For the most part, live-tweeting by event participants is frowned upon everywhere other than at tech conferences. Organizations have banned it. Some will hand out fines if their participants are caught doing it.
It’s further proof that the power-the-be in most large organizations just don’t get it.
Imagine being able to follow Twitter feeds during an event and having more than just your buddies and random watchers tweeting about it. What if the people IN the event were Tweeting as well. It could make for some interesting interactions and would help people be more engaged. American Idol is considering making their Twitter rules more relaxed for contestants, but that’s really just the start.
Everyone needs to relax and let it happen. Here’s why:
Twitter at Sporting Events (the example)
The NFL’s policy on Twitter and other social networks prohibits their use beginning 90 minutes before a game until following the conclusion of media interviews after a game. Not only should they have people Tweeting right up to the game and immediately after, they should allow players, coaches, and other team personnel to Tweet DURING the game. Sound crazy?
I’m not suggesting that Peyton Manning should head to the bench after tossing an interception, whip out his iPhone and Tweet, “Where did @kerryrhodes come from? I completely missed him.”
It would, however, be interesting to have someone on the sidelines or in the box with control over players’ and coaches’ Twitter accounts talking to fans on their behalf. If Kerry Rhodes were to intercept Manning, he could tell the Twitter person to say something like, “Peyton didn’t realize I have mad speed, did he? #cardscolts”
The fans would love it. The distractions would be minimal. The NFL itself would have an avenue of connection that could draw more people to the television when they get exciting updates on their phones. It would be a win-win-win across the board.
Twitter at Every Event
The NFL isn’t the only entity that could gain by embracing rather than restricting Twitter. ANY event that is not private and that would not be harmed (much) by the distraction would do well to embrace it. Just as American Idol wants their contestants to connect more, so too should any event allow connections between participants and their fans.
It doesn’t have to be limited to entertainment. Here are some other examples:
- The various levels of government could use social networks to get their ideas out quickly. “We’re about to vote on House Bill 1234. Any last thoughts from my constituents?”
- Churches could spread their message outside of the church during sermons for those not in attendance. “Reading Acts 2 to the congregation – a very controversial read to say the least.”
- Teachers and professors could Tweet important notes to their class while IN class. “Just a hint: 4 questions will be asked about the information on page 328 alone. Are you paying attention?”
Connecting, Engagement, and All the Other Buzzwords…
If you follow the streams of any social media guru, read the posts on social media blogs, or attend any social media conference, they all talk about connecting, engaging, and every other pretty variation of the words that mean “conversation.” These buzzwords work because they’re true in an ideal social media society – we want to use these to connect with friends, family, and interests. It’s in the “interests” aspect of connection that we want organizations to loosen up.
To Those Organizations: You have a venue in social networking that is loaded with risk and may come back to bite you if you allow your people to open up on them. This very same venue can help you grow and achieve more than you have already because despite the risks, there is a strong potential for amazing things to happen if you do.
About JD Rucker
Interesting ideas, I’d say this is where social media should be heading. Though I respect individual organizations and their desire to either ban or allow tweeting during events, I would like to see some of these barriers being broken in the evolution of “Social Media 2.0.”
@david Agreed. It seems that many corporations and large entities are more fearful of what can happen on social media rather than hopeful of what can be accomplished.
@JD Rucker I think senior management should be educated by the PR and Advertising people as to what can be accomplished. The benefits are obvious to anyone that has actually used social media for promotion purposes but not that obvious to people whose only interaction with the web is email.
Very Interesting article! I agree that live event tweeting will allow for much better attendee engagement and can build customer loyalty to a particular brand.
I personally love any interactive attraction while attending events. The more the better!