Making the most of Social Sharing at your Business Event

In today’s busy technological world, almost everyone has a smart phone connected to at least one social channel. For these people, it’s unlikely a day will go by when they don’t check their Facebook, emails, Instagram account and Twitter. Whether they’re on their lunch break or commute to and from work, it’s not unusual to see people with their heads buried in their phone, oblivious to the world around them.

If you’re an employer, this social engagement can be really beneficial for your company and the event you’re planning. It’s likely that people will be active on social media or checking their smartphones from your event. So instead of having a strict policy or ignoring the members of your audience tapping away at their screens, why not encourage social sharing and engagement and make sure that your event and business is at the centre of the conversation?

Unsure of the best way to utilise your employees’ powerful social network to create a buzz around your event? The team at Absolute Venues Worldwide have put together their 3 top tips…

Create a check-in location 

Make sure people have checked in at your event, so that anyone following their posts will know where they’re interacting from. Create a Facebook check-in which is easy to remember – such as the name of your company and the event – and share this with your employees throughout the event to remind them to join in.

It’s important you create and publicise an official location, as it can be very easy for people to check into the wrong place, or just tag the venue without including your specific event. Consider sharing the check-in on your Facebook and Twitter page and emailing attendees beforehand with the information. Alternatively, you could include the check-in location on any print outs you provide. Ensuring your employees are checked into the right location means that you can keep your eye on their activities and comments throughout the event.

Use a dedicated hashtag 

On Twitter, you can create an event hashtag (#) which will serve a similar purpose to the Facebook check-in tool. Create a hashtag which is easy for users to remember and relevant to the company (e.g. ‘conferencename2015’) then you can monitor its usage and see what people are saying about your event.

Once you’ve decided on the hashtag you’ll be using, make use of it on all of the social content you post. Ensure you’ve advertised the correct hashtag wherever possible- on social media, screens at the event location, any printed materials used, or on the name badges handed to the delegates.

Create an incentive for attendees to tag themselves to your event by holding fun, flash giveaways throughout the day. Enter anyone who uses the Twitter hashtag into prize-draws throughout the day and announce winners during breaks or before sessions commence. Make sure you publicise well the fact that these prize-draws will be taking place (perhaps announce it at the beginning of the event). Not only will this add a lighthearted, personal touch to the day, it will encourage other attendees to get involved with your brand on social too.

Provide live coverage

If you want others to use social media at your event, set the precedent by making sure the company is using it too. Bring a staff member along whose job is to populate and monitor the company social feeds for the duration, so that you can ensure you’re providing a live, up-to-the-minute commentary on your event.

As key events take place- such as guest speakers taking to the stage or new company plans/strategies being unveiled, announce these on your social feeds. Don’t forget to use your hashtag on Twitter, and feel free to interact with others using it by replying to their comments or sharing their insights on your own page. Create a network of engaged attendees through the content you publish, and engage in conversations and debates.

So don’t underestimate the power of social media, and try integrating it into your next corporate event. Not only will live-sharing guarantee the engagement of your employees, it will also ensure that anyone missing the event can keep up-to-date with important information. Using social, you can build a picture of key takeaways and give an insightful overview of events as they happen, with much more impact than a reflective meeting or email would have on your employees.

We understand how stressful organising an event can be, and we’re here to take the stress of planning an event out of the equation. Whether you’re looking for the perfect conference venue or suitable speakers, we’ll strive to understand your businesses requirements to help your event to run as smoothly as possible.Get in touch today, we’ll be happy to help!