Social Media for Festivals and Events: Texas Downtown Association

transcript

Light the Spark! Social Media for Festival & Event Marketing Sheila Scarborough - Tourism Currents

What's In This For

You? @SheilaS@TourismCurrents

#TXDT2014

What To Do First:

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

#TXDT2014

Basics Still Matter● What are your overall event marketing goals?

● Who is your market?

● Where are they online?

Avoid Drowning● Do your

homework● Know your market● Connect social

media to your goals

● Measure & track

Organizing Event Marketing

● Before

● During

● After @SheilaS

@TourismCurrents #TXDT2014

Event Goals: Before

Awareness, registration, anticipation of value ….

”Can't wait”

Event Goals: During

Sharing (on-site & off,) build on excitement ….

”So glad I came”

Event Goals: After

Sharing, excitement for next year ….

“I was there, so glad I went”

Before

During

After @SheilaS@TourismCurrents

#TXDT2014

Social Media - BeforePossible goals before the event?

Raise awarenessWord-of-Mouth excitement

Encourage sharingConnect attendees

Support sponsors & Expo exhibitors

Social Media – Before● Facebook Event page● Facebook status updates

● On Facebook Pages● On people's personal profiles

● Budget for Page ads!@SheilaS

40 more photos shared

below this!

Social Media – Before● Pick a hashtag early!● Have a plan for Twitter● Instagram visual previews● Use LinkedIn if it's business/professional

#TXDT2014

Social Media – Before● Blog posts

● Your blog and others● Speaker preview videos● Preview podcast interviews● Photos & video from previous events @SheilaS

Social Media – Before

Don't forget to highlight the venue

& host town@SheilaS

Social Media - DuringPossible goals during the event?

Share content among attendeesConnect attendees

Share with those not thereSupport sponsors & Expo exhibitors

Share fun social moments

Social Media – During ● Facebook updates continue● Tweets, Instagram with hashtag● Live radio show on Blog Talk Radio● LinkedIn updates continue● Livestream performances, show live

tweets & Instagram pics

●Photos, photos, photos

Social Media - AfterPossible goals after the event?

Share among attendeesShare with those who missed it

Help your industry knowledge baseSupport sponsors

Build more connections!

Afterglow!

Social Media – After ● Summary blog posts, link posts● Facebook Pages & profiles● Tweets – save on Storify● LinkedIn status updates & Group

discussions● SlideShare for presentations

#TXDT2014

Social Media's “Killer App” is....

year-round discussion & community

#TXDT2014

Build A Barn!

“I wish some of our area event organizers would do a better job of maintaining excitement about events year-round to help generate awareness.

It's not effective to have a Page sit dormant for 10 - 11 months out of the year & only post when

you are getting ready for event weekend.”

“….or to STOP posting the week before the event because they're busy with actual event

prep stuff.”

“We have a food festival that could really benefit from highlighting vendors &

sponsors on all those whacky "National (INSERT FOOD THEME) Day" or even

posting about history of dairy & other foods (or BEER) in our state.

They just totally miss the opportunity on some things & it's sooooo frustrating.”

What social media is ....

…. and is not.

Takeaways● It's networks & human relationships● Time + persistence = payoff● Meet your market where they are● Help attendees to share on social

● Be more than a one-time-of-year event

#TXDT2014

Photo Credits(all others my own)

● Mutton busting courtesy NEBRASKAland Days on Facebook

● Stop sign w/rabbits – Nationaal Archief Flickr Commons

● Goat pick-up sign – Gord McKenna Flickr CC

● Rescue SAR swimmer – DVIDSHUB on Flickr CC

● Pineapple Whip fans courtesy Nebraska State Fair on Facebook

● Build a barn – BJ McCray on Flickr CC

● Cats & beer – pinguino on Flickr CC

Thanks very much!www.tourismcurrents.com/texas-downtowns

Sheila Scarborough

Tourism Currents

@SheilaS

@TourismCurrents