup programs• Swag bags

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

Measuring Tweetup Success

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

• What was your goal? Did you reach it?• Number and reach of tweets• Stories in “traditional” press• Did the opinions of your attendees change?• Is there an action participants can take?• How do you continue the conversation?• Get feedback to improve next time; experiment

with what works

Beyond Numbers: Moving people from…

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Foster the community

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

But don’t own the community

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“You may not have a spaceship, but your company has a fan base. They won't think of themselves as fans until they're in a room with like-minded people. They won't think of themselves as members of a community until YOU bring them together.”

- David Rosen, @davidhrosen (Director, Burson-Marsteller)

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Your Title Here 30

http://www.nasa.gov/connect