Social Media for Events

I've went to several events and I've seen social media used in some of them. A properly used social media for events really makes the event much better. Though it is a no brainer to leverage on social media for event management, many companies still do not use them.

However, I've been to several social media conferences fail to use social media properly for the event.

Here are some good examples which I've seen using social media well.

Article from Mashable:

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Blogworld takes advantage of a multitude of social networking platforms like, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Plancast, Sched.org, USTREAM () and Plixi to amplify the conference experience. According to founder and CEO Rock Calvert, the company’s use of social media prior to, during and after the the world’s largest social media conference and trade show is “…light years ahead of other conferences.”
Prior to the conference, Calvert uses various social platforms to inform people about the event, accept speaker applications and make announcements. In addition, Blogworld allows attendees to socially pick sessions, as well as invite and tell people that they are attending.
During Blogworld’s three-day conference, social platforms help facilitate and encourage attendee participation. Facebook is used to create polls, allow for public comments and encourage suggestions from attendees on how to improve the event. Organizers also encourage attendees to micro blog, which gives readers the opportunity to experience the event from numerous vantage points. Calvert credits these tools with “keeping the Blogworld experience transparent.”
How does social media make Blogworld better? In 2009, Blogworld set a Guiness World Record for the distribution of the largest mass message through social media, with a #Beatcancer hashtag. The campaign also raised more than $70,000 for social good efforts. In addition, Calvert tells us, “Social media creates social attendee lists, starts conversations, encourages meet ups, [and] allows conference organizers to react to issues immediately…. Incorporating social into our conference simply makes the experience better.”

Social Media (Twitter #Hashtags)

Hashtags are very important to an event. Planning a good hashtag to describe the event and ensuring the hashtag is not used by other people / companies for other purposes.

5 Reasons why you should have a good hashtag for the event:
1) With a properly publicized hashtag, attendees can follow the event and anything leading up to the event.
2) Attendees can connect with one another with the hashtag.
3) People who cannot attend the event can follow the event by following live tweets with the hashtag.
4) Q&A can be opened to the ground and others outside the event via hashtag.
5) Attendees can ask questions regarding the event and customer support can attend to their needs enhancing the before / during / after event engagement.

Here is a document I've created that share other best practices of social media in event management.

Social Media Event Management

-- Robin Low