Presentation at What's Next DC on Jan. 23, 2012, from NASA's Social Media Manager Stephanie L. Schierholz about how to plan and run a tweetup based on lessons learned from NASA's 31 #NASATweetup events.

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Creating a Community:
#NASATweetups
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
Stephanie Schierholz, Office of Communications 1

2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Stephanie L. Schierholz
Social Media Manager, NASA Headquarters
@NASA @NASATweetup @schierholz
http://www.nasa.gov/connect
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3. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
First Tweets from Space
Tweeting from
space now:
@AstroCoastie
@Astro_Pettit
@Astro_Andre
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4. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Social Media Today
http://www.nasa.gov/connect
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5. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
What is a #NASATweetup?
An in-person gathering of @NASA followers.
Range from two hours to two days in length.
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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6. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
How does a Tweetup Help NASA?
• Spread the word as widely as possible by going
directly to the public to tell our own story
• More “traditional” news coverage…
…in more places
• Diversity of audiences
• Building a community of advocates
• Worldwide in person AND virtual participation
ENGAGEMENT
http://www.nasa.gov/connect
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7. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Successful Tweetups are
special and memorable
Provide unique or exclusive:
 Information
 Speakers
 Access
 Setting
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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8. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Planning
• 12 weeks before: begin planning meetings to identify
a date and time, theme, venue, etc.
• 10 weeks before: Draft news release, web page,
agenda; review logistics requirements
• 9 weeks before: Announce tweetup
• 8 weeks before: Open registration
• 7 weeks before: 1st round selection notifications
• 5 weeks/30 days before: Finalize list of non-US citizen
participants
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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9. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
What Will Your Tweetup Look Like?
• Number of participants (buzz, exclusivity,
opportunity to build community)
• Type of event
• Length of event
• Location of event
• Who is going to speak?
• Can you provide a tour of some sort?
• Will you invite non-U.S. citizens? Minors?
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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10. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Successful Tweetups Rock Logistics
• How many people will
the room
accommodate?
• Tables and chairs
• Power
• WiFi
• Audio
• Refreshments?
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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11. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Making a Tweetup Agenda
• Senior level manager
• Social media team
representative
• Subject matter expert(s)
• Participant introductions
• Breaks and time to share
• Can you provide a tour or go
behind the scenes?
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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12. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Participants
• Requirements (following your account, level of
activity, age, citizenship?)
• Will you allow a guest? If so, is there an age
requirement for the guest? Must guests have
a Twitter account? Be sure to include guests in
your final count
• Guest pros and cons
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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13. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Announcing the Tweetup
• Give time for the buzz to build - announce
ahead of when registration will open (1 week)
• News release/media advisory + Twitter
• Have an online FAQ page with more info
• Post to all your social channels regularly to
remind people registration is coming
• Reach out to key influencers to ensure they
see the announcement
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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14. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup FAQ page
• When is registration
and what is required?
• Who can register?
• When is the event?
• What is the event?
• What does registration
include/not include?
• When will registrants be
notified?
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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15. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Registration
• Online registration
• OMB-approved form: first and last name, Twitter
handle, email and citizenship
• Optional fields: age, city, state, accounts followed
• Confirmation the registration went through
(recommend email vs web page)
• Keep registration open for a set period of time
instead of first come, first serve (monitor Twitter!)
• Check boxes to ensure they agree to certain things
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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16. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Registration Form
*First Name: City:
*Last Name: State:
*Twitter Account: Age:
* Your Email Address:
*Citizenship:
• Favorite NASA twitter accounts (ex. @NASA, etc.):
• Do you need any special accommodations?
• I acknowledge registration is for one person only, is non-transferrable, and that
NASA cannot accommodate guests.
• I confirm I am 18 years old or older.
* Denotes mandatory field
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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17. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Participant Selection
• Random or not?
• Proprietary selection process
• Did you stipulate any requirements?
Ensure they meet the requirement.
Remove those who do not.
• Will you allow prior participants to re-
apply for future events?
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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18. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Participant Notifications
• Everyone who registered should be notified: selected, not
selected, on the waiting list
• We require those selected to reply to confirm their intent to
participate; after confirmation, they receive a second email
with additional information and instructions
• Our waiting list is about the same number as those selected
• Sometimes we have a standby list of people who have cleared
security and can fill a spot with little notice
• Create a Twitter list of participants
• Send the agenda and details about one week in advance
• Create a list serve for easy communication
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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19. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Enable the Conversation
• Designate a hashtag like
#NASATweetup
• Do you want the same
hashtag for future
events, or a separate
one for each event?
• Plan to capture all the
hashtag traffic? Set it up
in advance
• Q&A
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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20. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Introduce Tweetup Participants
• Let them write their own intros to tweet
• Online interaction (e.g. Facebook groups)
• When you get on site, in person introductions
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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21. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
On-Site Tweetup Tips
• Create a staffing schedule and contact
information for the team
• Our most intense time is registration and
check in and getting everyone online
• Be prepared to troubleshoot
• Build in free time in the agenda
http://www.nasa.gov/tweeetup
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22. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Remote Participation
• Encourage use of the
hashtag; can you create a
discussion landing page?
• Can you broadcast the
event or a portion of it? If
not, can you record it to
post later?
• If you Ustream, do you
take questions from
Ustream?
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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23. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Tweetup Coverage
• Media release announcement and a news
release about those selected and what they
will get to experience (encourage participants
to pitch their local press)
• Engage with key influencers on related social
media platforms
• Video, webstream, photos
• Real time posting to social media
http://www.nasa.gov/tweeetup
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24. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Badges of Tweetup Success
• Create name
badges
• Banners and
backdrops
• Tweetup programs
• Swag bags
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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25. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Measuring Tweetup Success
• What was your goal? Did you reach it?
• Number and reach of tweets
• Stories in “traditional” press
• Did the opinions of your attendees change?
• Is there an action participants can take?
• How do you continue the conversation?
• Get feedback to improve next time;
experiment with what works
http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup
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26. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Beyond Numbers:
Moving people from…
ADVOCATES,
Fans,
EVANGELISTS,
Followers,
CREATORS,
Consumers
COLLABORATORS
http://www.nasa.gov/connect
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27. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Foster the community
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http://www.nasa.gov/connect

28. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
But don’t own the community
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29. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
“You may not have a spaceship, but your
company has a fan base. They won't think of
themselves as fans until they're in a room with
like-minded people. They won't think of
themselves as members of a community until
YOU bring them together.”
- David Rosen, @davidhrosen
(Director, Burson-Marsteller)
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30. http://www.nasa.gov/connect
Your Title Here 30