5 tips – Social Media for your Live Event
Live events have an inherent value that the online world can’t replicate. Your guests want to interact with other, have face to face conversations, that’s how relationships are built.
Even for us, as a tech supplier for events, even we believe this to be true. And putting your event online will never decrease ‘bums on seats’. To ignore the online world though is a mistake. Social media etc provides a platform that potentially has the reach that the real world can’t replicate and the beauty is – you can have both!
Use Video and Live Streaming
This doesn’t mean that you have to necessarily stream your whole event, although of course that’s an option (and a great one). You can however stream small sections, vox pops (small 10 second interviews and delegate feedback). Catch delegates during the break and ask them what they think of the event. Ask the sponsors and put that online. They might even be grateful!
Extend Longevity
Live events provide great value but the timescale is finite. Social media gives you the opportunity to engage people before and after the event. Try leveraging relationships made in the real world online, keep the conversation going and generate more and more value. You’ll end up getting ‘more’ bums on seats in the future.
Know your audiences
Multiple channels for multiple audiences, managed by multiple people. Each platform will have it’s own typical audience. Facebook is older than Snapchat, Twitter is more ‘newsworthy’ than Instagram etc. The other day, my daughter told me that she doesn’t use Facebook because she’s not old enough but that Instagram is fine. And who’s even heard of Vero?
Set the ground rules
Get your team involved so everything is covered, make sure your audience is engaged and intrigued from multiple angles but all the while, keep the message consistent and constant. Your entire team should be engaged in the social media program so long as they’re saying the same thing, albeit in different ways. Their messages should be tweaked but not changed, to specific audiences.
Engage your audience
Make sure your output isn’t just that, make sure it’s two way. After all, isn’t that the whole point of social media, it’s a conversation. Listen to what people say, respond, converse, interact, engage (there is that word again). They are getting in touch because they want to hear from you, they want to have a conversation. Get them interested and next year that might translate again to more bums on seats. At the very least, you’re having a conversation with someone new about ‘your’ subject matter.