Social media is the marketing snapshot of the technological world we live in, and it is very important that you have it, not only to just have it, but to use it and use it wisely.
I want to share some tips on how to get the most out of social media for your events. First, if you are on Facebook, start an event page. This is an electronic invitation that you can use to reach many by saving dollars and time. The response measurement is also great. Once people accept your invitation, you can gauge how many you will have in attendance and feedback after your event has ended.
With an Facebook event page, you can customize your banner with your brand also, which makes it easier for invitees to recognize it and also share it with others. You can post reminders and also other things such as promo videos to bring awareness and encourage attendance to your event.
Another way you can use social media is with Pinterest. It is also good for promoting your event by designing a Pinterest pin where you can add solutions on how your event will solve problems for your attendees. You already know that pictures are worth a 1,000 words, and Pinterest pins can give wonderful snapshots of your brand to be used to attract people to your event.
And also Instagram is great for picture-perfect promotions of your event. If you aren't a graphic designer, hire one to design awesome pictures and ads to post to your Instagram page that can serve as your personal marketing coordinator to attendees and potential attendees.
Video media platforms such as Periscope and Blab are new to the social media scene that are the next "happening" for TV advertising and marketing. Use them to do one-on-one interviews and promos. These videos can also provide more information about who you are, why you're hosting the event, and what attendees can expect to gain from the event. Your attendees can receive a personal hello and invitation from you via video.
Using social media can do wonders for your event. Just posting the event on social media is not enough to garner a great attendance. You have to "market" the marketing tool. Use social media the same way you would use any other marketing platform. Purchasing ads or promoting your event page or Instagram ads are other ways to build attention to your event. But the whole "skinny" on this is your content. It is key to designing the best-seen pins and posts. Also target market research is necessary to ensure you are producing social media marketing ads that will be successful. You want to attract the right audience with the right content and the right graphics.
Another tip I want to give about using social media, is that posting once is not enough. You have encourage your audience with multiple "reminder" ads and posts. Start your marketing at least four weeks in advance and post "reminders" weekly to keep your brand and event before your audience.
I also suggest to use vibrant and eye-catching colors and legible fonts that will speak volumes to what your event is about and who you want to attend. Social media can help build great attendance by leaps and bounds if used properly. Social media can help you gain better relationships and networking opportunities from it as well. Don't count social media out if you are not a really tech-savvy person, yet you have a great event that you want to share with the world. Select platforms you are most comfortable with and utilize them to draw great attendees to your events, as well as use it to keep great records for your research and recap of your events. Social media can be your event's best friend!
