Social Media: Not Just for Marketing

We've written on the various ways you can use social media for marketing your event, but as this article points out there are a number of ways you can use social platforms beyond straight marketing. The public nature of social media will turn any use of it into marketing but we suggest looking at the platforms specifically for these uses and then reap the benefits that inherently happen.

• Conversation and Resource Sharing - whether it is through Facebook or on a social site within your own event website. Give people a place where they can share ideas and questions before, during, and after the event. Create this central location for posting presentations and event materials to answer the always nagging question of "where can I find this online?"

• Evaluation - Both formally and informally you can use social platforms to track attendee feedback. From watching the posts related to your events you can see which speakers are making an impact and maybe even which ones are falling flat. You can also formalize social feedback by creating an online space for people to rate speakers and sessions with room for discussion and conversation. Make sure as the event planner you are responding to the feedback (good or bad) appropriately and in a timely manner.[Tweet "Both formally and informally you can use social platforms to track attendee feedback. #GovEventBlog"]

• Logistics - use your social sites to share critical, but sometimes mind numbing, event details such as start and end time, parking info, requests for food preferences, etc...

• Sponsor Benefit - offer a certain number of posts on your social media properties to sponsors. The exposure to your audience (likely their sales targets) will help them grow not only their brand exposure but also maybe their social media following.

• Fun - Take the traditional show scavenger hunts and other games online. Ask people to follow and retweet certain topics, speakers, exhibitors at the show. Give a prize for the most prolific poster. Ask attendees to upload a quick video of them sharing their favorite thing about the show. Award prizes for the most creative entries. Push real time networking, having people post pictures of themselves with as many co-attendees, exhibitors, etc... reward the person in the most pictures.

[Tweet "Using social media for inherently non-marketing still contributes to your brand. #GovEventsBlog"]By using social media for these inherently non-marketing purposes you are still contributing to your brand by showing your event's openness, tech savvy, and even "personality" through the posts and conversations.