Social media has become a significant part of many people’s everyday life today. Oh, sure, there may be hold-outs, but it’s safe to say that even those people who don’t “do” social media have only one degree of separation from someone who IS on the social media bandwagon.

Therefore, it stands to reason that social media needs to be part of your outreach strategy when it comes to promoting your upcoming events. You will reach people directly, and those who don’t use Twitter, Facebook, etc. will get the information second-hand. Now that is what you call total coverage.

Well, fine. We’ve established that social media is everywhere and is an effective promotional tool. Only now the question is, what methods can you specifically employ in order to spread the word? Read on, and become enlightened.

Give Your Event Its Own Social Media Profile

So you have a personal profile on Facebook, and your liquor store, The Booze Shack, has a page on there as well. You decide to sponsor a public even, BoozeFest, in your town. Naturally, that event needs its own profile page too! That page is the ideal place for the event name, time and date, location, admission costs, and an event description, possibly even with an itinerary.

A Ren faire on the beach? Sure, why not? Social media can help promote ANY kind of event!

And of course, you need to put a link that sends visitors back to the Booze Shack. It can be to the Shack’s website, its Facebook page, or “yes”. Conversely, the Booze Shack’s Facebook page needs to call out the event and provide a link. Cover all the bases.

Content Is King

If you’ve done any Internet marketing or SEO, you’ve most likely heard that phrase uttered countless times. But it’s true, and if your social media pages have good, interesting content, then people will routinely visit them.
After all, you can have assembled the most clever social media campaign, but if no one visits your pages because they have a reputation for benig dull, boring, and hardly ever updated, then your effort is wasted.

The article “How to Enhance Your Event Marketing Using Social Media” recommends things like “blog posts, infographics, video content and podcasts.”

Speaking of video …

Yes, Include Video!

Harkening back to our example, let’s say that you’ve held Booze Fest before, maybe last year. The event is on the verge of becoming an annual tradition if you play your cards right. If you take video footage of last year’s event, then create the equivalent of a highlight reel and post it anywhere you think would work, then you’re likely to make a good impression. Put the video on You Tube, or your Facebook page, or your website, or all of the above.

Or consider taking video testimonials from satisfied event attendees and compile them into a single review. People tend to be swayed more when the folks singing an event’s praises are the ones who’ve actually attended it, rather than the company staff who organize the event.

If this is your first year holding the event in question, then why not create a short “Making of … ” video? Have some fun with it. It can be just like an infomercial, except that yours is actually entertaining and is calling out something useful!

Don’t Forget Text Messaging

Short Message Service, otherwise known as texting, also plays a big role in social media-based promotions. If you don’t have a Twitter account, then secure one immediately! Let people “opt in” on your text messaging by signing up on the social media platform of your choice, and/or via your website.

Create some text messages hyping your event, send them out the week before the event, then do a reminder the day before the date. Perhaps throw in the chance to get a discount, or sign up for a raffle. For more help, check out “How SMS Can Help Your Social Media Marketing”.

Use these strategies, and you’ll be on your way to being a social media event promoter guru. By all means, Google for some more ideas, because they’re certainly out there.