Here are a couple of EventMB stats worth considering. Almost 40% of today’s event planning professionals believe social media is the key to their event marketing success. Another 58% of marketing pros use social media platforms and messaging to promote before, during, and after their events. There’s no question that social media has to be a pillar in your event marketing campaigns. But if you’re part of the other group of event planners NOT tapping into social for big results, keep reading. We’re taking the guesswork out of social media for events and sharing the most proven strategies and secrets for significantly boosting your event attendance every time.
Choosing the Right Platform for Every Event
You don’t have to be on all the social media platforms out there to be successful. Actually, it’s best to narrow your marketing to just those few channels that align with your specific New York event. For example, LinkedIn is the best method for connecting with a B2B community. Instagram is great for brilliant visuals, images, and videos. And TikTok is where you need to be to reach a younger demographic and audience interested in viral trends and innovative content. Pick and choose the platforms that make the most sense for your NYC events. And then dominate those few channels with engaging, relevant, and exciting content about your events.
Pre-Event Influencer Marketing
Roughly 28% of marketers turn to influencer marketing to boost awareness and excitement for their events. Influencers are typically experts in a particular field or space, and they already command a loyal following on social media. They’re “influencers” because they have the ability to “influence” in a big way. And when you tap into these influencers for your events, you can essentially get a digital referral for your event. Exposure using influencers can be exponential to large groups of people you wouldn’t otherwise have access to on your own.
Here are suggestions for connecting with influencers:
- Set event goals and corresponding influencer goals, like web clicks or tickets sold.
- Make sure you choose an influencer who shares your values and brand characteristics.
- Try to connect with 15-20 influencers for each event, hoping to work out a partnership with a few.
- Your event clients, vendor partners, and fellow colleagues are great resources for finding local influencers.
Paid Promotion and Social Ads
Event planners should also explore paid ads on social media for boosted attendance. And 58% of event planning pros claim to use paid social ads for their event promotions. But you don’t want to pay for ads for general branding or event awareness. Instead, use social media paid ads specifically with a CTA to buy tickets or RSVP for your event. It’s possible to increase ad conversion even more when you engage in retargeting of ads or running them to target those audiences already engaging with you on social.
Here are some ideas of content worth promotion using paid social ads:
- Event ticket discounts
- Keynote speaker announcements
- Celebrity guest announcements
- Pre-event purchasing specials
- VIP purchasing specials
What Content to Promote on Social Media
New York event planners can get really creative and gain traction on various social media channels by posting great content. Build monumental excitement and nerve-shredding anticipation for your upcoming event with posts and testimonials about past events. Get soundbites from guests and upcoming speakers. And use these content posting ideas for inspiration in creating a full content calendar of exciting event promotional posts that build a community around your event.
- Keynote speaker announcements, bios, and quotes
- Event information, including dates, times, and itineraries
- Registration or ticket purchase deadlines
- Showcasing sponsors and partners
- FOMO details to entice action
- Behind the scenes at preparing for the event
Hashtag Marketing Works
Hashtags are great social media marketing tools in the event planner’s toolbox. But there’s a right and wrong way to hashtag. Too many hashtags, for example, can actually hurt your post. Be choosy about selecting the right hashtags for your event. And do your homework before crafting your event’s dedicated hashtag.
Consider these other hashtag suggestions and make them work for you:
- Join trending topics that align with your event and audience.
- Join ongoing conversations using hashtags.
- Build awareness using hashtags with your event.
- Promote event contests and giveaways with your hashtags.
- Create branded hashtags specific to your event and its mission.
- Build a community around your hashtag.
- Invite event guests to post and share using your event hashtag.
Lives, Reels, and Videos
Static social media posts won’t get you the traction your event needs. After all, you’re an event planner – a master at creating experiences. Your social media event marketing should also be a memorable and engaging experience. The best tools for doing just that are videos, reels, and lives. Have conversations with your audience using short snippets with bursts of energy and excitement. Share behind-the-scenes event planning. Or interview event guests, speakers, and performers. Don’t be shy, and using your mobile device will work just fine. Create a library of reels and videos you can use throughout your event’s marketing cycle. And follow these tips when you’re creating:
- Use popular audio tracks.
- Embed Insta video feeds into your event website.
- Keep your reels under 10 seconds.
- Tie in your relevant hashtags with each video.
- Post and encourage engagement when your audience is most active.
- Use your captions to ask questions and engage.
- Create hooks within your reels to grab your audience’s attention.
Repurposing Event Content Post-Event
Don’t presume that once your event is over, your social media marketing efforts are done. You can repurpose event content for post-event social media posts and engagement. Consider building a library of digital assets you can use for the next event. Or repurpose event content for post-event viewing, on-demand replays, or future snippets of social media posts. You can also create a mini-course or web series, which is great for some corporate events and conferences. And you can repurpose event footage into blog or newsletter content inspiration for months to come. Squeeze every drop of mileage on social media and beyond after your event is over. Here are some ideas for repurposing your event content:
- Create or share via your event planning YouTube channel.
- Create a slideshare asset for prospective clients.
- Create an infographic for future marketing efforts.
- Extract quotes for thought leadership content.
- Discuss past event experiences on your podcast.
- Curate snippets of several videos you can use in general marketing endeavors.
- Create backgrounds for new messages.
- Discuss the event’s success in newsletters and blogs.
Most FAQs About Social Media for Events
Explore some of these FAQs about social media marketing for events for quick responses to your most common questions.
How is social media good for events?
Social media is an event planner’s direct outlet for energizing an audience, amplifying their event, and inspiring followers through streaming and live interactions. It’s your “right now” communication tool.
What’s the best social media for organizing events?
Each social media platform is unique in its engagement and, thus, your events. However, most event planners find success using Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X (Twitter,) TikTok, and Eventbrite.
How often should you promote an event via social media?
The frequency of your posts depends entirely on the type of posts and events you’re promoting. However, it’s generally recommended to post at least one time every week, consistently, if not more. If you’re posting on Instagram, the most successful campaigns include daily posts.
How can you create a social media event strategy?
Check out this SocialTables checklist of best practices for planning a social media campaign or an event. It includes:
- Clarifying your social media audience.
- Developing a hashtag strategy.
- Engaging influencers.
- Generating teaser posts and buzz.
How long before your event should you launch a social media campaign?
Depending on the event, it’s best to start generating buzz on social media about one month before the event date. If it’s an annual event, you can begin boosting awareness and early-bird registrations three months in advance.
Is there such a thing as too much posting on social media?
Yes. If you’re losing followers or dropping interactions, it could be a sign that you’re posting too much. Repeat content or posts that feel too “salesy” can become a turnoff for your audience. Keep it fresh, and watch your metrics to gauge your frequency and relevancy.
Get Social Savvy at The Event Planner Expo 2023!
Start seeing serious boosts in your New York event attendance by tapping into these social media marketing suggestions. It’s the one series of platforms your event planning business can rely on for direct audience engagement every time. And if you want to really learn the leading methods for event marketing, social media, the AI movement, and more, get your All Access tickets for The Event Planner Expo 2023! The legendary Gary Vaynerchuk is headlining the Keynote Speaker stage and is the master of all things social media and digital engagement. You can’t afford to miss his advice!
Secure your tickets now, and we’ll see you at The Expo!
