Twitter Spaces is one of the fastest-growing new Twitter features released in the past 12 months, with journalists and influencers alike taking advantage of this Clubhouse alternative.
With the growing pivot to audio as publications continue to create new podcasts, Twitter Spaces provides a new opportunity for interactions with audiences in a more informal setting.
Here’s a look at some tips to get you started on your own Twitter Spaces.
Why use Twitter Spaces?
Supplementing stories and direct interaction
Has a story broken that you want to go deeper into? Twitter Spaces allows for you to bring further insights into the picture, whether through discussions with other journalists, or direct interviews with sources or experts, all done through Twitter, and in real-time.
However, it doesn’t have to stop there. With the ‘Request to Speak’ function, listeners can be added directly to the conversation, offering their own perspectives, or asking questions about the story to those on the panels. Having these deeper interactions with audiences is a great opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your following, hopefully keeping them within your ecosystem more in the future.
Finding news
Press conferences and announcements have changed a lot in the last two years. Moving events online allows companies to speak directly to a wider audience.
As innovations continue to happen in the marketing space alongside the journalism space, Twitter Spaces is a platform that some companies could look to for their future product reveals – especially given the priority Twitter gives to Spaces, located at the top of the app.
Even without these official announcements, events such as Ask Me Anything (AMAs) can often reveal details worthy of their own stories if speaker has authority on the topic.
Or, as was the case for the ‘Sing Your Dialect’ space, sometimes a Twitter Space is worth of a story itself.
Releasing live podcasts
As audio comes full circle with places Amazon re-inventing (literally) radio, demand for live podcasting remains high. While YouTube and Twitch are still the top live streaming platforms, Spaces is another option for recording audio live.
What makes Twitter’s offering a potential competitor in the space is this virtual switchboard of speakers. Inviting panellists to speakers on your YouTube show may involve external services like Zoom. With Twitter Spaces it’s all done in house. This means not only can you take questions from listeners, but also do it all from the Twitter Spaces UI. Just make sure to press record.
Building your personal brand
Back when events and conferences happened in person, journalists were among those often chosen to moderate them – a nice badge to put on your CV.
While hosting a Twitter Space may not be deemed as prestigious (despite having the potential to reach more listeners), being chosen to moderate a Space or ask questions to companies, politicians, or projects has the potential to bolster both your follower count and reputation.
Twitter Spaces Tips
Okay, so you’ve decided to host a Twitter Space. Now what?
Here are a few tips to get your Space off to a good start:
- Get your tech ready – fumbling around at the start of your Space may lead some listeners to drop out early, spelling disaster for the show before it even begins. Back-up headphones or devices can help mitigate any last-minute tech malfunctions, too.
- Roll with Twitter Spaces bugs – At the same time, Twitter Spaces is still a relatively novel feature. This means things can – and do – go wrong, including getting kicked out of the space. Usually Twitter will let you join back without too many issues, so people might not even notice.
- Speaker vetting – Trolls and promoters may try to target your Spaces, so be wary when accepting their requests to speak. Do a little digging into their account beforehand to get a sense of what they use Twitter for. If someone slips through the net, don’t hesitate to kick them out.
MA Interactive Journalism student, interested in gaming, tech, and crypto journalism, focusing on Audience Growth. Once attended a physical NFT art gallery opening.