10 Ways to Get People to Engage with your Event on Social Media

Familiar with the phrase ‘pics or it didn’t happen’? Event social media is a bit like that. You can host a brilliant event, wow your audience, and smash your targets, but without engagement on social, it’s likely to be all over as soon as the last person leaves.

Strong social will give your event traction and make people remember it. Bonus points: it’ll also pique other people’s interest and create a buzz around your brand. Sounds good, right?

Here’s how to make it happen:

1.     Choose your lane. There are so many channels of social media, you’ll spread yourself too thinly if you try to reach them all. Think about what your audience uses most and focus your social strategy there.

2.     Head’s up. Let people know you’ll be doing X, Y, and Z on social during your event, and ask them to keep a lookout (or even better, follow) any hashtags you’re using.

3.     Talking of hashtags… If there’s a hashtag or account you want people to engage with, make it visible in comms. Speakers can mention it (several times, please) but a visible reminder will work wonders too.

4.     Easy as ABC. Whatever you’re asking people to do, keep it as straightforward as possible. Make your accounts easy to find, your hashtags simple and your asks clear. Now is not the time for in-jokes or witty puns.

5.     Lookin’ good. Remember, people want to share content that makes them look good too, so if you’re using photos and videos, make them aesthetically on-point.

6.     Share and share alike. If you’re asking people to share your content, it’s only fair you do the same. Add their stories to your stories, retweet them, and say thanks!

7.     On the hour, every hour. Make sure your content is consistent throughout the day. There’s no point having a flurry of activity at the start and end of an event, you need to make sure your audience has something to engage with whenever they grab a coffee (or nip to the loo). React to things as they happen and try not to say the same thing again and again…

8.     Healthy competition. There’s no reason why you can’t throw a little low-key competition into your social! Think about what you’ve got to offer that your audience would really love to win, and you’ll soon see the notifications totting up.

9.     You can’t can sit with us. Now’s the time to pull in favours from industry contacts and social influencers. If people see names they recognise engaging with your brand they’ll be more inclined to join the conversation too.

10.  Enjoy yourself. There’s nothing more cringeworthy than a brand trying to look excited about social media if they’re really not into it. Make it fun, keep it real - and if social media reeeeeally isn’t your bag, consider getting a pro in to help on the day.

At unite Marketing & Events, we’re the experts at all things events.

So whether you need support with social, or enjoyed our tips but want a hand with something else, we’re here to help.

Send us a DM today or email us at hello@unitemarketingandevents.com