On a daily basis, most people are using some form of social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc) on their mobile device. So the question becomes: How can you take advantage of this for your next event?
It seems that some planners only view social media as a way for attendees to “capture the moment” of your event while in it’s in action. And while that’s okay (and important!), we think that planners often underestimate the weight that social media can have on increasing your event attendance!
Take a look below at our six simple tips you should use to help improve your event promotion on social media.
- Use a CTA
Make sure you have a clear call to action (or CTA) for all of your social media posts. A CTA will allow you to drive potential attendees to your event page by enticing them with additional value, such as speaker information, networking opportunities, etc. This material should help boost pre-event sales and help motivate your attendees to want to become more involved in the conversation about your event.
- Create a unique hashtag
One of your goals as a planner should be to make promoting your event easy for your attendees. By creating a unique event hashtag, you’re equipping your audience to do your work for you and foster a little bit of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) with other potential attendees. Remember to be creative! The social media world is already flooded with generic hashtags.
- Promote behind the scenes footage
An easy way to delight your social media audience is by sharing some behind the scenes footage of what it takes to make your event come to life. We recommend using channels like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or even Snapchat, to advertise these mini-videos, as they are so easily accessible to most of your audience. It’s key that you can give your potential attendees a little taste of what your event will be like, as it may help them make the plunge into sitting down to register. Who doesn’t love a sneak peak?
- Advertise relationships with industry influencers
It’s no secret that endorsements help to sell. Building key industry relationships will ultimately help you reach a larger market, as you can piggyback off of their personal social media presence alongside your own. One of your primary goals with social media should be to reach ALL of your target audience and working with industry influencers may be one of the quickest and efficient ways!
- Follow back your followers
This one is simple: These folks came to you, so you should take advantage of it! Try to think of your interactions on social media as a conversation between you (i.e. your event) and your potential audience. By engaging and responding with your followers, you’re continuing building these relationships and urging your audience to invest in your event, even on a surface level. You never know what can happen with even one interaction, as a little personal touch can go a long way.
- Provide perks
If there is one thing we know, it’s that potential attendees love free swag and discount codes. Much like teasing with your behind the scenes footage, providing incentives for your audience to follow your accounts is key to keep them engaged with your event. Start by sneaking in some early bird promotions to keep your potential attendees on their toes. If that’s too forward for you, try brainstorming some contest ideas that your followers must do (using your event hashtag, perhaps?) to gain some unique event swag!
Planning an event, especially a big one, can seem like a daunting task. There are a million things to do and, if you’re like most organizations, very few people to help. But don’t worry! We’ve broken down the event planning process into nine simple steps for overall success. Check out our free guide 9 Steps to Event Planning below!
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