Social media. Most businesses do it. But do they do it right? It’s that time of year again. Your company is gearing up for the annual conference. You’re frantically trying to secure sponsors, line up guest speakers and plan networking events. There’s a lot to think about. But while you’re in planning mode, it’s important to dedicate some time to your social media strategy.
With the rise of platforms like Twitter and Instagram, it’s easier than ever for conference organisers to make their events accessible online, in real-time. And while this is great promotion for the conference, it’s good for you, too. Being active on social media during an event can help you with your branding. You can expand your network to more like-minded people and get more out of the entire conference experience in general.
How can your brand rock social media at a conference? Here are a few pointers:
Incorporate Twitter:
Twitter is the best real-time social channel. If you plan well, you can have a screen for the audience to watch the “tweet-stream” of real-time conversations about the conference. Also, create a hashtag for the event and use it everywhere. A hashtagged event enables people to search for tweets specifically about or coming from that event.
Live-streaming:
Live-streaming is the ultimate way of sharing real-time updates from your event. While it might be financially taxing, its advantages are undeniable. For example, your venue will only hold a limited number of delegates, but the online audience is unlimited.
Live-tweeting:
If you don’t live-stream your event, share the most important updates on social media in real-time. And don’t forget to tag all your posts with your event hashtag.
Live-blogging:
Live blogging is another powerful tool to provide your online audience with real-time updates. Its flexible format allows to you provide detailed updates and simultaneously “bookmark” the content, that can be elaborated on after the event.
Also, take the time to re-promote any relevant content from the company blog or YouTube Channel. If a session talks about “best business practices” and your company wrote a blog post called “Tips and Tricks to Make a Business Better,” promote this content during the session making sure to use the designated hashtag.
Engage with fans in real-time:
Don’t just monitor conversations during the conference – respond to them as well. If a conference attendee asks where they can find a video of a specific conference session, make sure to respond to them quickly on social media with an appropriate answer.
Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442 or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.
