Effectively Using Twitter And Creating Twestivals Speaker: Mark Van Baale

Mark Van Baale’s Bio Education Chairperson for Social Media Club Kansas City Helped organize 2 Kansas City Twestivals that raised funds for charities Passionate about helping others learn social media tools and connecting people Involved in Marketing/Web Design industry for over 8 years

Education Chairperson for Social Media Club Kansas City

Helped organize 2 Kansas City Twestivals that raised funds for charities

Passionate about helping others learn social media tools and connecting people

Involved in Marketing/Web Design industry for over 8 years

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

Effectively Using Twitter

- What is Twitter?

- Why should I consider using Twitter?

- Twitter statistics – growth #’s

- How Mark got started on Twitter/how he uses it

- How does one get started on Twitter?

- What should I write about?

- How can I connect with others?

- Training available for learning Twitter

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

Kansas City Twestivals

- What is a Twestival?

- How Kansas City got involved

- How we promoted KCTwestival?

- Results of KCTwestival 1 and 2

What is Twitter is a website where you can leave messages of up to 140 characters long for other people to read. Think of it as the online equivalent of sending mobile phone SMS messages Messages instantly appear on your page in the form of a timeline People can choose to “follow” you and your messages will show up in their timeline Your messages can be “retweeted” or sent on to other people by your followers. Like a forward in e-mail You can reply (@username) to your followers You can also direct message (d username) your followers to send a private message

Twitter is a website where you can leave messages of up to 140 characters long for other people to read.

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

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

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

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

You can reply (@username) to your followers

You can also direct message (d username) your followers to send a private message

Why 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)

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 Stats

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

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 Go to Twitter.com, select Sign up now Set up your Username (the name everyone will see when you send out tweets) Go under “Settings” on your profile to the Picture tab to upload a photograph (makes it more personalized, people like to see who is behind the tweets) Go under “Account”, add your website URL (if you have one), i.e. blog, company website Also under “Account”, add your location and a one line bio about yourself

Go to Twitter.com, select Sign up now

Set up your Username (the name everyone will see when you send out tweets)

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

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

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

What should I write about on You may want to spend a few days reading what people tweet about Links to interesting blog posts and webpages draw interest to your tweets Perhaps tell people what you are doing that day Rule of thumb: Don’t spam people Contact your best friends and closest colleagues yourself and find out if they are on Twitter.

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

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

Perhaps tell people what you are doing that day

Rule of thumb: Don’t spam people

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

How to connect with others on Contact your best friends and closest colleagues yourself and find out if they are on Twitter. If you have access to Lists, create lists of people to follow or get on lists created by others Send out a tweet mentioning your location and ask if there are others in your area Mention an interest/industry you are in Schedule a Tweetup (Twitter + meetup) to meet new people Attend a Tweetup ( http://www.lawrencetweetup.com ), events listed on ( http:// socialmediaclubkc.ning.com )

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

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

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

Mention an interest/industry you are in

Schedule a Tweetup (Twitter + meetup) to meet new people

Attend a Tweetup ( http://www.lawrencetweetup.com ), events listed on ( http:// socialmediaclubkc.ning.com )

Training available on Free beginner’s class on learning how to use Twitter to be held on Nov. 11 in Lawrence. Go to http://www2.ljworld.com/learntotweet/ to register Choice of one of two sessions beginning at 8:00 a.m. or 10 a.m.

Free beginner’s class on learning how to use Twitter to be held on Nov. 11 in Lawrence.

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

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

What is Twestival? A Twestival or Twitter-Festival is a global series of events organized by volunteers around the world under short timescales, which bring people offline for a great cause. In September 2008, a group of London Twitter users hosted an event called Harvest Twestival which drew a great response. Decided to take it global The first Twestival Global was held in Feb. 2009. 200 cities participated. 100% of all proceeds went direct to charity: water. $250,000 was raised in total. Twestival is run 100% by volunteers and independently from any not-for-profit. Sponsors donate time/resources for event, usually held on one night worldwide

A Twestival or Twitter-Festival is a global series of events organized by volunteers around the world under short timescales, which bring people offline for a great cause.

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

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

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

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

How did Kansas City get involved? Someone mentioned on Twitter about Twestival and if anyone was interested in doing one for Kansas City A group of 3-4 met to discuss ideas/plans This group reached out to the community for help/donation of resources Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs to encourage donations and raise awareness of the event Kansas City Twestival Global was held only 3 weeks after the first team meeting!! We raised $3,700 total for charity: water Kansas City was in top 15 of all cities in world for $ raised

Someone mentioned on Twitter about Twestival and if anyone was interested in doing one for Kansas City

A group of 3-4 met to discuss ideas/plans

This group reached out to the community for help/donation of resources

Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs to encourage donations and raise awareness of the event

Kansas City Twestival Global was held only 3 weeks after the first team meeting!!

We raised $3,700 total for charity: water

Kansas City was in top 15 of all cities in world for $ raised

2 nd Kansas City Twestival I led the charge with a few others to start discussing the idea of doing another Twestival. This time, the focus was on a local charity Group of 15 volunteered time to help with planning List of charities was selected and narrowed down to top six for community to vote on Top six charities listed on a voting site where people could vote for a few weeks Wayside Waifs was chosen as the local charity to support Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs, video to encourage donations and raise awareness of the event Kansas City Twestival Local held on September 11 Everything was donated (food, beer, door prizes, etc.) Raised $3,000 total without any corporate sponsors

I led the charge with a few others to start discussing the idea of doing another Twestival.

This time, the focus was on a local charity

Group of 15 volunteered time to help with planning

List of charities was selected and narrowed down to top six for community to vote on

Top six charities listed on a voting site where people could vote for a few weeks

Wayside Waifs was chosen as the local charity to support

Used Twitter, Facebook, blogs, video to encourage donations and raise awareness of the event

Kansas City Twestival Local held on September 11

Everything was donated (food, beer, door prizes, etc.)

Raised $3,000 total without any corporate sponsors

Mark’s contact info Twitter: http://twitter.com/markvanbaale LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markvanbaale E-mail: [email_address] Blog: http://passiondrivers.wordpress.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/markvanbaale

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markvanbaale

E-mail: [email_address]

Blog: http://passiondrivers.wordpress.com