Social Media For EventsLisa Colton

See3 Communications lisa@see3.com @lisacolton

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT UPCOMING EVENT WHERE YOU MIGHT USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE, AMPLIFY OR ENGAGE PEOPLE?

POST IN THE CHAT!

Agenda1. GOALS: why use social media at events2. BEFORE: marketing, recruitment, engagement3. DURING: conversation, deepening, amplifying4. AFTER: applying, disseminating, curating

Focus on the Goal• Get more people to the

event• Increase people talking

about the issue• Increase action• Amplify a meme• Tell stories about the

organization• Play an active role at

the event

What and How Do You Influence?

What Tools Do You Use?

• Twitter• Facebook• YouTube• Text Messaging• Livestreaming• Hashtags

Measurement

• Growth of network• Activity• Peer to peer connection• Longevity• Opt in• Donations• Long term retention• Curation• Amplification

What Do You Need to Scaffold?

BEFORE THE

EVENT:

Create a gravitational

center, & exert force.

Pre: Get Organized For Event

• Hashtag & include in materials• Live tweeting & Twitter wall plans• Live blogging & guest bloggers plans• Live stream broadcast• Staffing video interviews and clips• Listen to early chatter

Centralized & Decentralized Use = MomentumUse Hashtags!

Build Momentum

Facebook shares are highest after someone has committed to the event. Create opportunities and

content that’s worth sharing!

DURING• Break down the walls

• Bridge on site / online

• Create sharable content

• Encourage engagement

• Create connections in the room

First, Make It Easy: Anticipate Needs!

• Display hashtag & handles of key people

• Include in introductions

• Include in signage and materials

Design It InWhat can you design to get people actively engaged in the content & community during an event?

– Tweet in questions! Have presenters take questions from Twitter as well as verbal (great if livestreaming too!)

– Ask for input or reflections by Twitter or text, and read aloud to surface new ideas and voices

– Like our Facebook page and post a photo (contest?)– What’s one follow up action you’ll take following this event?

Get people to commit to action, and share it.– Text opt in / donations in the moment

Twitter Walls

Text Message Participation

I Unplug To… Photo Booth

Tag people! Let them take pics of each other and post themselves! Make hashtag easily visible.

Capturing the Moment

• Mini-video interviews• Vine/Instagram videos• “Roving Reporter”• Photos• Listening for insights ->

guest blogger invites• Live tweeting

AFTER• Provide assets to support

decentralized reporting, blogging • Keep conversation going• Penetrate deeper, impact• Keep people engaging with each

other• LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!

Listening• Who’s tweeting? Who’s blogging?• Who is carrying forward the issues, not just

the event• What memes maintained momentum? How

can you build on that?• Who are nodes for next time?

Continue ConversationAsk questions & share resources in gathering spaces:•FB event•FB group or page populated by attendees•Hashtag•Even on your own profile

Continue ActionOnce you’ve earned attention, how to leverage it? Use the spike to make long term connections.

- Follow key people- RT action options- Encourage use of #

Final Thoughts• Play! Try things personally• Think about logistics, implications• Get your staff personally connected• Be purposeful, don’t just fill space• Integrate channels• Curate & converse

Questions?Examples to share?