One of the most powerful ways to spread the word about an event is through social media before, during and after it!
Whether your aim is to use social media to bolster your brand identity or simply boost sales, an effective social media strategy can really make your event pop! We know this because we are a leading social media agency in Edinburgh.
Below, you’ll find Represent Digital Assistant Stella’s top tips on bringing your event to life on social media…
1. Align your event with a dedicated hashtag
Well before your event, decide on a hashtag to be used across all marketing leading up to your event. This will help build momentum and compile loads of content. When setting your hashtag, do some research and give it some thought to avoid unfortunate hashtagging, á la #SusanAlbumParty…
Use of event hashtags will encourage attendees to interact with your organisation and the event, both before and during it. It’s also a fab way of helping people search for key event information and to chat about your event.
With content flowing and tagged by event specific hashtags, you can easily consolidate all content and track engagement.
Top tip : Make sure everyone knows what the event hashtags are on the day of your event. Include them in all marketing materials. Then make sure speakers and hosts give them a little shout-out to encourage guests to use them!
2. Create social media “moments”
Before your event, have a think about setting up some insta-worthy scenes at the venue. You can employ your own fun features and décor to encourage guests to interact with the props or focal points.
No one can resist a photo booth at a party and dressing up boxes are a must for this! You’ll get some playful content capturing the energy of the event and gain increased exposure through your guests’ own channels.
More serious events can benefit from visible branding within the events space or company backdrops on the red carpet to ensure photos captured look slick, all while boosting your own marketing.
Examples : At the recent Causeway Business Awards, headline sponsor Johnnie Walker Princes Street brought along two of their famous striding sculptures. These featured on the stage and at the entrance to the venue and guests had fun taking snaps with them on the night. You’ll also see that when we worked on the Royal Highland Show we even had an activation that Nicola Sturgeon got to pose with!
Top Tip : People are more likely to scan a QR code than type things into their phones. Using QR codes, like the one in the photo, means it’s easier than ever to connect your app, socials, or website. You’re more likely to get interactions from this than plain text!
3. Develop creative content to post from the event
It’s essential to prepare your own creative content to be posted on the day. This can be a combination of stories and feed posts.
One example is sharing live content from key speakers and guests, which will allow those who couldn’t attend to feel like they’re right there in the room with everyone else.
As part of your social media strategy, also plan to use interactive content, such as polls and question boxes, to engage with your attendees and make sure the event doesn’t fall flat on your socials. People love having a say and feeling involved! This will also make your event feel authentic and live.
Top Tip : Use a scheduling service to help take the pressure off your staff on the day. That being said, it’s good to come prepared for mishaps. Always have your phone charged and at the ready. I would even recommend bringing your laptop if there’s a safe place to stow it away. This not only provides peace of mind but will be a massive help if something needs to be posted manually.
4. Post behind-the-scenes content
Before the start of your event, post pictures and videos from behind-the-scenes of the event set up. Everyone loves a little BTS, particularly content capturing the details like meticulously folded napkins or beautiful place settings.
This reveals the back story and helps to build excitement while also giving those that have missed out some serious FOMO!
Also, don’t forget to tag the host venue so that they can repost photos and videos of their space. This will help you reach a whole new follower base – which leads me to my next tip.
5. Tag everyone involved & repost tagged photos
In the madness of event day, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks but this is such a vital step in making your event come alive on social media. Tagging everyone and everything correctly is essential. It means that your content has the potential to be seen by a much wider audience.
It’s also important to generate a feeling of community and engagement at your event, which can be hard to achieve through a screen. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to repost attendees’ own photos and videos.
This step helps highlight all the pieces that came together to make your event possible. Tagging everyone and reposting everything your business is tagged in helps your event jump off the screen and feel electric.
Your suppliers, sponsors, team members, and attendees will also be grateful for a social shout-out!
6. Say thanks and wrap-up
And finally, don’t let all that hard prep work you did go to waste. Make sure to follow through after your event is over. This goes without saying but it is always a good idea to thank attendees, sponsors, and anyone else who made the event possible. Share a carousel of photos (or Reel on Instagram) of your event experience, using your event hashtag to boost visibility.
This fosters a continued relationship between you and everyone involved with your event. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to generate buzz around your next promotional gathering!
Now that you know the benefits of using social media to help your event come alive, why not book a call with us to discuss how we can help you develop a stellar social media and comms strategy for your next event.