Integrating Social Media Into Your Event

“How do I integrate social media into our event?”

  1. The first step should be setting up an event on both Facebook and LinkedIn. This allows Facebook and LinkedIn users to search for events pertaining to information they are seeking.
  2. Create a community by incentivizing people to utilize your Facebook page or to tweet about your event. For example: The first re-tweet or the Facebook photo with the most “likes” wins a prize.
  3. Set up a Twitter hashtag (#) for your event. You can also display this hashtag at your event, such as on TV screens with live Twitter feeds.
  4. Use Twitter to tag (@) speakers at your event. This creates cross-promotion by bringing someone else in the conversation.
  5. Ask questions on Twitter. This is a great way to shape your event. You can get live feedback from the listeners/followers about what they want; what information they’re looking for. You can then use this to shape the sessions, the speakers, etc.
  6. Set up a dashboard (such as TweetDeck or HootSuite) to keep track of all your social media accounts. These sites allow you to watch what people are saying: You may be able to respond in real-time.

“What are the advantages of using social media sites to promote my event?”

  1. Facebook and LinkedIn events are a great way to quickly and effectively communicate the who/what/when/where/why of your event.
  2. Guests can RSVP that they are going and strike up conversations with other event guests.

“What should I take into consideration when using social media to promote my event?”

  1. These online event pages cannot be used for registration, nor can you accept fees, so they should not be your only source of promotion.
  2. Take advantage of as many social media sites as possible to reach the largest audience. You cannot rely on social media to do all of your event promotion for you.
  3. Consider what type of event it is. Formal events should still use printed invitations.
  4. Don’t set up the event page and let it sit. Make sure you update the page frequently.
share this article:
Heidi Brumbach