You’re Invited: How to Create Buzz and Drive Attendance to Your Event Using Social Media
May 11, 2015
You’re Invited: How to Create Buzz and Drive Attendance to
Your Event Using Social Media
Max Silver Social Media Training Manager
617-329-9835
www.linkedin.com/in/maxesilver
@maxesilver
www.451Marketing.com
National Public Relations, Social Media, and Search Marketing Agency Founded in 2004
Headquartered in Boston with offices in New York and Los Angeles
65 Full-time staff, strong connections with gift guide media
Recognized as a 2011, 2012, 2013 an award recognizing the fastest growing private companies headquartered in Massachusetts
About 451 Marketing
Evolution of Event Promotion
Online vs. Offline
Social media promotion increases ticket sales to that event by an
average of 30%* and helps reduce drop outs during booking.
*Data reported by event promotion and management company BookItBee
Agenda
• Intro to Event Promotion Strategy • Pre-Event • During Event • Post-Event • Case Studies • Q & A
Social Media = Primary Weapon
Social media sites and blogs now account for approximately 27% of the total time* Americans spend
online.
*Data reported by Experian Marketing Services
is NOT expensive
Social Media…
Social Media…
brings people to your landing page
Social media produces almost double the marketing leads
of trade shows, telemarketing, direct mail, or PPC.
Social Media…
is dynamic and self-propelling
Social Media Marketing can
Promoters Customers Visitors Strangers
Attract Convert Impress
Before the Event
Pre - Event Timeline
Announcement
Steady Promotion
Ramp Up Promotions
Final Push
6w 4w 3w 2w 1w
Where to start?
Event Landing Page
Create a shortened, customizable, trackable link for your event landing page
Get Stats: when and how many times people are clicking
Track from Day One
Track from Day One
1.11 Billion Users
Confirmed and potential guestlist
Google Map of exact location
Direct link to ticket page
500 Million Users
Include important info: hashtags, bit.ly link, and event date
Get your connections to retweet
Get your speakers to promote
Ask for feedback Giveaway tickets
Spotlight Speaker Profiles
Show highlights from past events
Countdown the days
Crowdsource ideas
225 Million Users
343 Million Users
Use keywords that are popular search terms to boost your SEO
100 Million Users 4B photos
Use description for call to action
Use relevant hashtags
Event Flyer
Attendee’s ticket confirmation
#BostonCalling
48.7 Million Users
Make sure to edit pin to add event link as source
#BostonCalling
Event Flyer
Event Headliners
#YachtWeek
1 Billion Users 72+ hours of video uploaded every min
14 Million Users
Keep Your Content Fresh
During the Event
55% of mobile market in
US is smartphones -
129.4 million people
Why Use it During Your Event?
(Via comScore)
#451webinar
Tweet highlights like statistics that are interesting to your audience
#BostonCalling
Behind-the-scenes content
Up-to-the-minute updates
Thoughts and reflections
Immediate audience feedback
Respond to inquiries
Add context with multimedia
#BostonCalling
After the Event
Thank attendees
Thank sponsors
Respond
Congratulate winners
#BostonCalling
Highlights
Crowds
Attendee Showcase
#BostonCalling
Twitter proved to be an instrumental tool in attracting business leaders to and engaging them at BBJ events.
Case Study: Boston Business Journal
Case Study: Boston Business Journal
Goal Create buzz and engagement around their signature events online
Approach 451 Marketing designed and executed an event promotion and live-tweeting strategy that included establishing hashtags for all BBJ signature events, pre-event promotion to create buzz amongst attendees and honorees, and live event coverage.
Results • Over 51 million impressions for BBJ
events, advertisers, and sponsors • The BBJ Twitter handle grew more
than 360% - from 4,400 to over 16,000
Takeaways:
• Start at least a month in advance • Promote across several different platforms • Create a hashtag to brand your event • Schedule your tweets beforehand • Add multimedia – photos, videos, links - whenever possible • Be attentive and responsive to comments and inquiries
from potential attendees. Follow up before, during, and after your event
• Curate content from your event participants
Questions?
You’re Invited: How to Create Buzz and Drive Attendance to
Your Event Using Social Media