6 Ways to Promote an Event via Social Media

By: Sarah Smith

Social media is an excellent and inexpensive way of promoting an event. Because events are about social interaction just as social media is, it can be fairly easy to generate interest and excitement over the event. To help prevent your event from falling flat and sell as many tickets to the event as possible, you can implement the following tips for effectively promoting an event via social media:

1 Create a Unique Hashtag for the Event

You should create a hashtag for the event that isn’t already in use. This will unify the event and encourage interaction. Anyone who is interest in the event can easily view all related social media posts about the event under the hashtag to determine if they want to attend. Most businesses use an abbreviation of the event plus the year number. For example, Social Media Examiner used the hashtag #SMMW14 for their 2014 Social Media Marketing World event. Once you finalize a hashtag, consistently use it on all of your social media accounts and stick it on your marketing materials to help increase visibility for the event.

2 Utilize Facebook Retargeting Ads

Another great way to promote an event via social media is displaying Facebook retargeting ads to encourage a higher proportion of visitors to sign up for the event. A retargeting ad, also referred to as a remarketing ad, targets people who have already landed on your event page but didn’t convert. It is a second or third chance to win them over. Facebook is a social media site that enables retargeting ads through its platform but many other sites offer retargeting too. When you create a remarketing ad, remember to exclude users who have already purchased a ticket or signed up. This can easily be done by placing your “thank you” page under “custom audiences excluded” when setting up the retargeting advertisement.

3 Create a Highlight Reel Video of Previous Events

Assuming you hosted a previous event, you can create a highlight reel video of past events to spark excitement in your audience. If people see how much fun or interesting prior events were, then they’ll be more likely to buy a ticket. They won’t want to miss out on a good event. Share the video on social media while promoting the event. If this is your first event of its type, then remember to take pictures and record videos during the event, so you can utilize them for promoting next year’s event.

 4 Use Testimonials from Prior Events

You can promote an upcoming event via social media by creating graphics with the testimonials from prior events. This will help generate interest in the event. Similar to the previous tip, if this event is the first one you’re hosting of its kind, then record the best testimonials to use in promotions for next year’s event. You’ll find content you can use for testimonials from comments in exit surveys and interviews of attendees and speakers.

5 Make It Easy for People to Share the Event Page

If you want to promote an event via social media, you must make it as easy as possible for people to share the event page. Include social media buttons on the event page that are obvious and ask for the share. The “thank you” page should have a social media share button too. If you have an affiliate program, make it easy for affiliates to promote it as well by providing downloadable content like videos, graphics, newsletter updates, articles, and audio.

6 Mention the Event in Your Social Media Bios

When promoting an event via social media, you should mention the event in your social media bios along with the unique hashtag for the event. Also include the link to your event page in your social media bio, so users can easily and quickly access the page if they’re curious. Remember that the fewer steps it takes someone to do something, the more likely they will do it.

The above six ways to promote an event via social media will help generate buzz surrounding the event and increase sign ups. By having social media share buttons in place and encouraging your audience to share the page with others, you can reach additional audiences you would have otherwise missed. Social media marketing for an event starts with you but it really includes fans who help spread the word when they share your event page with their followers.

About an Author: Sarah, a freelance content writer based in Australia. With her background in business management, she has been writing in the area of management and advertising since 2009. She writes for Cover Girl Promotional Models, a leading promotional agency based in Australia.