What is a tweetup?
Simply stated, a tweetup is a gathering of Twitter users. Tweetups are often very informal meetings focused on a central topic of interest, such as social media or business networking, and usually include a good amount of social time. This is not always the case, however; some tweetups are strictly social events. It is suggested that you have a Twitter account so you can follow the interesting people that you meet, but an account is not required to attend. Are you trying to figure out what Twitter is, how it works, or how to register for an account? Great! A tweetup is an awesome place for you to start. You will have the opportunity to meet plenty of people from all walks of life that will be glad to answer questions and help you get started. It helps to bring a friend along to the first tweetup you go to if you are nervous or shy, but you will quickly find that the Twitter community is a very friendly and welcoming one.
What do people do at a tweetup?
Talk, meet new people and catch up with old friends, learn about interesting topics, share and discuss ideas and have fun! Tweetups are a great place to share stories and network with new people. You never know who might be in the room – an important local government figure, your next employer, or your next customer. The networking aspect of a tweetup is what I find most exciting.
What should you bring to a tweetup?
Yourself, an open mind, and a way to update your Twitter status if you have an account (laptop or phone). As previously stated, a twitter account is not required to attend; but if you have one, you will want to be able to follow people that you meet at the event. Bringing business cards is also a good idea – makes it easy to share your contact information.
How do you find out about tweetups?
One good place to check is Twitter itself by searching the #tweetup hashtag. Try searching for “your city #tweetup”. There are also a couple of sites you can check for info on local tweetups – http://twtvite.com and http://www.meetup.com are two excellent resources. If you can’t find a tweetup in your city by either of these methods, try asking around. I would suggest finding local twitter users in your area and asking them for information on local tweetups.
The upshot
Tweetups are a fun, safe way to meet with local Twitter users to share ideas, learn new things, and build networks. Tweetups are all about putting a face and a personality with those 140 character status updates – turning digital connections into physical and emotional connections – building relationships.
