Does your business conduct events? And you are wondering how to use social media to promote those events.
Social media is a powerful tool to gain exposure, whether you’re hosting a physical conference or an online event.
Here are some powerful ways of engaging your virtual attendees through social media.
#1: Use Facebook Ads to Remarket to Prospects
Facebook custom audiences allow you to show ads to people who have already visited your website. This is called remarketing (also known as retargeting). Advertisers can show event ads to Facebook users who left the website before purchasing a ticket.
Remarketing can be a very effective strategy because people rarely buy the first time they hear of an event or see an offer. This is especially true for big-ticket items like conferences and conventions.
Pro Tip: When you advertise to prior website visitors, be sure to EXCLUDE Facebook users who have already purchased a ticket. This can easily be accomplished by creating a custom audience from the same page you used to track conversions; i.e., your thank-you page.
#2: Create One Unified Hashtag and Repurpose The Content Via Social Media Wall
This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many events skip this vital step. Create, use and market your event-specific hashtag. You should be using this hashtag well in advance of your event dates and it should be included on EVERYTHING. Every digital image you create, every piece of collateral, your email signature… Anywhere you can think of—share it!
Repurpose the created content via hashtags on social media walls in virtual events, and effortlessly attract the attention of the audience, keep them engaged, build brand awareness and boost sales.
#3: Harness the Power of Visual Testimonials
Do you have great comments in the exit surveys from previous events? Maybe you’ve interviewed attendees or speakers and captured statements of excitement about specific sessions, speakers or your event in general. Don’t let those nuggets go to waste!
Create simple graphic images with these quotes and comments. Share these visuals in your email marketing campaign, social platforms, blog posts and email signatures.
#4: Use Photos of Attendees in Social Updates
If you have a repeat event, leverage those fun photos you took at previous events. Even better, share user-generated content on your social accounts.
Take a flattering, fun picture of some of your attendees and create a status update. Identify the people in the picture and be sure to tag them if you can. This gives people an opportunity to comment and talk about how much they learned or what a great time they had and how much they’re looking forward to attending again.
#5: Create a Highlight Reel From Prior Events
Video provides a unique opportunity to convey the energy and excitement of a live event. Great visuals and catchy audio are a potent combination that drives registration. It also creates engagement opportunities as the video is shared with friends.
Create a video that conveys the excitement and fun of your event.
Things to keep in mind when creating a video:
- Remember your intended audience. Your video should convey the value of your event to prospective attendees. Make the benefits of attending crystal-clear.
- Host on both YouTube and Vimeo. Each platform has different strengths, so take advantage of that. YouTube is the second best search engine in the world and the most used video platform on the Internet. Vimeo, though smaller, offers more control over your brand and no distracting banner advertisements.
- Leverage it everywhere. Video can be shared almost everywhere: your website and/or event landing page, in your newsletter, in articles, with affiliates and on social media, including 15-second clips on Instagram. Click here to see how we used video on our Facebook event page.
- Facebook loves video. Uploading native video maximizes your exposure in the news feed. In fact, Socialbakers reported that “Facebook videos achieved a 10 times higher viral reach than YouTube links did.” You can also set your video as Featured for maximum visibility on your Facebook page.
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#6: Share Behind-the-Scenes Visual Content
A LOT of work goes into pulling off a fantastic event. Give a glimpse into this exciting and sometimes chaotic experience by sharing images and videos of the preparations going on.
Share stories of how you’re pulling everything together and don’t forget, mistakes and challenges happen. Be authentic and share the challenges you face and what steps you took to resolve them. It humanizes your brand and makes you more relatable.
Posting behind-the-scenes photos and videos is also a great way to generate buzz and boost engagement. It builds an emotional connection by fostering a sense of being an insider to the event, a “glimpse behind the curtain.
Over To You
Social media has become the superpower for businesses to drive business. Use these tactics to stand-out and engage your virtual party attendees.
