Twitter Chat Case Study: #ChatSnap
by Kristy Gillentine, host of #ChatSnap
I love Snapchat and I love Twitter chats, and I know the amazing ability Twitter chats have to bring people together around a shared interest. I searched for a Twitter chat specifically discussing Snapchat, but there wasn’t one. That’s when Madalyn Sklar encouraged me to start my own chat. I reached out to a few friends who I knew would be in attendance no matter what. If no one else showed up, we would have a good time. I launched #ChatSnap – The Twitter Chat All About Snapchat – on March 16, 2016. It was an out-of-the-gate success and we have consistently trended at least nationally since Week 1.
A year later, the #ChatSnap community has grown far beyond what I expected it to be, and it’s still growing and drawing hundreds of participants every week. I have a Facebook group where the community can further connect outside the chat. I’ve welcomed guests like Madalyn Sklar, Brian Fanzo, Shonduras, Joel Comm, GiniCanBreathe, Shaun Ayala, emoji artist Matt Fogarty, TechCrunch editor Josh Constine, JoeWilsonTV, Chocolate Johnny, Jason “Yarby” Yarbrough, Joel Renner, Chris “Kubby” Kubbernus and many more. And #ChatSnap has been listed online multiple times as a top Twitter chat for social media marketers to follow.
#ChatSnap has opened doors for me personally and professionally, giving me opportunities for media interviews, training sessions, to speak at conferences, to connect with amazing people and to apply the things I learn from participants and guests to my work as a social media and communications consultant.
I’m grateful to and for the #ChatSnap community. I see myself as their “host” in every sense of the word. I’m their leader, but I’m also at their service. It’s my responsibility to provide an enjoyable experience week after week. It’s up to me to keep a finger on the pulse of current events and topics to make our discussions relevant and timely. It’s my job to make sure everyone feels heard and valued. It’s my duty to seek and appreciate feedback from guests and participants. And it’s my commitment to make adjustments based on their feedback so the chat and the community around it continue to grow and evolve.
I think that it’s all of these things that have helped #ChatSnap grow the way it has, and I’m excited to see where the second year of #ChatSnap – The Twitter Chat All About Snapchat – takes us.
How to join #ChatSnap – TODAY (and every Wednesday) at 2pm ET!! pic.twitter.com/jAv7wXjdrD
— Kristy Gillentine (@KrisGillentine) June 15, 2016
PLUG: I'm Kristy, founder of #ChatSnap, and if we aren't already connected on Snapchat, I'd love to fix that. https://t.co/yYLdnYkttq pic.twitter.com/8Etzu3fCC3
— Kristy Gillentine Callaway (@KrisGillentine) March 15, 2017