How to Use Social Media to Build Excitement, Attendance, & Engagement for Your Next Conference or Event

how to use social media

to build excitement, attendance & engagement

for your next event or conference

rosettathurman.com

what people want from nonprofit events

• To learn• To be entertained, have fun• Meet other people, network• Have conversations• Share their opinions with others• Be recognized• To know what’s next, follow-up

excitement

attendance

engagement

four tools• Blogs– Free, self-hosted or integrated into org’s

website to share information

• Twitter– Free tool to share short updates &

connect people

• YouTube– Free video sharing tool to spread

awareness

• Flickr– Free photo sharing tool to provide visual

history

blogs • Create your own media coverage• Event summaries, keynote recaps,

session highlights from workshops, etc.• Blog on your org’s blog• Set-up a special event blog• Ask attendees to post to their org’s

blogs• Invite guest bloggers• Exchange event registration for blog

coverage

twitter• Hashtags for event• Related hashtags for your cause:

#nonprofit #philanthropy #p2 #hcr #lgbt• Twitter list of attendees• Tweepml.org allows users to autofollow • Monitor the conversation before, during &

after• Tools: Hootsuite, Tweetdeck• Exchange event registration for live

tweeting• Start Twitter now so you have followers

when your event comes around

youtube• Visual representation of what to

expect from your event • Don’t have to hire a videographer,

can use digital cameras or FlipCams• Welcome message from CEO • Creative promo videos• Get reactions from attendees, post

clips• Record keynote speeches, portions of

popular sessions, post to blog/website

case studies• ASAE & the Center’s Annual Meeting – Promo video about conference sessions

• Council on Foundations 2011 Conference– Promo showcases 2010 attendees, invites

feedback for next year’s conference

• NAACP 101st Convention– Video highlights reactions from attendees

• Nonprofit Technology Network Conference– Viral video showing ED doing “Single

Ladies” dance after raising $10K in scholarship funds

flickr• Allows pictures to be shared widely• Don’t need a photog, can use digital

cameras• Ask attendees to take their own photos

& share them• If you have a photog, ask them to make

photos publicly available, not behind a pay wall

• Can also post to your org’s Facebook page & allow attendees to tag themselves

First, why?

Then:

•How? (tools)•Who? (staff)•When? (timeline, workplan)

questions?

rosetta@rosettathurman.com

@rosettathurman