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.
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NASA Tweetups: Creating a Community Online and In-Person
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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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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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
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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Find and connect with your fan base and bring them into a community Where to find NASA’s social media accounts. Who is tweeting? Everyone! Centers, Leadership, Programs, Spacecraft, Astronauts, Education Programs More than 200 social media accounts across the agency
Important thing to remember is it is TWO=way which is different from most of our media tools, such as news releases.