#DadChat is just two years old and may be the biggest and best parent-centric Tweet Chat on Twitter. We regularly get wonderful co-hosts from all walks of life. We have supported various charities via fund-raisers, and our community has evolved into a 24/7 forum, utilizing the #DadChat hashtag. In January of this year, we unofficially achieved a World Record number of impressions in the 24-hours around the official #DadChat get together every Thursday evening.
For those who care about stats, in the 48-hours around that Thursday, we garnered 267.14 impressions (aka Timeline Deliveries). And, we’ve gotten over 3/4 Billion impressions in the first four months of 2013.
What sets #DadChat apart from other such chats, in my opinion, is the diversity of our participants. Not only do we regularly have people join us from literally all over the world, but the gender make-up is pretty evenly split between dads AND moms. I think there’s a very simple explanation for this that may not be politically correct.
My non-PC thesis is based on inherent differences between men and women. As with all such generalities, I acknowledge there are always going to be exceptions to any stereotype or cliché. In this case, I assert that men are not especially interested in what might be dubbed a mom-oriented chat or community, falsely assuming that the topics would not be of interest to them. Conversely, I believe women are extremely interested in what men are saying and thinking, especially moms and especially single moms that want to know there are good dads out there.
Whether this is the reason #DadChat has such parity of the sexes, or it’s because I’m such a witty and charming, flirtatious host, we’ll never know, I suppose. I don’t even care other than I like to look at the general make-up of men and women, which is why I’ve been writing the Men vs. Women blog series.
Why would YOU want to co-host #DadChat? Very simply, because it’s fun, it’s an opportunity to reach a very large number of people, and further it’s an opportunity to proselytize on a subject that you are either or both knowledgeable or passionate about.
And, as co-host, you really do get to have the most fun because I take care of any business at #DadChat, answering questions from newbies, presenting and promoting the co-host, and moderating the whole chat to make the co-host’s participation more meaningful for them.
I prepare a pre-chat column that is published the Monday before each Thursday’s #DadChat. When I have a co-host or sponsor, I incorporate information, links, photos, and a bio from them into that post, as well as send it to them for feedback and comments. It’s your special PR for “your” #DadChat.
Okay, so you’re hooked and now want to come aboard. What are the requirements? First and foremost, there is no money requested or paid. I get sponsors for #DadChat and that is a wholly different paradigm than finding a good co-host.
I want someone who will bring special knowledge and passion to our #DadChat community. A requirement is familiarity with tweet chats, though even that can be overcome with some tutorial help from me (which I’ve done many times with co-hosts) and/or some practice at either #DadChat or other popular and busy Tweet Chats.
The need for that familiarity and comfort is simply because we average 1,000 – 2,000 tweets per #DadChat, from 100 – 300+ participants. 1,200 tweets is one every three seconds. That can be hard to follow. I average upwards of 200 tweets between three different twitter handles each and every #DadChat. That includes asking questions, reading the stream, and responding in real time with effort to be smart, clever, and type without too many mistakes. I call it, “Brain Exercise,” because it is intense.
That is about it. I do have some other questions and needs, which I will explain once you contact me with your interest, and with a topic you want to lead. Email me at: [email protected]. No guarantee that you or your topic will be approved, but you will get a response – – I promise!
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