One of the biggest and most common mistakes event organisers make is only using social media during the event itself, and ignoring the opportunities it offers for generating pre-event hype, and maintaining it long after the event has come and gone.
Twitter, the micro-blogging platform that is widely considered the best social platform for event marketing and communication, should be an integral part of event planning right from the start. Of course the success of an event can't solely rely on social media, but the following are some key tips for effectively using Twitter to create engagement and conversation before, during and after an event.
To use Twitter as part of your event communication strategy, it is vital to have the necessary resources in place. This includes having an established Twitter account as well as a dedicated social media manager and content curator.
Twitter is a great tool for reaching out to online influencers (including celebrities or speakers who will be attending or actively participating in the event) to help create a buzz. To achieve this, you will need:
During the event
Tweeting during the event allows you to engage in conversations with those who are attending, share with those who aren't and get people to share their experience of the event. Make sure your hashtag is highly visible so attendees know exactly where to find the conversation online. While tweeting at the event:
After the event
Twitter can be a great platform for receiving feedback on an event. Tweet about the successes of the event and pose questions to your followers who attended.
You can also use storify.com to curate the tweets from the event and the buzz around it. It is crucial to keep the conversation flowing on your Twitter account after the event to keep your followers engaged. To keep up engagement you need to:
