If your business participates in events, either as a one-off or on a regular basis, then social media will be an essential tool for you. There are many ways that you can use event social media before, during and after the event to keep it in the minds of your audience and to encourage higher attendance or participation.
Here are a few simple things that you can do at each stage of your event to maximise the impact of your use of social media.
On the lead up to the event
- Connect with both the organiser and the venue on social media. Make sure both have the correct social media handles (@) for your business pages and know where to find you. Ask them if they would like images of your business/products & logo to use in their social media posts and provide them with your best ones.
- Keep an eye out for posts they publish, interact with them and share them to help spread the word of the event. This is especially important if they mention you. Their audience will see your comments and start to become familiar with your brand.
- Let your own audience know of the event in advance so that they have a chance to attend and support you. Make sure that you share several posts on the run up and not just one. Ask your audience to share these posts to help reach even more people who could attend the event.
- Share your posts into groups local to the event venue.
- Make it as easy as possible for people to register or buy tickets to the event. Share clear posts that state the time, date and location of the event as well as details of how to get tickets if they are required.
- Connect with the other businesses that are attending the event on social media so you can all help each other by interacting with posts etc. The organiser may well have a list they can share with you.
- Find out if there are any event specific hashtags and make sure that you use these in all of your posts that relate to the event.
- Update your social media profiles if necessary, this article by Eventbrite covers this in greater detail.
Event social media on the day
- Announce the day is here and remind people of the location, start & finish times and where they can find you within the venue.
- Take pictures whilst setting up so you have plenty of images for stories and posts during the day, as well as afterwards.
- Record a video showing what’s happening and a walk around the event. You could share this as a post or as part of your stories.
- Tag as many of the other businesses at the event as you can as well as the venue and the organiser in your posts and stories.
- Add your social media info on your business cards, banners, flyers, packaging etc so that customers or visitors can find you easily after the event.
- Ask customers to post pictures of what they bought from you when they get home to their own social media, make sure to remind them to tag you. Also ask them to leave a review on your social media pages.
- Run a competition encouraging people to post about you on social media or interact with a specific post from you, this will help to boost your reach and engagement.
- Network whilst you are there! The other businesses likely have a similar target audience to you. If you can start interacting with each other on social media then you all win.
After the event
- Thank everyone! Do a post thanking the organiser, the venue and of course everyone who visited you at the event.
- Follow up with anyone who has connected with you and make sure you reply to comments on your posts.
- Remind people how they can still book, order or buy from you.
- Check social media for comments, mentions of your business and tags – interact with all of these.
- Leave a review on social media for the organiser, the venue and any other businesses you bought from at the event – this will encourage reciprocation.
I have put together 3 handy checklists that you can use time and time again for any event you and your business attend. Get yours here
I would love to hear about how your events go, and whether these tips have helped you. I hope they do! 🧡