How to Encourage Social Media Interaction at Industry Events

Event organizers and venue owners are always looking for ways to fill seats, build buzz and get people to attend industry events, but one of the most overlooked strategies for building up an event is a free platform that everyone has access to: social media. Social media websites and networks have given people thousands of connections from around the world; tapping into these connections when these same people attend an event can create incredible attention on an event and a venue. This article will share a variety of tactics on how to encourage social media interaction during industry events.

Generate Buzz before the Event

Don’t lie but hint toward major news and announcements that will be made at an event prior to its date which will cause participants to buzz about topics with friends and family members, online. Tap into the curiosity of event participants by gradually releasing information, about the event, in which they can take and talk about with their websites or on their social networking profiles. Encourage buzz talk by being active in these early discussions and by sharing the content people create around the event based on the upcoming announcements and news.

Start a Facebook Fan Page and promote it at the Location

Launch a Facebook Fan Page for the event prior to its date to begin capturing interested parties and participants. On the date of the event, setup booths for people to become fans by leaving the Fan Page active and accessible to those that arrive. Give away freebies and schwag to participants that become fans of the Facebook page.

Launch a Twitter Hash Tag Keyword for the Event

A Twitter hash tag gives people the ability to condense and follow a discussion by using the hash tag (#) along with a keyword. Choose a hash tag that will be easy to understand and type such as an acronym for the event or topics that are being discussed. Encourage people to live tweet the event as keynote speeches are underway; people that aren’t at the event will be able to tune in and feel as though they are part of the discussion because they’ll be able to keep track of what people are talking about and the information being streamed from the event.

Deregulate Video Recordings at Events

Encourage people to take and share videos of the event so they may share the content on video sharing websites like Youtube or Vimeo. Many events have a strict policy on whether video can be shot during the event but this restricts people from getting the word out and generate buzz about the information being shared from the keynote speakers and the “experience” of the event. Track the videos people have uploaded and share them on the event’s social media profiles; promote and reward people for being active in social media and they will be far more likely to continue so throughout the remaining days of the event.

Live Stream the Event on Ustream

Ustream is a live streaming video service that’s free to use and has millions of viewers every day. The experience of the event can be shared with interested parties through Ustream since many people won’t have the funds or time to attend an event. People will be able to tune in and feel as if they are part of the event even though they weren’t able to attend; this gets people active on social media because they will be likely to tell their friends about the stream and the information that’s being covered.

Conclusion

Social Media has become integrated into the lives of nearly everyone on the face of the planet. The introduction of smart phones and apps have given people the opportunity to easily connect to their social media accounts from anywhere in the world. During an event, participants and interested parties can be encouraged using smart tactics covered in this article which gets people actively talking and discussing the event on social media. Tap into the power of the web by being open and transparent with the information conveyed at the event; use social media to its greatest extent.