Effectively Using Effectively Using Twitter And Twitter And

Creating Creating TwestivalsTwestivals Speaker: Mark Van BaaleSpeaker: Mark Van Baale

Mark Van Baale’s BioMark Van Baale’s Bio Education Chairperson for Social Media Education Chairperson for Social Media

Club Kansas CityClub Kansas City Helped organize 2 Kansas City Helped organize 2 Kansas City

Twestivals that raised funds for charitiesTwestivals that raised funds for charities Passionate about helping others learn Passionate about helping others learn

social media tools and connecting social media tools and connecting peoplepeople

Involved in Marketing/Web Design Involved in Marketing/Web Design industry for over 8 yearsindustry for over 8 years

Presentation AgendaPresentation Agenda Effectively Using TwitterEffectively Using Twitter

- What is Twitter?- What is Twitter?- Why should I consider using Twitter?- Why should I consider using Twitter?- Twitter statistics – growth #’s- Twitter statistics – growth #’s- How Mark got started on Twitter/how he - How Mark got started on Twitter/how he uses ituses it- How does one get started on Twitter?- How does one get started on Twitter?- What should I write about?- What should I write about?- How can I connect with others?- How can I connect with others?- Training available for learning Twitter- Training available for learning Twitter

Presentation AgendaPresentation Agenda Kansas City TwestivalsKansas City Twestivals

- What is a Twestival?- What is a Twestival?- How Kansas City got involved- How Kansas City got involved- How we promoted KCTwestival?- How we promoted KCTwestival?- Results of KCTwestival 1 and 2- Results of KCTwestival 1 and 2

What isWhat is Twitter is a website where you can leave Twitter is a website where you can leave

messages of up to 140 characters long for messages of up to 140 characters long for other people to read. other people to read.

Think of it as the online equivalent of Think of it as the online equivalent of sending mobile phone SMS messages sending mobile phone SMS messages

Messages instantly appear on your page in Messages instantly appear on your page in the form of a timelinethe form of a timeline

People can choose to “follow” you and your People can choose to “follow” you and your messages will show up in their timelinemessages will show up in their timeline

Your messages can be “retweeted” or sent Your messages can be “retweeted” or sent on to other people by your followers. Like a on to other people by your followers. Like a forward in e-mailforward in e-mail

You can reply (@username) to your followersYou can reply (@username) to your followers You can also direct message (d username) You can also direct message (d username)

your followers to send a private messageyour followers to send a private message

Why should I useWhy should I use Use it to connect with people/facilitating

conversations At a conference or event, “live-tweet” what

speakers are sharing Keep in touch with friends and family Use as a rapidly updating search engine,

powered by real people. Tweet out links to your blog or website Job networking tool (recruiters, companies use

it to search for potential employees) Getting the resources you need

(recommendations on hotels to stay at, places to visit)

Growth StatsGrowth Stats

How Mark got started on How Mark got started on Signed up for Twitter in August 2008 Twitter handle: @markvanbaale Started connecting with people who I wanted

to get to know from Social Media Club of KC Eventually, started to find links/information I

tweeted out to my followers I use Twitter like an instant

messenging/micro-blog tool Use it today to talk to friends and connect

with new people to learn from Use it in events like Twestival, schedule

tweetups

How do you get started on How do you get started on Go to Twitter.com, select Sign up nowGo to Twitter.com, select Sign up now Set up your Username (the name Set up your Username (the name

everyone will see when you send out everyone will see when you send out tweets)tweets)

Go under “Settings” on your profile to the Go under “Settings” on your profile to the Picture tab to upload a photograph Picture tab to upload a photograph (makes it more personalized, people like (makes it more personalized, people like to see who is behind the tweets)to see who is behind the tweets)

Go under “Account”, add your website Go under “Account”, add your website URL (if you have one), i.e. blog, company URL (if you have one), i.e. blog, company websitewebsite

Also under “Account”, add your location Also under “Account”, add your location and a one line bio about yourselfand a one line bio about yourself

What should I write about What should I write about onon

You may want to spend a few days You may want to spend a few days reading what people tweet aboutreading what people tweet about

Links to interesting blog posts and Links to interesting blog posts and webpages draw interest to your tweetswebpages draw interest to your tweets

Perhaps tell people what you are doing Perhaps tell people what you are doing that daythat day

Rule of thumb: Don’t spam peopleRule of thumb: Don’t spam people Contact your best friends and closest Contact your best friends and closest

colleagues yourself and find out if they colleagues yourself and find out if they are on Twitter. are on Twitter.

How to connect with others How to connect with others onon

Contact your best friends and closest colleagues Contact your best friends and closest colleagues yourself and find out if they are on Twitter. yourself and find out if they are on Twitter.

If you have access to Lists, create lists of people If you have access to Lists, create lists of people to follow or get on lists created by othersto follow or get on lists created by others

Send out a tweet mentioning your location and Send out a tweet mentioning your location and ask if there are others in your areaask if there are others in your area

Mention an interest/industry you are inMention an interest/industry you are in Schedule a Tweetup (Twitter + meetup) to meet Schedule a Tweetup (Twitter + meetup) to meet

new peoplenew people Attend a Tweetup (Attend a Tweetup (

http://www.lawrencetweetup.comhttp://www.lawrencetweetup.com), events listed ), events listed on (on (http://http://socialmediaclubkc.ning.comsocialmediaclubkc.ning.com))

Training available on Training available on Free beginner’s class on learning Free beginner’s class on learning

how to use Twitter to be held on how to use Twitter to be held on Nov. 11 in Lawrence. Nov. 11 in Lawrence.

Go to Go to http://www2.ljworld.com/learntotwehttp://www2.ljworld.com/learntotweet/et/ to register to register

Choice of one of two sessions Choice of one of two sessions beginning at 8:00 a.m. or 10 a.m. beginning at 8:00 a.m. or 10 a.m.

What is Twestival?What is Twestival? A Twestival or Twitter-Festival is a global A Twestival or Twitter-Festival is a global

series of events organized by volunteers series of events organized by volunteers around the world under short timescales, around the world under short timescales, which bring people offline for a great cause.  which bring people offline for a great cause. 

In September 2008, a group of London In September 2008, a group of London Twitter users hosted an event called Twitter users hosted an event called Harvest Harvest TwestivalTwestival which drew a great response. which drew a great response. Decided to take it globalDecided to take it global

The first Twestival Global was held in Feb. The first Twestival Global was held in Feb. 2009. 200 cities participated. 100% of all 2009. 200 cities participated. 100% of all proceeds went direct to charity: water. proceeds went direct to charity: water. $250,000 was raised in total.$250,000 was raised in total.

Twestival is run 100% by volunteers and Twestival is run 100% by volunteers and independently from any not-for-profit.independently from any not-for-profit.

Sponsors donate time/resources for event, Sponsors donate time/resources for event, usually held on one night worldwideusually held on one night worldwide

How did Kansas City get How did Kansas City get involved?involved? Someone mentioned on Twitter about Someone mentioned on Twitter about

Twestival and if anyone was interested in Twestival and if anyone was interested in doing one for Kansas Citydoing one for Kansas City

A group of 3-4 met to discuss ideas/plansA group of 3-4 met to discuss ideas/plans This group reached out to the community This group reached out to the community

for help/donation of resourcesfor help/donation of resources Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs to encourage Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs to encourage

donations and raise awareness of the eventdonations and raise awareness of the event Kansas City Twestival Global was held only Kansas City Twestival Global was held only

3 weeks after the first team meeting!!3 weeks after the first team meeting!! We raised $3,700 total for charity: waterWe raised $3,700 total for charity: water Kansas City was in top 15 of all cities in Kansas City was in top 15 of all cities in

world for $ raisedworld for $ raised

22ndnd Kansas City Twestival Kansas City Twestival I led the charge with a few others to start discussing I led the charge with a few others to start discussing

the idea of doing another Twestival.the idea of doing another Twestival. This time, the focus was on a local charityThis time, the focus was on a local charity Group of 15 volunteered time to help with planningGroup of 15 volunteered time to help with planning List of charities was selected and narrowed down to List of charities was selected and narrowed down to

top six for community to vote ontop six for community to vote on Top six charities listed on a voting site where people Top six charities listed on a voting site where people

could vote for a few weekscould vote for a few weeks Wayside Waifs was chosen as the local charity to Wayside Waifs was chosen as the local charity to

supportsupport Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs, video to encourage Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs, video to encourage

donations and raise awareness of the eventdonations and raise awareness of the event Kansas City Twestival Local held on September 11Kansas City Twestival Local held on September 11 Everything was donated (food, beer, door prizes, etc.)Everything was donated (food, beer, door prizes, etc.) Raised $3,000 total without any corporate sponsorsRaised $3,000 total without any corporate sponsors

Mark’s contact infoMark’s contact info Twitter: Twitter:

http://twitter.com/markvanbaalehttp://twitter.com/markvanbaale LinkedIn: LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/markvanbahttp://www.linkedin.com/in/markvanbaaleale

E-mail: E-mail: markvanbaale@gmail.commarkvanbaale@gmail.com Blog: Blog:

http://passiondrivers.wordpress.comhttp://passiondrivers.wordpress.com