Hey! What is a Twitter Party?

I get asked this question a lot. What the heck is a twitter party? Then it’s usually followed by “It’s a chat room for computer geeks huh?”

NO, WRONG and cue knowledge.

A Twitter party is an online gathering of tweeps (twitter folk). Where you “meet” is at a designated hashtag. Example #shallowparty During this hour or so time period a moderator tweets out questions associated with the parties theme and purpose. For example the Clever Girls Collective hosted a Twitter party named “We Love the 80’s Again”. I loved hearing I wasn’t the only black 14-year-old girl who thought she was Madonna.

Now here’s what many of you don’t realize…. YOU CAN WIN STUFF! Seriously! The reason why the majority of Twitter parties are being held are to bring attention to a product, brand or service. These brands want of course to be talked about BEYOND that hour of a twitter party. What better way to keep you talking and sharing it? Give you something!

Hang around me for more than a minute, you’ll see that I’m a Twitter nut. After winning an all paid pass to Blogalicious Weekend 2011 a few weeks back during a Twitter party hosted by Latina Mom Bloggers, now just call me Crazy Twitter Chick. I’ll be telling my kid’s kids about how granny won her some tickets to DC.

If you are still hesitant about joining a Twitter party, don’t be and just do it! The rules are usually simple. Here’s a rundown:

Sign up for a free Twitter account.
Find a Twitter party. (I have friends in high places, so stick with me to find the best ;-)
RSVP by submitting your @twitter handle at the host’s site. Most likely it will be a linky.
Review your party details to know WHY the party is happening. WHEN the day and time will be and WHAT is the #hashtag
Follow via Twitter all panelists, moderators, and brands listed.
Reread rules. They may require you to like a Facebook fan page. If so DO so!
Get the tools. To follow all tweets and see conversations happening in real-time, try Tweet Chat. It’s easy to use and it will make your first Twitter party experience more fun. I recommend downloading TweetDeck or HootSuite after you get your tweet feet wet with a few parties. Both are free software that will simplify viewing and conversing during parties.
RELAX. Don’t get frustrated during the party. Your first few twitter parties will feel like someone threw you in the middle of a washer cycle, but no worries. Most of the other party goers are just as behind as you! Just have fun and give yourself props that you took your first step.
WIN something and then tell us all about it!

Now that you are armed with Twitter party super-power knowledge go out and join one! Tonight, my friends over at Latina Mom Bloggers are hosting a Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with #SomosFiOS Twitter Party. One of the prizes that they’re giving away is an iPad 2! Uh huh, that’s right. Hope to see you there….Good Luck!