Doing social media during live events might seem like an invitation to disaster – sort of like adding a chainsaw to the dozen rubber balls you’re juggling. After all, anything can happen live…and it’s never a good idea to get distracted when the camera is rolling, right?
These jitters are understandable. That said, though, social media can amplify a live event in powerful ways. Not only will your event become much more memorable to those in attendance, but it will also attract greater attention from those who couldn’t make it.
That can supercharge both repeat and first-time attendance.
Here’s how to do social media marketing for live events well:
Broadcast Live from the Event
Social media is made for helping people feel like they’re actually there. There’s no better way to do this than with live clips from your keynote speakers, audience participation, and more. With live streaming available on virtually every major social platform, you don’t need to worry about setting up top-quality recording technology. Instead, go for the authentic feel of cell phone video.
Geotarget Your Attendees
Geotargeting allows you to focus special “behind the scenes” content and offers directly on your most vital audience, current attendees. When you use geotargeting creatively, you give those at your event a tangible reason to stay engaged rather than tuning out between speakers or breakout sessions. This is a terrific way to drive foot traffic at partner businesses, for example.
Listen and Respond Proactively
Your hashtag should already be planned out well before any major event, with its visibility growing in the weeks leading up to your kickoff. This unites your attendees and well-wishers into a single audience you can address directly. Still, a hashtag is only valuable when someone is listening. Be sure there is a staff member ready to respond to mentions and gather feedback!
Incentivize Tweeting
When it comes to event marketing, tweets have power. This is especially true for tweets linked to your event hashtag. You can turn tweets into currency with vending machines and other on-site devices that respond whenever users make a hashtagged post. The more relevant and compelling your offer is, the more tweets you’ll inspire using this method.
Curate Content from the Event
Effective content curation can bridge the gap between the real world and the social media world. One of the best ways to do this is by equipping your event venue with a monitor displaying the latest relevant social media posts in a prominent location – such as the lobby. This encourages attendees to gather and “join the conversation,” both online and off.
Done right, good social media combines with live events like peanut butter and jelly. Try it out at your next get together!