A Twitter chat is a fantastic way for brands to build a solid relationship with their audience. It’s typically an hour-long discussion via Twitter about a topic that is relevant to both the chat host and participants– anything from what it’s like to go to university for the first time to a new album from a celebrity rap artist.

But it’s not enough to choose a topic and time and let loose on Twitter. A great chat takes planning, organization and – possibly the most important – follow-up.

I’ve been an active participant in a number of Twitter chats, and I’ve noticed that some things work… and some things flop. Here are ten ways to make sure your next Twitter chat is one that works!

Read more

#SMChat sees hundreds of people take to Twitter each week to discuss social media marketing. #BlogChat participants produce over 6,000 tweets about the tools, tricks and tribulations of being a blogger. These are two of the biggest Twitter chats out there, and they’ve developed a “secret sauce” for hosting the perfect chat.

Read more

With more than a billion messages being tweeted every week, Twitter is the place to be if you want in on the conversation – any conversation. But with all of that chatter, it can be hard to focus in on one or two people you’re interested in having a real conversation with.

That’s where !blether comes in.

With !blether, you can have private chats with one or more Twitter users, simply by @mentioning them and starting your tweet with “!b”.
Read more

Move over MSN and AOL, there’s a new IM in town.

Bonfire.im was just launched today, and already it’s seeing a lot of media buzz. This new Twitter app lets you see which of your Twitter friends is online now, and sets up an IM-style chat with them.

This means you no longer have to send clunky DMs back and forth when you want to have a private chat with a fellow Twitter user – you can message them on Twitter.com just like you would using a traditional IM service.
Read more

Klout is the influence measurement for Twitter, and they’re pretty influential themselves. Each week they host the hashtag chat #KloutChat, offering tips and information about the company and how to improve your Klout score.

Megan Berry, the company’s marketing manager, spoke with Ragan.com about six best practices for hosting your own successful Twitter hashtag chat.
Read more

The White House has begun holding “Office Hours” with its senior staff on Twitter, answering the public’s questions daily in 140 characters or less.
Read more