Here’s the truth: Whether you’re hosting a 1,500-person conference or a small workshop for 30, your event needs a social media marketing strategy.
Why? Think about it. Why do you attend an event?
Networking
To learn something valuable (hopefully!)
And that’s what social media is all about - networking, developing, and sharing insightful content. In this way, social media goes hand-in-hand with your event. It can multiply your reach and in turn, boost your event’s reputation and overall number of attendees. Social media also allows speakers, exhibitors, and other attendees to interact before and after your event, thereby offering a more personalized experience. So where do you begin?
First, you’ll need to determine which platforms to use. 84% of event organizers use Facebook to promote their event, with 61% on Twitter and 42% using Youtube. What makes the most sense for your event / what platform does your target attendee audience use the most?
Second, establish your goals. What do you want? More sales? More traffic to your event page and therefore more attendees? More awareness and reputation? Sit down, and think about what you're trying to accomplish before jumping into anything.
Third, create an action plan with content ideas. What clever or useful content can you provide your followers on social media? What is going to make people ‘like,’ re-tweet, star, and share your posts? Ultimately, why should people be interested in your event?
Finally, execute. Easier said than done - and that’s why there are people out there, dedicated to social media as a profession. Social media requires a strategy, and you have to devote time and resources to it. A few tips from us:
Visual content performs better. (In fact, researchers found that colored visuals increase people's willingness to read a piece of content by 80%.)
Pay attention. For your specific audience, when do you seem to be getting the most engagement? This kind of testing, for your particular audience, will require a little bit of trial and error - maybe it’s Tuesdays in the afternoon right after lunch,? Either way, consider trends, and replicate that success.
Engage with other social media influencers that are relevant to your event and brand, and always, always reply to people, especially when you're just getting started. That’s how you build up loyalty.
For more tips and tricks, check out Eventtia’s articles on event promotion, here and here.
