…or a conference, or a live guest lecture series, or just an exclusive conversation with a certain group or certain topic in mind.
If you’re a seasoned Twitter veteran, know all about hashtags and want to skip my yadda-yadda, scroll down to Step #2
Sometimes I wish I could party like it’s ten years after 1999, but my tiny domestic terrorists, Madeleine and Lila, have trashed my house beyond recognition. Since cleaning is futile, becoming a father in my circle of friends is the social equivalent of having leprosy and swine flu, and since all of my other electronic friends live in locations across the globe, throwing a party seems impossible.
For once, thank the makers of Twitter. That’s right, it’s Twitter Party Time!
"Dude, I'm totally going to mack on a pair of leather boots tonight." (Photo by BrumSumarin)
On June 1, I’ll join my fellow bloggers on Twitter to celebrate the end of this year’s Blogathon, a month-long challenge to brave the electronic elements and post something new and moderately interesting every day. Some of us have been outrageously dedicated and creative, and others have spackled in the cracks with composted dog doo. In any case, it’s time to cut a rug—140 characters at a time.
Wanna throw a Twitter party, too? Here’s how to make it happen:
STEP 1: PICK A HASHTAG NAME FOR YOUR PARTY
“Hashtag” may sound like something you’d smell coming from a college dorm room party, but it’s a little geekier than that and still (as far as I know) completely legal.
Hashtags (#), much like @ (e.g. “@rondoylewrites I love your hair!”), are essentially another Twitter command. By adding # plus a particular word (e.g. #editorchat, a weekly Wednesday evening conversation among editors and writers) you’re identifying your tweet as part of that group/party/conference/conspiracy to overthrow the American government.
Hashtags have only existed since September 18, 2008. The first hashtag (#vpdebate) was used by St. Louis journalists during the Vice Presidential debate, allowing Twitter users to isolate tweets focused on the conversation.
Since then, literally thousands of hashtags have been created. No governing body determines what is and isn’t a proper hashtag—anyone can create them.
We’ll be partying at #MayBlog2.
STEP 2: USE TWEETCHAT TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE TWITTERSTREAM
Other third party applications like Tweetgrid, Tweetdeck and Twhirl can filter hashtags for your Twitter party, but I’ve found that Tweetchat updates more quickly, doesn’t require downloads and installation hassles, and automatically adds the hashtag command to the end of every tweet, which can be hard to remember after you’ve had three or four Virtual Sake Bombs or shots of Twequila.
- Go to http://tweetchat.com/oauth/
- Sign in using your Twitter username and password.
- Type the name of your hashtag (e.g. MayBlog2) and click “Enter Room”
That’s it—party on!
WARNING: Even though you won’t hear from your other Twitter followers while partying in Tweetchat, anything you post during the party will be visible publicly to them. Treat the situation like a small circle of friends chatting at a larger cocktail party—and remember that others could be listening in on your conversation.
NOTE: I’m also hosting a live guest lecture for graduate Media Relations students on 28 May 2009 at 5:00pm MST. If you’d like to join the conversation, please visit/tweet hashtag #4012.
Great instructions, thanks for doing this Ron. We still need to pick a time. I’m thinking 8:30 a.m. Pacific for 30 minutes – short, sweet, then everybody gets back to their work day.
Michelle Rafter
Love it — thanks for posting!
[...] Salad How to throw a Twitter party – Exceedingly detailed (and simple) instructions for using Twitter hashtags for “a [...]
[...] hashtag #MayBlog2. If you haven’t used hashtags before, read Ron Doyle’s explanation, How to throw a Twitter party. As always, feel free to leave a comment or ping me on Twitter [...]
Hey Ron,
Great idea and thanks for the #editorchat plug. Count me in for Monday morning.
Also, here’s a tool for those who don’t want followers to see you don the lampshade for a virtual “Yippee! The Blogathon is over” desk dance: http://twittersnooze.com/
Looking forward to it,
Tim
Awesome article! I’ll definitely be using this for the next family reunion.
I use SplitTweet and didn’t want to have to use yet another app to have a Twitter Party so I figured out a way to make it work that may work for other apps also. SplitTweet allows you to set Brand Mentions where you can put any keyword(s) and the Tweets that have those keywords will show on your Brand Mention page. You can set up whatever hashtag you’re using for your party and they you will see only those messages on your Brand Mention page.
Your link to tweetchat doesn’t work for me. Great Article tho, thanks.
Thanks for the heads up, Lisa. There’s something wonky with Tweetchat’s permissions that’s keeping hyperlinks from working–it’s a problem on their end. After 30 minutes of tinkering with the link from here, I had to give up and go do something more productive with my day, like drinking skim milk and responding to your comment.
Apparently Tweetchat doesn’t want the extra attention? Quite strange; I’ll let them know.
Franklin: Checked out your blog. Good stuff; you’re on my Google reader now.
Kathleane: Splitweet is fabulous—I use it all the time!
[...] Original Retweet This! [...]
[...] All of the writers involved in the blogathon will be participating in a Twitter party tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. Central Time. Since I can’t possibly explain a Twitter party, if you’re curious, see Ron S. Doyle’s post, “How to Throw a Twitter Party.” [...]
Wow! Thanks for this…I still have lots to learn but knowing I can come back here and reread this is kind of a nice security blanket.
[...] the party, the more likely it will become a trend on the Twitter tending list. Visit these links to learn how some others are doing this, and don’t forget the prize. (Awarding prizes can be a random drawing or by number of tweets, or [...]