Conferences can be overwhelming. You’re networking. You’re learning. You’re managing your work from afar. It can be a bit much keeping up. That’s one of the reasons I rely on Twitter at conferences.

Most conferences now define a hashtag for a conference. A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) and used to identify messages on a specific topic. At a recent one it was #cmcDC. One I will be attending soon will be #NFPW15AK.

Following the hashtag on Twitter, I can read what other conference attendees think about a speaker. Attendees also often tweet a nugget that I missed while I was scribbling or typing another key point. And they often add their own insight and experience to the conversation.

Throughout the conference I can discover who the heavy users are, and I often make a point to find them and talk with them. It’s fun to meet the people behind the Twitter handle.

I often will follow the individuals so that I can continue to be exposed to new ideas and insights.

Twitter is simply one more means for me to ensure that I have a #SuccessfulConference.

Editor’s Note: AdWeek ran a story on tips for tweeting during live events. It’s worth checking out.