Twitter parties, increasingly, are an incredibly useful tool for connecting with bloggers and building social media buzz. For some PR pros, Twitter parties are standard practice, but for many, Twitter parties are still a new concept.

What is a Twitter Party?

A Twitter party is a fast-paced, virtual party that utilizes the Twitter platform to create a chatroom-like session around a topic, theme, or brand of choice. Usually moderated by an expert of party host, these events are typically held in the evenings and last 1 - 2 hours. The conversations are tied together with the use of a hashtag that bloggers and hosts use to track and monitor party-related Tweets.

Why Are Twitter Parties Appealing For Bloggers?

In addition to common incentives, such as the ability to win prizes, bloggers enjoy coming together to discuss topics, connect and chat with fellow bloggers, and being a part of the community. BlogWire Twitter Parties, for example, have seen more than 200 RSVPs per event, and bloggers have expressed equal interest in winning review samples and connecting with new and old blogging contacts.

What Are The Benefits Of Sponsoring A Twitter Party?

In addition to the benefits of being able to distribute products for review by bloggers, Twitter parties are a great way for companies to virally spread word about promotions, company news, new products and lines, and other similar announcements - by asking questions that prompt bloggers to respond, in Tweet form, with details and URLs that link not only fellow party participants, but their Twitter followers, with information that a company is trying to distribute.

Maximizing Your Impact Through Twitter Parties

Making an impact during a Twitter party is an art. Asking the right questions can mean the difference between a successful event - one that drives traffic, sales, buzz and reviews for your brand - and one that offers nothing more than a short-lived jump in traffic. There are a few tips to building the perfect questions:

• Think about your overall objective with the event, and build questions around that goal. If you'd like to build general brand awareness about a new or relatively-unknown company, background and detail questions are a good fit. If you're looking to drive traffic for a specific holiday-themed promotion, then those same questions are wasted time during a fast-paced event.
• Be specific, and ask bloggers to respond with the brand's name, a URL, or other details
• Offer open-ended questions that give bloggers the ability to dig into your brand's website and explore your offerings
• Always include a question about a current promotion, and ask bloggers to link to a landing page that offers additional details about the promotion
• Participate in or observe other successful events for tips, good question formats, and to get a sense of pace and flow

Check out our calendar of upcoming Twitter parties and find the perfect match for your promotional needs!

Whether this is your first party or you're a seasoned pro, Twitter parties have certainly popped onto your radar when targeting the female blogosphere.

SheBlogs.org's team plans our Twitter parties around our community's central mission of connecting brands and bloggers. Our parties focus on brand- and promotion-related trivia, company Q&A, and other questions related to product sample giveaways.

This strategy is beneficial to both marketers and bloggers in many ways:

- Marketers have the benefit of engaging bloggers around specific promotions, products, or announcements (e.g., asking bloggers to respond to trivia questions like, "What is XYZ Corp's current Back To School featured sale item online?"), which drives social media buzz around current brand initiatives

- Bloggers are competing to win one of 25 "swag bags" that are full of coupons, product samples and more. Our Twitter parties level the playing field for bloggers who may not have a contact at a particular corporation, giving them a chance to review the hot new item for Fall upon receipt of their swag bag in the mail (usually one week after the event ends)

- The distribution of swag bags and prizes also encourages two waves of buzz around a product or service: the first being on social media during the Twitter party, and the second being a more in-depth review upon receipt of all products by mail. 

- For bloggers who are seeking a variety of products and services related to Back to School coverage, our Twitter parties offer them a myriad of post suggestions - ranging from online and in-store sales, new product launches, product review opportunities and more. Likewise, for marketers promoting lesser-known brands, joining a group Twitter party increases your likelihood of getting buzz and building awareness, as opposed to hosting a stand-alone event.

Twitter party participants are asked to provide the following items:

- 25 coupons, product samples (size restrictions apply - please email us at editor@sheblogs.org with questions about larger items!), and promotional papers (press releases, flyers, etc) that will be included in our swag bags

- 1 stand-alone prize (must fit in a 12" x 12" box)

- 6 product, brand, or promotional questions (AND ANSWERS) that will be asked of our bloggers during the Twitter party. Five will be asked for a chance to win a swag bag; one will be asked for a chance to win the bonus, stand-alone prize you've provided

We will be providing all participants with a spreadsheet that includes all winner information for each swag bag, as well as your bonus prize winner, for direct follow-up.

Cost for participation in our Back To School Twitter Party & Swag Bag Giveaway is $250 (brands contributing oversized items will be charged an additional fee to offset shipping costs for swag bags).

Deadline for commitment of participation is August 24 and all swag bag and prize items must be received no later than September 2!

RSVP your brand for our 2011 Back To School Twitter Party!