Social Media
If you get a little overwhelmed when you hear the words social media or social networking, you are not alone. People who want to connect online have hundreds of options. If you are an event planner and want to promote your event, it’s vital that you take advantage of these tools. It can be a little tricky to navigate if you’re not already familiar with the various platforms, and does take an investment of time to do it right.
The four most popular social media sites are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. I would recommend promoting your events on these platforms in addition to your own website and/or blog. Once you have mastered these, and if you have the time and expertise to consistently post relevant content, you can consider expanding to other sites such as YouTube, Google+ and Instagram.
Not every platform may make sense for your event; it depends on the type of event and who your audience is. Here are a few tips to help you decide what will be most effective:
- Blogging – the word ‘blog’ is an abbreviation of the phrase ‘web log’. It is basically a website that is arranged like sequential journal entries, usually focusing on a particular topic or theme. Those who ‘follow’ your blog can be notified via email or RSS feed every time you post new content, whether it’s a photo, agenda updates, or registration information. A blog is only effective if you can post consistently – I recommend creating an editorial calendar to plan a regular posting schedule. Read more about effective blogging here.
- Facebook – posting information about your event on your personal Facebook page is a given, but creating a Facebook page specifically for your event can widen your reach far beyond your own list of friends. Invite all of your friends to ‘like’ the page. Then they invite their friends, who invite their friends and so on. Some tips for creating a Facebook page can be found here.
- Twitter – this tool is used for micro-blogging, messages that are no longer than 140 characters. Share pictures, videos, and other content in short, quick posts. Check out http://twittertips.org for some great information for effective use of Twitter.
- LinkedIn – think of this site as Facebook for business. Link to colleagues and business associates and post content to reach an entirely new audience. To get started, I recommend reading this beginners guide.
- Pinterest – use this fast-growing social media site to ‘pin’ images and other content related to your event. Users ‘repin’ these images to their ‘boards’, and let the sharing begin! There are some great tips for getting started using Pinterest here.
- Use your blog as a launch pad to post content, then use a tool like Twitterfeed to simultaneously send your posts to Facebook AND Twitter AND LinkedIn. This provides an ongoing, consistent message since blog posts can be scheduled for publication. No new information = no new or repeat visitors, so create once, post to all four sites, and keep your message flowing.
Next – Event Planning Basics – Publicity Part 4
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