Got a big event coming up and don’t have millions to spend on advertisement and promotions? Social media is the answer. From tweens to octogenarians, everyone has a social media presence today, making it the perfect platform to promote any event effectively without struggling and juggling the budget. While social media may be both easily accessible and affordable, it poses its own set of challenges in terms visibility. When using social media for event promotions, the thrust should be on garnering maximum attention with minimal effort. Here is how you should pitch an even promotion on social media for best results:
#1. Run a Campaign
If you think a single Facebook post or Tweet about the upcoming event will do the trick of drawing those large crowds, you could use a lesson or two on social media behavior. The objective of a social media promotion should be to have the details of your event etched in the memory of your target audience, and you’ll need to run a sustained, multi-faceted campaign to achieve this.
#2. Create an Identity
Lend your event a distinct identity by setting up a dedicated Facebook page, Twitter handle, Instagram profile (well, you get the drift), and use it to share all the event-related promotional messages – be it pictures, videos, links, contests, posts or tweets. Create a Facebook Event and use all the tools, but remember that a ‘Maybe’ RSVP means ‘No’ on this particular platform. Using all these tools – like QR codes, even promotion and more – will help your event earn a substantial following on social media platforms and give you a realistic insight into how well the event is being received by the audience. The audience, in turn, will have a definitive space to watch out for any important event-related announcements and updates.
#3. Timing is All Important
The success or failure of an online event promotion largely depends on how well you time your posts. Starting a promotion way ahead of time may cause your promotional campaign to fizzle out by the time the event draws near. Once those updates stop pouring in, the event will fade away from public memory too. Similarly, if you start too late, you may lose out on the opportunity to reach out a sizeable set of target audience, and even those who do come across your message may not feel warmed up enough to actually head out and participate. Therefore, timing your promotion right is of paramount importance. Typically, six to eight weeks ahead of the event works well. You can start by updating one or two posts a week and up the ante as the event draws near.
#4. Use Every Available Tool
Text posts no longer suffice. If you want to make an impact, you should be prepared and equipped use every available tool to its full potential. Behind-the-scenes videos, selfies from the event venue, pictures, contests, freebies, opinion polls inviting suggestions from the audience, hashtags, sneak-peek trailers – you need to include all these elements in your event promotion to strike a chord with a wide audience base and engage them on a level that they feel motivated to be a part of your event.
#5. Get Your Audience to Promote
Creating a viral effect on the internet is much like triggering a fission reaction. No matter how many invitation requests your send or posts your update and share, the outreach of your message will remain limited unless you make your audience part of the promotion process. Engage them on a one-on-one basis and give them a reason to create some noise about your event. For instance, you could initiate a contest where a couple with maximum number of likes on a picture with your event’s hashtag would win free tickets to the event. Now, everyone participating in this contest will have a reason to use the hashtag and promote your event without you having to ask for it.
