Navigating social media under a professional persona can be tricky. Sometimes the lines between “work life” and “personal life” can be blurred. If you are looking to use digital media to further your personal brand, you may want to participate in Twitter chats within your industry.
A Twitter chat is an organized discussion based around a particular hashtag. Twitter chats may have guests or specific topics that rotate each chat. For example, Media Chat (#MediaChat) is a weekly Twitter chat focused around social and digital media, sometimes hosted by guests. Many Twitter chats follow a question and answer discussion format. If you are interested in participating in a Twitter chat, be sure to follow the hashtag at the right time. The host should explain the rest.
If you decide to participate in a Twitter chat, there are several ways that you can leverage it to improve professionally:
Gain Connections
One of the biggest professional benefits of social media is the ability to network with others in your field across the country and across the world. Participating in a Twitter discussion can lead to new connection that could become colleagues, partners, and clients later on. In addition, you can fill your feed with others in your field, making your Twitter feed a valuable resource.
Keep up with Industry News
A Twitter chat within your industry will likely include references to recent developments, making it easy to stay on top of the latest happenings in your field. In addition, Twitter discussions can offer an idea of how your peers feel about the news and how it will affect the industry as a whole. Keeping on top of current events that apply to your field is vital to staying ahead of the curve.
Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader
If you are invested in growing your personal brand, you may be trying to establish yourself as an authority in your field. Providing insights and thought-provoking discussion within a Twitter chat is one way to show your knowledge and value to others in your field. Twitter chats can be a valuable place to show your mastery of your subject matter while learning from others.
Twitter chats are just one way that Twitter can be used in a professional way to benefit your career. For a list of Twitter chats, check TweetReports.com (http://tweetreports.com/twitter-chat-schedule/).