How to Create Social Media Attention for your Event

As you consider event promotion ideas, social media has several key benefits. Number one, it’s (more than likely) where your audience spends their time, so it’s essential for reaching them in the first place. Second, social media event promotion has the potential for exponential exposure – if you share compelling content, and attendees share it with their networks, too, you can reach a much larger audience. Social media also enables a two-way conversation. You can ask questions, crowdsource content and start conversations. So, the question remains: what’s the best way to approach social media for your event? Use these five tips and you’ll be ahead of the game.

1. Create a strategy

Platforms: Using multiple social platforms, it’s possible to reach various segments of your audience. However, you don’t want to waste hours each day, bouncing between six different tools. Consider your attendee demographic, the type of event you’re hosting, the type of content you envision sharing and how social media savvy your prospects are to determine which platforms are best. Needless to say, you will also tailor your content to each platform respectively. As an example, Instagram focuses on image sharing while LinkedIn is more professional and centered around B2B news and announcements.

Post management: For all its benefits, social media can be overwhelming. Take the time to research the best social media management tool for your needs (Buffer and Hootsuite are good options), use it to create a schedule and publish accordingly.

Hashtag: Create a short, original and clear tagline that aligns to your event objective and brand. Use your hashtag on all of your social media and marketing material including emails, print and your website.

For more tips on hashtags, view this post.

2. Engaging content

Visual: There are infinite creative ways to promote an event. Instagram is perfect for posting fun visuals from past events or sneak peeks for what’s to come. Videos, photos, behind-the-scenes clips, infographics and teaser slides of presentations will help prospects feel that they’re in on the fun and understand what they can expect.

Quotes: We all value input from customers and past users or attendees. Consider tweeting testimonials from previous events. Offer even more value with quotes from your guest speakers, giving your audience an idea of what they will learn.

In both cases, be mindful of the visual that you’re using. It should be a clean and uplifting aesthetic that is also easy to share.

3. Contest

Who doesn’t love a prize? Whether it be a useful gadget giveaway or admission to your event-people love free stuff. Hosting a contest on Instagram or Facebook will involve your audience and generate buzz.

Again, create a striking image and ask your followers to comment – regardless of winning or losing the contest, the more users participate the more likely they are to register.

4. Partner with sponsors and speakers

Once you build a strong rapport with your sponsors, start the conversation about social media. It’s likely your guest speakers and sponsors are active and if willing, they can help spread the word by reposting and/or creating original content that features their involvement in your event.

5. Measure results

Make a list of the KPIs beforehand. These should be the metrics that are most important to you; the ones that will make the difference between success and disappointment. Don’t forget to measure your engagement rate, in an effort to create an even better strategy for next time. Check out how many clicks each link had on each platform. Which content generated the most buzz or participation? Keep an eye out for trends and repost top content.

Don’t forget to have fun with your social posts. The more you like what you’re posting – the more it makes you smile – the more your audience is going to like it, too. When it comes to promotion, engaging and shareable content will go a long way!

How Can Stova help?

If you’re looking for more in-depth advice on event tech and creative ways to promote an event, subscribe to the Stova blog. And as always, if you want to talk it over with an expert, don’t hesitate to schedule a free demo!