The document provides tips for running successful meetups using social networking tools. It discusses starting with an existing community like LondonWeb and focusing on process. Early methods included calling local web developers and having a clear agenda. Newer methods involve asking speakers to retweet events and managing ticket release. During events, tools like Twitter, podcasts, and thanking sponsors are recommended. After events, sharing slides, rating the meetup, and promoting the podcast are suggested.

1. Running Meetups using Social
Networking Tools
@nathanlon
How we started with LondonWeb

2. The beginnings
• Pub meetings
• Enthusiastic people
• Auckland early 2005
• Grew to the largest meetup in New Zealand
with 180 people a month and international
speakers

3. The Requirement
• To network and keep sane
• An appropriately sized venue
• Quiet and private venue
• Location - that is central and close to tubes
• Charged a flat rate (not required drink
minimum)
• Provide or have access to drinks

4. Set up
• Don’t start a community, hook into one that
already exists
• LondonWeb was originally London Web
Design Meetup – already had a following, but
only 4 people turning up on the night
• Focus on a process and map it out – then
change it as needed
– A lot of time went into working out everything
from introductions, to introduction emails

5. Early Methods
• Calling web developers using the phone book
• Having a clear agenda
• A good URL – meetup.co.nz
• A better name “Auckland Web”
• Get a core team and discuss what works
• Venue is key – we played off two universities
at one point
• Ask for involvement and who wants to share

6. Newer methods
• Ask for re-tweets by the speakers
• Use speakers twitter names when twittering –
they will re-tweet
• Supply and demand – release of tickets is an
art form

7. Social Networking sites
• Meetup.com
– http://www.meetup.com/londonweb/calendar/14226645/
• Ning.com – failed
– http://webscale.ning.com/
• SocialGO.com
– http://londonweb.socialgo.com/
• Facebook – group – started with a
– http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=382749332752
• Plancast.com
– http://plancast.com/p/2xm2
• Lanyrd.com
– http://lanyrd.com/2010/londonweb-september/

8. Gathering Community
• Write good content
• Detail the way to get there:
– http://www.prospertechnologies.com/images/hox
ton/
• Get sponsorship to grow the venue

9. During the meetup
• Set up a twitter hash tag #londonweb
• Retweet talk using the meetups twitter
account @london_web
• Thank the sponsors
• Ask the speakers for feedback
• Tell people where to find slides
• Advertise the podcast
• Don’t go too late

10. URLs and a great domain
• Even if you ask for loan of the domain – so you
don’t have to pay high prices
• Redirect to a domain you own if it’s not yours:
– Londonweb.org redirects to
londonwebmeetup.org
• Use bit.ly with a custom shortener and track
• http://bit.ly/moz-london-web-cruise

11. After the event
• Always thank sponsors
• Put the slides on slideshare and lanyrd
• Rate the meetup online
• Get the podcast on both iTunes & vimeo
(youtube only allows 10 minutes)
• Send out a message about the podcast being
available

12. Supply and Demand
• Create urgency, but be careful
• If you release too early, people forget or find
something else and stay RSVPd
• If you release too late, people don’t get
warning
• Use sponsors to allow pre-release with their
network