How to Trend on Twitter

Michael Collins@travelmedia_ie

Resources• SLIDESHARE – presentation on SlideShare.

http://www.slideshare.net/TravelMediaie • BLOG: http://www.travelmedia.ie/blog/travel-hashtags/

• BLOG: http://www.travelmedia.ie/blog/how-to-trend-on-twitter/

@travelmedia_ie - #tbex #tbexph

Trending?• ‘father of trending’• Abdur Chowdhury• 2006 Summize• 2008 Twitter• main stream media• media look to Twitter• ‘spikes’

"Thank you @abdur for being the coolest scientist I know and for building Twitter search and Trends" - Jack Dorsey.BBC http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36608936

Spikes•Not the most / number•But a spike – short shift or change• Ephemeral•Anyone can trend on Twitter

size doesn’t matter

7P’s• Proper• Prior• Planning• Prevents• Piss• Poor• Performance

7P’s• Proper• Prior• Planning• Prevents• Piss• Poor• Performance

It’s all in the

planning

Think of trending as an

event - plan, prep,

execute.

e.g. conference, wedding, party, trip

Build and plan your campaign

around an event, pick a moment in

time.spikes - ephemeral

How to Trend on Twitter• 3P’s. Preparation, Preparation, Preparation.

• Research handles and hashtags in advance.• Engage with audience in advance. Prep them for the event.

Get them involved. Make them feel part of the event.• Write 90% all Tweets in advance.• Dedicated team. Managing tweets, engagement, RTs etc.

How to Trend on Twitter• Be ready to react – it will happen very fast.

• Team: separate roles. One tweeting, one reacting, another real-time/quotes/sound bites.• Prizes, Best Tweet.• Ask for questions.• Keep you audience briefed – “we are trending no 4 on

Twitter”……………………

7Ps - Prep

It’s all in the

planning

38 pages of pre-written tweets

* 21/38 page doc* every tweet written* every handle/hashtag

open Word doc.

Share Hashtags and Handles in Advance

Use the Correct Hashtags• Do the research.

• Find out which hashtags have the biggest reach.• Which hashtags are appropriate.• Use established hashtags to promote your event,

to promote your hashtag.

Use the Correct Hashtags• http://www.travelmedia.ie/blog/travel-hashtags/

• BLOG: What are the most popular and widely used travel hashtags on Twitter?

• Which are the top travel hashtags used on Twitter?

TweetReachHashTracking

Expect Mistakes

RT with the correct hashtag

Audience• Define and research in advance.• Follow well in advance. Time to follow back.• Engage in advance.• Let them know in advance.• Get them involved. Invite them. Buy-in.• Call in favors. Ask in advance. • Compliment people.• Pics / photos. Photographer and videographer.

Good Tweet?• Clever, relevant, engaging, sharp, snappy, poignant.• 1-3 hashtags.• Send variations many times (5). • Twitter is ephemeral.• Max 24 hours repeat.• Tag people / organisations in text.• Tag accounts via pics. Max of 10. >140.• Pics, photos, images, native video.

Good Tweet?

Take screen shots

ephemeral

Take-aways1. 3ps, 7ps.2. Write 90% of your tweets in advance.3. You need a team to manage Twitter on the day.

Dedicated roles.4. Research handles in advance.5. Use the correct/appropriate hashtags. Research reach.

Thank you• SLIDESHARE – presentation on SlideShare.

http://www.slideshare.net/TravelMediaie • BLOG: http://www.travelmedia.ie/blog/travel-hashtags/

• BLOG: http://www.travelmedia.ie/blog/how-to-trend-on-twitter/

@travelmedia_ie