Event Promotion with Social Media

Do you have an upcoming company event? Whether your event is a sale at a small local shop or an industry-wide conference with a large advertising budget, social media campaigns can increase awareness and attendance rates. If event attendance is poor, all of your planning efforts will fail to capture new customers or create business growth. Therefore, it is essential for marketers to promote upcoming events and encourage early registration. Social campaigns can be tailored to promote a variety of activities including webinars, competitions, conferences, sales, product launches, trade shows, and company announcements.

Social media marketing is an effective way to expand awareness beyond a small personal network or local community. An effective event marketing strategy involves utilizing Facebook event pages, LinkedIn announcements, and Foursquare check-ins. A good strategy also features custom hashtags and photos of previous events. These promotional efforts should focus on meeting long-term goals by maintaining communication with attendees after the event, scheduling follow-up meetings, and forming lasting business relationships.

Here are five tips for using social media to promote your event:

Keep Attendees Informed with a Facebook Event Page

Create a Facebook event page to help generate buzz around an upcoming event. This tool helps build a company fan base over time because attendees can easily invite their friends to the page. Facebook pages help participants stay informed and up to date on announcements and any schedule changes. Facebook is also a great way for attendees to find and communicate with others who are planning to attend the event.

Market Your Event to Industry Professionals on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is an effective way to connect with industry-related groups and communicate directly with existing professional networks. Marketers can create event pages on LinkedIn to spread awareness for the occasion. When someone RSVPs, their connections will see the action and learn about the event.

Encourage Attendees to Check In on Foursquare

Nearly 2 million businesses use Foursquare. This app is location-based which makes it ideal for targeting a particular area and attracting nearby customers. Encourage your social media audience to check-in with your business or event on Foursquare. Consumers often use Foursquare to share tips, photos, and experiences with other users. This app allows you to participate in conversations about your event.

Create and Use a Custom Event-Related Hashtag

Establish an event-specific hashtag and use this tag across all company social media channels. Encourage your attendees to include the event hashtag in all their posts about the event. Tracking these tags is a great way to gain consumer feedback and insights after the date.

Showcase Visuals from the Planning Process and Previous Events

Before your event, share sneak-peek photos from the planning process. For example, a retail store with an upcoming sale could feature photos of discount items. A larger-scale conference could preview photos of the venue. If your company has saved material from previous events, showcase these on social channels. Feature attendee pictures, quotes from the event, and videos of speakers. Visuals will help generate interest in your next event.

Ensure individuals who may be interested in attending your event hear about it and keep up to date! Apply these five recommendations to boost participation in your next company event. Our healthcare and technology marketing agency has years of experience with trade show event promotion and social media marketing. Visit our website for more marketing tips!