One of the best ways to harness Twitter is by participating in chats, scheduled hashtag discussions that focus on specific topics. Small businesses can utilize chats to develop a social media plan, discuss brand strategy, and take advantage of free legal advice.

Here is a list of chats for small businesses. To join the conversation, search the hashtag at Twitter during the chat’s scheduled time. You can also use a Twitter-client such as TweetChat or TweetDeck.

Chats for Small Businesses

#bizforum. Each Wednesday #bizforum provides a place where people with varying points of view on trending business-related topics can present those views and debate the pros and cons with other business leaders. Time: Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#Blogchat. Founded by @MackCollier, #Blogchat is a weekly discussion to help you improve your blogging results. Co-hosts frequently join the conversation. The popular chat also streams at live events. Time: Sundays at 8 p.m. Central U.S. Time.

#BrandChat. #BrandChat focuses on brand development. Brand themes for each week explore big businesses, non-profits, small businesses, personal brands, and general information and open-chats. Time: Wednesdays at 8 a.m. Pacific U.S. Time.

#CustServ. Hosted by @MarshaCollier and @JeffreyJKingman, #CustServ is a weekly discussion on customer service for all organizations, large or small. Time: Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#CXO. #CXO is a weekly discussion on customer experience optimization for professionals and enthusiasts. Time: Mondays at 12 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#DIYchat. The #DIYchat is a discussion for those with do-it-yourself businesses. Entrepreneurs and creative visionaries have no shortage of ideas, but they often need help creating a master plan for accomplishing their biggest goals. Time: First Thursday of the month, 7 to 9 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#HBRchat. Hosted by Harvard Business Review, #HBRchat presents three questions related to a topic raised in a recent article, blog post or other type of content. HBRchat participants are invited to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions. Time: Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#InfluenceChat. Hosted by Alan Berkson, #InfluenceChat discusses influence and related issues. The InfluenceChat blog posts a variety of related articles, as well as chat tweets and topics. Time: Tuesdays at 12 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#Innochat. Each Thursday, #Innochat presents a lively, informative and inspiring discussion on innovation. Guest moderators discuss innovations in product development, brand management, and more. Time: Thursdays at 12:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.

#KloutChat. Klout, the company that measures your influence, now hosts #KloutChat. The chat is an ongoing conversation about influence measurement and social impact. Time: First Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.