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Are you gearing up for your next event and wondering how to make some serious noise about it on social media? Social media promotion is an absolute must to ensure your event is the talk of the internet. The data is clear: if you want to start boosting ticket sales, a chunk of your marketing efforts should be directed at social media marketing.
But wait, is posting a few event details on your Facebook page enough? It's not. Social media event promotion requires creativity, strategy, and a pinch of social media savvy. That’s the only way the social media crowd will create a buzz that's impossible to ignore.
Keep reading to explore eight killer strategies that can elevate your event from just another date on the calendar to the must-attend extravaganza of the year. Let’s dive into the world of social media event marketing!
The most effective social media platforms for event promotion are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. These platforms have a large user base and offer various features like event creation, targeted advertising, and hashtag usage that can help reach a wider audience and generate buzz around your event.
A memorable hashtag is a magnet for attention. Ever stumbled upon a hashtag and felt instantly curious? That's the power of a few well-chosen characters. But how do you conjure up a hashtag that not only best represents your event but also sticks in people's minds?
First, regardless of the event type you host, keep your hashtag short, snappy, and relevant. Imagine you're hosting a local food festival. Instead of a bland #FoodFestival2024, why not spice it up with something like #TasteTheBuzzNYC? It's catchy, specific, and oozes personality.
Next, you need to sprinkle your hashtag across all your social media platforms. Use it in every post, story, and tweet about the event. Encourage your followers to use it too when they talk about your event to create a cohesive narrative.
Once you've peppered your chosen hashtag across your social platforms, the next crucial step is tracking its impact.
For this, you can use social media tools or online hashtag tracking tools. The tools allow you to monitor the frequency, reach, and engagement of your hashtag across different social media platforms. They provide valuable insights into how your audience is interacting with your event online.
But what if you're struggling to come up with a hashtag that's both unique and catchy? Here's where a generative AI platform can come in handy. These platforms use advanced algorithms to generate creative and relevant hashtag suggestions based on key event details you provide. Beyond hashtags, generative AI can also assist in crafting compelling social media content, brainstorming innovative event ideas, and even optimizing your overall social media strategy.
As the event approaches, your hashtag starts popping up everywhere. It's on Instagram Stories, tweets, and even in casual Facebook posts. Before you know it, your event hashtag becomes a mini-celebrity in its own right.
They may not seem like much, but your social media pages are the welcoming front door to your event, and a key factor in boosting brand awareness. If you want to hook in those instagram and Facebook users, they need to be inviting enough.
To optimize your social profiles, start with the basics: your profile picture and bio. These are the first things people see. For the duration of your event promotion, switch your profile picture to something related to the event.
Your bio is the perfect spot to drop your event date and hashtag. Use a tone that matches the vibe of your event. If it's a professional conference, keep it crisp and formal. For a community art fair, let your creative side shine through.
Here's a pro tip: Customize your profile for each platform. What works on LinkedIn might not work on Instagram. For instance, your LinkedIn page could highlight keynote speakers, while your Instagram could be all about the visual teasers of the event.
Also ensure you cross-mention your social accounts, so people can reach you on all their favorite platform
Imagine someone stumbles upon your Instagram profile. They're greeted with a colorful banner image of your upcoming art show, a bio that reads "Bringing art to life, one brushstroke at a time #ArtFest2024", and a feed filled with sneak peeks of the artwork. Intrigued? That's the power of an optimized profile.
While organically growing your audience is ideal, sometimes giving your follower count an initial boost can make your profile appear more credible and attractive to potential event attendees. When you get new followers on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, it can create a ripple effect. People tend to follow accounts that already have a substantial following.
Visual content is a language of its own. It speaks directly to the emotions. Think how many times you stopped scrolling because an image caught your eye. That's the power of visually appealing content, and it's your next big strategy in promoting your event. A stunning visual can make all the difference between a glance and a double-tap.
Start by asking yourself, what visually represents your event? If it's a music festival, think of vibrant photos of past performances, teaser videos with snippets of music, or even animated posters. Hosting a tech conference? How about infographics with interesting stats or sneak peeks of cutting-edge tech you'll be showcasing?
Diversity is key. Mix up your content with high-quality photos, engaging videos (like short interviews, exclusive content, or scenes footage) interactive polls, and eye-catching graphics. Each type of content serves a different purpose and appeals to different segments of your audience.
Imagine you're promoting a makeup event. One day, you could post a stunning photo showcasing a bold makeup look. The next day, surprise your audience with a captivating video tutorial demonstrating a popular makeup technique. Follow this up with an engaging infographic detailing makeup and skincare tips. Each post is visually appealing and provides practical advice. They'll be looking forward to seeing what's next.
Encourage your audience to share their own content (using your hashtag). User-generated content boosts engagement and gives your event a personal touch, making it more relatable and real.
One of the big advantages of instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, is the potential for outreach and collaboration. Look for bloggers, creators, and authors who can genuinely connect with your audience.
For instance, Literary Arts, the Portland Book Festival event organizers, invites authors like Michael Lewis or Tracy Daugherty to add value to the event. Then the organizers post social media publications, like YouTube videos, to spread the love for literature among a larger audience.
Now, let's talk about collaboration on social media. Experienced collaborators excel in creating stories that resonate across social media channels. Imagine a well-known tech influencer tweeting about a keynote speaker at your tech conference, sharing their excitement on Instagram Stories, and engaging their followers in a conversation about the latest innovations on LinkedIn. It's authentic and personal, plus it creates a buzz across multiple platforms.
Here’s where a digital contact card comes into play. Equip your influencers with a digital contact card that they can share across their social media profiles. This card could include key details about your event, a link to the registration page, and your event hashtag. It's a modern, sleek way to ensure that all the necessary information is just a click away for potential attendees scrolling through social media.
If possible, involve influencers in the event itself. Invite them to host a session, conduct a Q&A, or just attend and share their live experiences on social media. The right influencer will boost your event's profile and give their followers a reason to engage with your event on social media.
Who doesn’t love the thrill of winning something? That's exactly why contests and giveaways are your secret weapons in social media event promotion. Competitions boost engagement while spreading the word about your event in an exciting and interactive way.
Let's say you're promoting a music festival. How about a giveaway where participants share their favorite concert memories and tag two friends to enter? It's simple, it encourages sharing, and it creates a nostalgic connection with your audience.
Contests can also be a great way to showcase what your event has to offer. Hosting a beauty workshop? Run a giveaway and offer free tickets to win.
Here's a pro tip: Make sure your contest rules are clear and your prizes are desirable. Whether it's VIP tickets, exclusive merchandise, or a meet-and-greet with a guest speaker, your prize should be something that excites your target audience.
Now, imagine the buzz as participants post their entries, tag their friends, and share your event details. It's a chain reaction of excitement, spreading the word about your event.
The excitement of an upcoming event can be palpable. Creating a captivating countdown series is a great way to amplify this anticipation. Counting down works as a reminder and a daily drumroll leading up to your event, keeping it top-of-mind for your audience.
If, for example, you're promoting a virtual fundraising event, start a 10-day countdown featuring a snippet about an activity planned, an interview with guests, or trivia about the event’s history each day.
Visuals also play a key role here. Think bold, eye-catching graphics with numbers that stand out.
Each post in your series should be instantly recognizable as part of your countdown. You could even include a daily call-to-action, like "Tag a friend you'd bring to the festival" or "Share your favorite festival memory."
With each passing day, your audience gets a new, exciting piece of content that reminds them of the event while providing value and entertainment. It's a daily nudge, keeping your event firmly in their plans.
And again, don't forget to sprinkle in your event hashtag and any relevant links. This ensures that each post adds to the excitement and drives traffic to where they can learn more or buy tickets.
First of all, a Facebook event page is free. If you don’t want to create a dedicated website, this is where people can find all the information they need and confirm their attendance.
Make your event page as compelling as your event. Start with a captivating cover photo that captures its essence. Is it a sports event? How about a photo of runners or a stadium along with your regular logo? This visual first impression can make a big difference.
Next, fill your event description with the juicy details:
Keep your event page exciting. Showcase what attendees will experience.
Regularly update your page with social media posts about your event preparations, teasers, or anything that can keep the excitement brewing. Encourage potential attendees to post on your event wall too. Maybe they’re looking forward to a particular speaker at your tech conference or a specific band at your music festival.
Here’s where the magic happens: As people start clicking “Interested” or “Going,” their friends see it too, broadening your reach organically. Encourage this by creating shareable content.
Your email list is a community waiting to be engaged. It’s full of potential attendees who have already shown interest in what you have to offer. So when you’re organizing an event, ensure they know all about it.
But doing a manual search of each subscriber on your social platform takes time. Plus, you’d need to spend even more time sending those email subscribers an invite to connect with you so they can see your event promotion posts.
The good news is, you can easily upload your email list to social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then you can target the people on your list with social media ads promoting your event.
Each social platform has fairly straightforward instructions for uploading email lists and creating ads using them.
But just to give you an idea, here’s how to upload an email list on Facebook.
When creating a Facebook event ad based on your email list, just choose your uploaded Customer List as your audience.
The good thing about this strategy is that you can again create an event custom audience of people who interacted with your social media ad. Then just reach them with even more targeted ads so you can boost your chances of converting them.
So there you have it–eight dynamic strategies to turbocharge your social media event promotion. Each post, email, and hashtag is an opportunity to connect with your audience, share your passion, and create excitement.
From posting captivating content with catchy hashtags, optimizing social media profiles, engaging with influencers, and leveraging your email list for social media advertising, each tactic contributes toward building a successful and memorable event. Don’t forget to create a dedicated Facebook event page, post countdown series, and run contests and giveaways to make it exciting.
Now go on and start promoting! You’ll soon see your event becoming the talk of the town on social networks.
Author Bio
Harry Flynn leads the digital marketing team at Twicsy, a site providing services to Instagram users. He enjoys travelling and relaxing with friends in his spare time.
We cover all things events on the Eventcube blog, from virtual to hybrid and beyond. Take a further read of some of our related events management guides below. Enjoy!
