I ended up suggesting and participating in a session about Twitter chats, in particular how those chats can build trust among members of a community that could help expand who journalists can reach out to for help on stories. The discussion was also expanded to include a discussion about two-way conversations online in general and how online tools can be used for them.

This post fulfills my promise to those in the session that I’d create a post on one of my sites with links to some resources about Twitter chats:

NOTE: Don’t forget to check out Tim Merritt’s notes from the session as well and to add anything that you feel necessary to either of our comments sections.

The most comprehensive list of Twitter chats out there (via Google Docs) and its explanation.

Media specific chats:

• #journchat – Mondays, 8-10 p.m ET. The original Twitter chat.
• #blogchat – Sundays, 8-10 p.m., ET. | More info
• #pubmedia – Mondays, 8-9 p.m., ET | More info
• #wjchat – Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., ET | More info

Here’s a list of some links that provide a great overview of how to organize, manage and participate in a Twitter-based chat:

• The Twitter Chat Experience – a great list of tools to manage participating in Twitter chats.
• What the Hashtag? – Wiki-like aggregation tool for chats.
• Great tips on organizing a Twitter chat via Top Rank.
• How to Participate in a Twitter chat via Small Business Trends.
• How to follow a Twitter chat via Inkslinger.
• How to join a Twitter chat via meryl.net.
• Reflections on Twitter Chat Facilitation Techniques via Beth’s Blog.
• Mediashift’s explanation of #pubmedia chat.

I started #bhamchat a little over a year ago in hopes of answering a nagging question:

What do I do with 1,000+ followers?

The more precise question would be how to I engage with those followers of The Terminal in a meaningful way. The idea of a city-based Twitter chat allowed for several things, regardless of the number of followers you have:

• It’s a way to engage Twitter followers with the organization and fellow members.
• It builds trust with your organization/publication – something extremely helpful when you’re looking for help with a story or general information. It can also lay the groundwork for a crowdsourcing project.
• It’s an educational vehicle – as the chat grows, there are more people that will learn about the personalities of the publication/organization and what it offers. You get the chance to learn some more about folks who can serve as ardent supporters of your work. It also serves as an opportunity to help others learn about new ways to look at using tools like Twitter.
• It also means that you’re giving folks another reason to use the service and not see it as a waste of time.

You may also find this infographic helpful, regardless of how you plan to use Twitter or any other social media tool in the future.

One important thing to stress (as we did during the session) is the need to use the tool that’s best for what you’re trying to accomplish. A conversation with students may be best suited for a Facebook group because it allowed for it to be closed. A conversation with a staff may require the creation of a password-protected blog that allows for much longer answers and complete control of the content. It’s important for you and those using it to be comfortable.

I hope it’s helpful (and I’m hoping to hear about anything I missed or that should be discussed further in the comments section).

Photo: Twitter Bird – Paper Toy. Rosaura Ochoa/Flickr

I’ll just point out before you get to reading the fact that it’s quite interesting how there is a divide between the use of the tool for what some folks would call regular social interaction and how it should be used for business development…

Feel free to add your thoughts to this as a comment below.

Please note that the link directs you to their Twitter profile (just in case you feel like talking to them a little more about this or anything else for that matter).

@MCuthbert - Since a lot of people follow only hoping for reciprocation, I think interaction is a better measure. Not all followers are reading.

@Zerolove - i say it is 100% more about the interaction, I think if you interact even if you are following 2000 people then its all good.

@gabinator - from a business standpoint it might numbers of followers. As an individual, I like the interactivity so having more is better.

@libbysexton - if u are looking for interaction than quality not quantity IMHO, but for brand awareness/customer service, you want the numbers.

@bhamboxset - I think both are useful–bc I want more readers to KNOW about our blogs, but I also want to know who they want to hear about!

@WadeonTweets - To answer, 1mil followers are useless if they don’t RT, respond, interact. Better to have 500-1000 who’ll follow you into hell.

@ikepigott - It is ALL about interaction. I’m happier with comments than I am subscribers (b/c nobody reads feeds anymore!)

@TimJackson - Personally, my friend, I believe it’s about the discussion itself. Dialog is far more meaningful to me than numbers.

@AmberCadabra - Interaction, no question. I can’t build a relationship with a number.

@sonnygill - Def interaction. Nos are Nos if you don’t engage those people. If you bring lil value to your large comm, what’s the point?

@KellyCrane - Interaction trumps numbers every time. A person who is engaged and respected has way more influence on their followers to act.

@BlazeDaDragon - both, but it depends on who your asking. The community wants interaction.

As I said up above, feel free to add your comments to the conversation below.

Don’t forget to follow this blog on its Twitter feed – urbanconvos.

Now, the tweet:

 BTW: we’re hoping to reach the 400 follower mark in one week from today!! can you help us out?

The tweet becomes an interesting conversation starter, as I decided (after retweeting from both accounts mind you) to ask the following question:

Question gang… Is it more about numbers (or followers) or the level of interaction? Discuss…

I was about to set out here to share examples of what people were saying in response. I’ll probably still do so later on today. My objective changed when I noticed that Amber Naslund has made this challenge earlier in the morning via Twitter:

 My challenge to you: instead of blogging about how to use Twitter, blog about how you used Twitter to make your business better.

The answers given to my original question are important, but I figured sharing my experience and hearing from others may be a better way of looking at it.

I first signed my hyperlocal blog The Terminal up for Twitter last spring, after getting a personal account to use at the BlogWorld Expo in late 2007. Beginning in June, I started to track any increases or decreases in followers. It’s gone from 181 profiles following in June (I won’t say people since I’m aware of  folks managing multiple accounts – including me) to 645 followers as of 11:30 a.m. today. I try to follow as many of them back as I can. 

I’m sure that sorting through that list to determine active accounts would bring the total down. I may even lose some as a result of this post…

But what does that number mean to me? Why is it so important to follow back and talk with them? It means that I get to engage with people who truly care about the site and what it does, even though some of them have never met me in person, unless they’ve shown up to one of our Tweetups. I’ve received tips for breaking news stories. I’ve been able to share great news and help other publications get their message out. Last night I was even able to post a photo gallery from a follower who simply sent us a DM asking if I’d be willing to post her photos.

Getting numbers may be important, but it is equally important to engage them in a way that lets them know that they mean more to you than just stats that can be plotted on a graph. The quality of the relationships that you can build with these tools that are available to us are more important that demonstrating that you have followers.

I’m not worried about City Stages as far as that goes – the person handling their account enjoys the interaction.

The thing is, for some folks, the numbers are still necessary to provide the primary case for advertising and establishing a value. The questions are already out there about whether that will be sustainable long term.

But what’s your story? How have you used Twitter to make your business or organization better? Or how can you if you haven’t yet?

Image: Twitterific Icon. swanksalot/Flickr