How to Optimize Events with Social Media [Infographic]

Nothing promotes event marketing as well as social media. Many marketers use social media regularly, whether for networking or business purposes. As a result, social platforms are a great way to publicize events in real time.

In order to generate social media buzz on your business’s upcoming event, create and share content in the weeks leading up to it. Connect with other event attendees on social media. Find event pages on Facebook or Google Plus and join in conversations.

During the event, post updates with photography or prepared graphics. Let those not present at the event know what your business is doing and generate additional interest for those who are.

Content is extremely important for social event marketing. When appealing to other businesses, it’s necessary to choose your presentation and share it optimally.

Blogs

Blog posts covering events either before or after the actual event date are a great way to keep your audience informed. They give an overall picture of your business’s activities as well as the important details. Event wrap-ups also serve to close the loop with new or existing clients or partners who weren’t able to attend the event.

LinkedIn

Marketing your events with LinkedIn reaches out to the right people including peers, partners, and current as well as prospective clients. It’s important to post company updates of upcoming events, and include updates from important trade shows or industry summits.

In order to reach users who don’t follow your company, join groups on LinkedIn related to industries and even specific events themselves. In the first case, join the MJSA LinkedIn group and post about your company’s attendance. For the latter, it may be very helpful to join a jewelry designer group and post information about tradeshows like MJSA.

If there isn’t an event page, create one. Whatever your company’s level of involvement in an event, groups facilitate connecting with those from other participating organizations.

Twitter

Twitter is perhaps the most important tool for communicating about events in real time. Your business presence on Twitter is crucial not only for presenting a specific side of your company through microblogging and thought leadership, it also serves as a platform for real-time events. Be sure to post new content regularly ramping up to the event date, and mention your partners and other influencers who may be attending the show.

Certainly, hashtagging is a fast and convenient way of cataloging information. Twitter’s instant and continual format has aided in breaking news, from uprisings to elections; this quality also lends itself to the purposes of planners and organizers who instate a Twitter hashtag for events. Take advantage of event hashtags by informing everyone at an event—such as, say, the recent Consumer Electronics Show—of where to find your company and why. Simply using #CES2015 grabs the attention of other marketers and representatives scrolling a trending hashtag for the latest pertinent news.

Using social networks for events is one application for which such platforms are ideally suited. See the infographic below on how to round out your event marketing strategy with strong social media activity.