How to Increase Social Media Use at Events

As an event planner, it’s essential to leverage the power of social media to enhance attendees’ experience, boost engagement, and maximize the exposure of your event. With almost 5 billion active users on various social platforms, knowing how to increase social media at events can significantly impact your event’s success.

Here are five ways to encourage social media use at your event and capitalize on its popularity:

Start at the Beginning: Establish a Strong Social Media Presence

From the moment you start planning your event, create a strong social media presence on popular platforms. Share the event schedule, post teaser images, and use past event highlights to generate excitement and anticipation. Consistent updates and a content strategy can help you build momentum leading up to the event, ultimately resulting in higher engagement from attendees.

Establish a unique and memorable event hashtag to make it easy for attendees to follow the conversation and join in. Encourage participants, speakers, and sponsors to use the hashtag when posting about the event. When you initiate the “social media train” early, attendees are more likely to jump on board and actively participate.

See also: Acing Social Media On a Bootstrap Budget

Use Tools to Your Advantage: Leverage Social Media Displays

To increase social media at events, utilize tools like Everwall to display live social media feeds at your event. A fully customizable Everwall showcases attendees’ posts, encouraging more people to participate and engage with the event’s hashtag. This real-time interaction can create a sense of community and excitement among attendees, inspiring more social media activity.

Add leaderboards and contests to motivate attendees to post more frequently, and ensure the event’s hashtag is prominently displayed to encourage proper use and viral growth. By gamifying the social media experience, you can foster friendly competition among participants, which ultimately leads to higher engagement levels and more social media content generated around your event.

Hold a Social Media Contest: Boost Engagement with Incentives

Sometimes, a little incentive can go a long way in encouraging social media use. Hold a social media contest during your event, where attendees can post images or updates using a specific hashtag to enter. This can inspire creativity and excitement among participants, who will be eager to share their unique perspectives on the event.

For instance, ask attendees to share their favorite moments from the event on Instagram using the event’s hashtag. Set a time limit, such as 24 hours, and award a prize to the post with the most likes or shares. Offering an attractive prize, like an iPad or gift certificate, can significantly boost engagement. In addition to increasing social media activity, contests can also generate valuable user-generated content that can be repurposed for future promotional efforts.

Designate Social Media Ambassadors: Encourage Influencer Participation

Identify influencers or social media-savvy attendees within your niche and invite them to become your event’s social media ambassadors. These individuals can help amplify your event’s reach by posting live updates, sharing photos, and engaging with their followers. Collaborating with influencers can lend credibility and visibility to your event, drawing more attention and interest from potential attendees.

Social media ambassadors can not only increase social media at events but also create more buzz and credibility around your event, ultimately attracting more attendees in the future. This strategy can be particularly effective if you collaborate with influencers who align well with your event’s goals, values, and target audience, ensuring that their promotional efforts resonate with potential attendees.

Create Shareable Moments: Design Instagrammable Spaces and Experiences

Design your event with social media in mind by creating Instagrammable spaces and experiences. Set up visually appealing backdrops, photo booths, or art installations that encourage attendees to take and share pictures. These visually engaging elements can capture the attention of social media users, leading to increased sharing and visibility for your event.

Additionally, incorporate interactive elements like live performances, workshops, or panel discussions to create shareable moments. By providing attendees with unique and engaging experiences, they’ll be more likely to share their impressions and memories on social media platforms. This not only helps increase social media at events but also contributes to making your event more memorable and engaging for all participants.

In conclusion, people love using social media, and events provide the perfect opportunity for sharing experiences, insights, and images. By implementing these strategies, you can effectively increase social media at events and create a more engaging, memorable, and successful event. With a strong social media presence, interactive tools, creative incentives, an involved staff, and strategic partnerships with influencers, you’ll be well-equipped to maximize your event’s impact and reach on social media platforms.