Integrating social media with live events

Handwritten invitations are a thing of the past. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I was invited to an event that wasn’t via Facebook or Eventbrite. If you’re organising an event, you have to get with the social media gang.

Use Eventbrite to organise your event

It does what it says on the tin: Eventbrite is an online service that lets people create, share, and join event. You can host both free and paid-for events and the site is really user-friendly. You can not only link your Eventbrite account to Facebook so that it posts details of any events you organise to your wall, but you can also host ticket forms on your website. Motivate people to register for the event by offering early-bird discounts.

List it in the events sections of social media sites

Create a Facebook event (or use the Eventbrite integration so it does this automatically for you) and invite your contacts. Make sure you correctly label the event as open or invite only. You should also consider listing your event on the events feature of LinkedIn.

Get the event up on your website

Write a blog post about your event and make sure it’s keyword rich so search engines pick up on it. You could even have a permanent ‘Events’ section on your website if you’re thinking about making them a regular thing. Make sure you host your Eventbrite ticket form on your website too, this allows people to buy tickets without having to visit the Eventbrite website.

Use email marketing

When people register for tickets via Eventbrite they have to supply their email address as well as their name. This allows you to send an email with MailChimp to all attendees a few days before with reminder about your event. You can then also send a post-event email to both the attendees and non-attendees (perhaps the people on the waiting list).

Make sure you have their permission before sending them any emails that aren’t related to the event. The final post-event email is your opportunity to ask them to sign up for news of future events.

Ask attendees to check in

Attendees can check into the event using geo-location features like Facebook Places and Foursquare. This tells all of their friends and contacts that they’re at your event. Consider offering incentives to those who check in – perhaps a free drink or discounted services.

Live tweeting

It’s really important that you tweet about your event while it’s happening. Everyone can get Twitter on their smartphones – and most phones have cameras so use them! Give little updates on things that happen or quotes from speakers. You could start a keyword-related hashtag too.

Encourage all the attendees to  tweet from the event too (make sure you tell them what the hashtag will be) and ask them to include pictures. I’ve been to events before where a large screen displays all tweets in a hashtag feed – this drives more people to get involved (be prepared for some potentially naughty tweets too though)!

Most of all, enjoy it!

Posted on: Friday, 20th January, 2012 | Posted by: amy | Posted in social media | No Comments »