The document provides tips for using Twitter effectively at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Geneva from July 2-5, 2017. It identifies 14 categories of tweets that would add value, such as those that accurately inform, provide follow-up options, drive debate, or inspire. Examples of valuable tweets include retweeting others, asking questions, offering opinions, posting highlights or takeaways, and sharing photos or videos. Hashtags like #ESHRE2017 should be used to engage the relevant scientific community.

1. Making the most of
140 characters at #ESHRE2017
Len Starnes
Digital Healthcare Consultant
Berlin
33rd Annual Meeting European Society of
Human Reproduction & Embryology
Geneva 2 – 5 July 2017

2. Using Twitter for the
first time at the ESHRE
annual meeting?

3. 14 categories of tweets
that will add value to the
conference Twitter feed

4. *Inspired by Microstyle: The Art of Writing Little
by Christopher Johnson
A valuable tweet
is like a key that
opens doors*

5. Valuable
Accurately informs
Provides follow-up
action options
Drives debate
Inspires & motivates
Triggers emotions
Offers light relief…yes,
occasionally welcome
Not valuable
Does none of the
opposite
Is discourteous
Delivers spam

6. A word about
Perfectly acceptable
For commercial
organizations to
occasionally tweet
about events & services
related to a medical
conference
Not acceptable
For commercial
organizations to flood
conference hashtags with
tweets about events
& services

7. What type of tweets would be
valuable if you were following
ESHRE 2017 from…
…10,000 km away?

8. Obvious place to start
Retweet a valuable tweet
from someone else
Use the retweet icon
2nd from left bottom on
the original tweet and
add a comment of your
own

9. Start a conversation
Ask a probing question
Questions are the
life-blood of conferences
Use @ to address
speaker(s) or pose
rhetorically without @

10. Start another conversation
Ask for clarification
Use @ to address
speaker(s) or pose
rhetorically without @

11. Stand out in the conversation
Offer unusual or original
perspicacity
Use @ to address
speaker(s) or pose
rhetorically without @

12. Keep the conversation going
Respond to answers
to your questions
Debate is the essence of
good conferencing
Use @ to address
respondents directly

13. 50% of scientists
who use SoMe
use Twitter
to follow
discussions
http://www.nature.com/news/online-collaboration-
scientists-and-the-social-network-1.15711

14. Flag highlights as they arise
during presentations
Imagine that clinician,
scientist or patient
following from 10,000 km
away
Incentivize them to
want to learn more

15. Post a take-away learning
after every presentation
& session
Remember the words of
Dr Merry Markham
@DrMarkham,
a clinician participant
at #ASCO14

16. 140 characters are beneficial
Dr Merry Markham @DrMarkham
#ASCO14 participant
…the 140-character limit is
a good thing. I am forced to
consider what I want to say,
how I want to say it, and with
just the right wording.

17. Express a personal opinion
Contrasting opinions
drive scientific debate
Albert Einstein debated
the validity of quantum
mechanics for over 20
years

18. Post contextual background
information
Broaden the scope
of the conversation
Start more
conversations

19. Offer practical help
Include account names,
website addresses,
anything to help
others…10,000 km away
Maximize use of 140
characters: use URL
shortening services such
as bitly or TinyURL

20. Signal the best sessions
Let the community know
which sessions you find
most interesting
Explain why

21. Praise great speakers
Let your enthusiasm for
a speaker be felt
A little passion goes a
long way

22. Easy via
smartphone
Photos
increase the
chance of a
tweet being
read
Tweet a photo

23. Easy via
smartphone
Can be up to
30 seconds
long…
incredibly
popular
Tweet a video

24. Impressions
of Geneva
Occasionally, prove you are human
Conference
buzz
Networking
experiences
WiFi speed
Anything
inspirational
Anything
humorous
Quality of
cappuccinos
Impressions of
conference venue

25. Use hashtags to reach the
global human reproduction
and embryology community
– HCPs and patients
#infertility
#gynaecology
#fertility
#obstetrics
#embryology
#IVF
#pregnancy

26. Always remember to include
#ESHRE2017

27. lenstarnes@gmail.com
T: + 49 30 781 5513
M: + 49 172 1788253
Skype: lenstarnes
www.linkedin.com/in/lenstarnes
www.twitter.com/lenstarnes
www.slideshare.net/lenstarnes
Len Starnes
Len Starnes Digital Healthcare
Research & Consulting