Back in 2009 before Twitter became mainstream, tweetups were a popular in-person meet-up for people organized on Twitter. While Twitter was still relatively new, tweetups were a forum for those early adopters looking to connect offline.
As Twitter’s popularity started to rise, and influencers in the social media space began to emerge, tweetups became a popular tactic to connect brands with socially savvy influencers and create buzz in the right circles.
We saw tweetups for charitable causes, networking events, and product launches. We built tweet walls and plastered hashtags on everything from signage to napkins, to encourage social engagement and ensure our tweetups were a success.
Fast forward to 2013. There are 500 million people worldwide tweeting, but when’s the last time you pitched a client on an actual tweetup?
We’re still promoting our hashtags and live-tweeting events. Tweeting has become so second nature – it’s almost a given. So did the tweetup die, or just evolve into a tactic layered onto existing programs? I think it’s the latter.
What’s next?
Rumour has it that Twitter is testing out a new feature that will send users an alert for live events happening nearby. Perhaps the next evolution of the tweetup is just around the corner. This time the events are coming for you.