Planning an event is a mixed blessing.
On the one hand, it’s super exciting. On the other, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Using social media for events is key, yet it often falls by the wayside. When used correctly, it can supercharge your event to ensure you meet your goals.
No matter the type of event, be it a conference, brand activation or even cooking classes, social media has a part to play. Events lend themselves to social media promotion, and in turn, hugely benefit from it. That being said, it’s not always a piece of cake. There are multiple moving parts that need to go off correctly for an event promotion campaign to work.
One problem is that nowadays, there’s almost too much choice. There have never been more ways to engage your users/customers, and it can be hard to know where to spend your energy. Another challenge is the approach. What tone should you use and how do you make sure your posts don’t get washed away in people’s feeds? The step that is overlooked the most, however, is post-event-promotion (engaging attendees and non-attendees after the event).
Not to worry - in this guide, we’ll cover everything.
Once you’ve finished reading, you will be as well-prepared as possible for your event. You’ll have a clear idea of which channels you want to use, who your target audience is and how to engage them before, during and after the event. We’ll cover unusual ideas for touchpoints you won’t have seen before, as well as quick wins for those planning on a budget. We even reached out to industry-leading PR firms to get some valuable insights from the pros.
Skip to the relevant section
Without further ado, let’s get cracking. This guide is split into three sections: before, during and after, so you can jump to the most relevant one if you’re in a hurry.
How to use social media before your event
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It’s never too early to start planning.
After all, the earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to make your plan airtight. The first things to decide are:
- Date and time
- Location
- Price (if applicable)
Using these factors as an anchor, you can then start building your social media plan. Finer details like which canapes to serve at your even can be decided later.
The other thing to decide as early as possible is the goal. Whether it’s boosting traffic, signups or selling products, this will also guide the social media efforts.
Think about your target Audience
The next step is to discern the exact target audience. Here are some questions to ask that might help:
- Who is this event for?
- What are they interested in?
- Where do they hang out?
Once these questions have been answered, it’s good practice to do a quick profile audit. There are no second chances with first impressions, so bios, ‘about us’ sections and photos matter. It’s also important to double-check all your social media information is accurate and up to date.
Branding across social media profiles should be consistent, as this builds trust and legitimacy for newcomers. The same goes for handles, where possible.
Bonus idea: Pin a relevant post during the event so it’s the first thing visitors see.
Posts about the event should be tailored to the target audience, including tone and content. A slightly brutal question that viewers will ask is, “why should I care?”
Once the ‘who’ is sorted, it’s time to look at the ‘where’.
Consider what channels you will use
Each channel has its own demographics, styles, pros and cons, so it’s important to choose carefully. Using the appropriate channels can save tons of time and money and allows you to accurately target the right people.
1. Facebook
One of the biggest reasons to use Facebook is event pages.
While platforms like Instagram are taking over, they still don’t have event functionality. Facebook, on the other hand, does. There aren’t many situations where a Facebook event isn’t applicable, plus they’re quick to set up.
The first step is to triple-check that the details (date, time, location) are accurate. A mistake here could cause confusion, so it’s not one to skip.
Another important step is to choose an engaging, high-resolution photo. This is the first thing people will see, so it needs to blow them away. It might be worth using a photographer if you don’t have a good photo to use.
The event description, like the photo, should be super engaging. It should be tailored to the target audience and use exciting language to build hype. It should also clearly summarise what the event is, although you can always add more details later.
If you are selling tickets for the event, this should be front and centre on the event page. Use a dedicated ticket platform like Eventbrite as these are very straightforward to buy from. The fewer steps there are to buy a ticket, the better.
Aside from the event page, Facebook is also a good place to share posts during the build-up. More on that later.
2. Instagram
Instagram’s functionality makes it one of the best platforms for building hype.
One way to do this is with a countdown timer. All you have to do is set the date and add it to your story.
It goes without saying that Insta is great for visual content. Whether it’s a post, story or reel, there are lots of different ways you can post exciting pictures in the run-up to your event.
If you will have speakers at your event, it might be worth recording a quick video of them explaining what they will be doing/talking about. This will also allow you to reach their followers, which could be a previously untapped audience.
3. LinkedIn
While it’s primarily a B2B site, LinkedIn can still be useful for an event, especially if it is industry-focused. Networking events, workshops, product launches, alumni meetups and conferences work well here.
You can create events on LinkedIn, but beware there is no draft tool. Once you start, you’ll have to finish it or start again. When the event is created, you can start inviting your connections.
Aside from this, LinkedIn is a good place to hype up your event with slightly longer text posts, tagging relevant speakers and sharing short videos.
4. Twitter
For shorter, more informal updates, Twitter is the perfect platform.
Many organisers “live tweet” their entire event - more on that in the ‘during’ section. Another good use of Twitter in the run-up is to post sneak peek, behind-the-scenes pictures.
The algorithm here allows many more posts per day than other platforms, so it’s a great place for any pictures that didn’t make the cut for Instagram.
Again, be sure to tag the relevant speakers or contributors. Everyone loves a shout-out!
5. TikTok
Those of us born before the millennium didn’t have TikTok growing up. But, with its global popularity and an algorithm that favours quality content over clout, it can’t be ignored.
That being said, not every social media plan has to involve TikTok. It’s up to you whether you want to use it or not, but there is huge potential when it comes to short video content.
Other channels
There’s no limit to how many channels you can use, apart from your own time and money. Regardless, here are some less mainstream channels you might not have considered.
Snapchat, while primarily used by teenagers, has a great feature for events: geofilters. Geofilters are filters that show up in certain areas at certain times. All you have to do is design a PNG for the filter, choose a location, date and how long you want it to last, then launch.
They are surprisingly cheap and can earn tens of thousands of impressions quickly.
Spotify is another way to engage your users - and it’s free! Creating a playlist works well for events like restaurant or bar launches, where attendees can listen to the playlist beforehand to get them hyped. Then, after the event, the playlist can be shared for ‘those who missed out’.
Paid ads can be used to boost events, although this can be a little fiddly. The best route here is to use an agency, as they will know the ins and outs to avoid wasting money on irrelevant clicks.
Finally, a website landing page is a great way to tie everything together. This is where links can point to and key information can be communicated.
Create post-event hype
In the run-up to an event, the name of the game is hype. If you can elicit FOMO in potential attendees, interest in your event will snowball. One method is to host a giveaway or contest. The prize could be anything: a ticket to the event, a VIP experience, free drinks or food, or merchandise like t-shirts. You can request a share and follow, or for entrants to comment on a post tagging a friend. Another way is to tell entrants to post a photo using a prompt and tag your account.
Hashtags are also good for building hype, as they can be unique to your event.
Using scarcity and urgency in your posts, such as “tickets selling fast” or “not long now!” will push people to book and create that all important FOMO.
It’s also important to make the event incredibly easy to share (again, fewer steps is always better). Creating an e-flyer that can be forwarded easily is a good place to start. Remember to size it correctly for each platform (Canva is a great tool for this).
Scheduling posts can help balance the workload, or you can invest in an agency to do most of the legwork.
How to use social media during your event
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Ollie Fahey, head of content and strategy at W Communications, says:
“Events present an incredible opportunity for social media amplification, but thought must go into programming moments that feel relevant and interesting for Instagram or TikTok.
"Maybe that’s a specific social-first photo opportunity via a 360-degree camera, or maybe it’s a live demonstration that attendees simply have to record.
"Regardless of the creative, giving individuals a reason to want to share these moments with the world must be the primary goal.”
Create something people will want to share
Whether it’s photo opportunities, decorations or demonstrations, it’s essential to give attendees something they’ll want to shout from the rooftops. Red carpet welcomes, photo areas and props work well for this.
Go live!
Going live at your event is a no-brainer, as that’s what it was designed for. It’s is also a great way to involve people who couldn’t make it, or even stream the whole event.
Tweet as you go
Live-tweeting is another great way to show off how great your event is. All you have to do is tweet what's happening when it happens. An example of this could be "John Smith takes the stage to show us how to make pasta" with a picture.
Bonus idea: Post on social media during any lulls or changeovers at your event. This is when people are most likely to check their phones.
How to use social media after your event
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Hopefully the event went well. No time to rest on your laurels, though!
Thank everyone
The first thing to do is a ‘thanks for coming’ post, which can also include a summary of the event for those who missed out. Here you can refer to specific highlights. At the end of the post, mention what’s coming up next.
Tag high-profile guests
If you had any high profile guests or influencers, be sure to tag them, along with speakers and contributors in case any of them share your content.
Share content from others
Retweet or share your favourite posts from attendees, as this user-generated content is a great way to build trust.
Follow up with people
Follow up with an email to your attendees too. Include any useful links or resources, a video of the event (if recorded), and anything else you can bundle together.
Create highlights
On Instagram, you can add any stories from the event to your highlights, which sit just under your bio. This means the impact from your event can live on longer than just the day itself, providing a place for peoplet to return to.
Run a survey
A post-event survey is a great way to gather valuable data and feedback. Any stellar responses can then be reused as testimonials on your website and social.
Well, there you have it. That’s everything we think you’ll need to run a killer social media campaign at your event.
Next up, be sure to check out our guide to a minimum spend when booking a venue - it’s essential reading.