Social Media Marketing for Special Events and Festivals

Firestarter! Social Media for Event Marketing & Building

Community Sheila Scarborough - Tourism Currents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

What's In This For

You?

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

What To Do First:

STOP!

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

3 Basic Questions (yep, they still apply)

● What are your overall event marketing goals?

● Who is your market?

● Where are they online?

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Overall Event Goals ● Before: awareness, registration,

anticipation of value …. “Can't wait”

● During: sharing (onsite & off,) excitement …. “So glad I came”

● After: sharing, excitement for next year …. “I was there, so glad I went”

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

HOLY COW, let me at 'em!

Is it social media time

yet?

Patience, grasshopper....

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Avoid Drowning● Do your homework● Know where to find

your market● Get in front of them

by listening first....

● ….and have a plan

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

OK, it's time now....Boo-Yah!

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

BeforeDuringAfter

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media - BeforePossible goals before the event?

Raise awarenessWord-of-Mouth excitement

Encourage sharingConnect attendees

Support sponsors & Expo exhibitors

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media – Before

● Facebook Event pages

● Facebook status updates● On Facebook Pages● On people's personal profiles

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media – Before● LinkedIn Event Pages :(

● LinkedIn updates● On Company Pages ● On personal profiles● In Groups

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media – Before● Blog posts

● Your blog and others

● Speaker preview videos

● Photos & video from previous events

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media – Before

● Preview podcasts

● Conference venue info

● Conference town info

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media - During

Possible goals during the event?

Share content value among attendeesConnect attendees

Share with those not thereSupport sponsors & Expo exhibitors

Share fun social moments

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media – During

● Facebook updates continue● Live radio show on Blog Talk Radio● LinkedIn updates continue● Ustream live video stream● Tweets with hashtag

●Photos, photos, photos

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media - After

Possible goals after the event?

Share among attendeesShare with those who missed it

Help your industry knowledge baseSupport sponsors

Build more connections!

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Share

The

Afterglow!

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media – After

● Summary blog posts & link posts● Facebook Pages & profiles● Tweets – save on Chirpstory/Storify● LinkedIn status updates & Group

discussions● SlideShare for presentations

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Social Media's “Killer App” is....

….year-round discussion & community

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Build A Barn!

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Let's talk about Hutchinson, KS

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

What social media is ....

…. and is not.

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Takeaways● It's networking & human relationships● Time + persistence = payoff● Social media is social communications● Meet your market where they are● Help attendees to share & grow

● Be more than a one-off event

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Photo Credits● Deb Brown & Colton:

BJMcCray Flickr

● Stop sign w/rabbits: Nationaal Archief on Flickr Commons

● Rules: Gord McKenna on Flickr

● Mr. Miyagi: ampedAsia

● Don't drown SAR swimmer : DVIDSHUB on Flickr

● Yell practice: TX A&M Cushing Library on Flickr

● SoMeT tattoo: Anne Hornyak Flickr CC

● OK Regatta: katsrcool Flickr

● People mover: KS State Fair

● Build a barn: BJMcCray on Flickr

● Hutchinson blogger fam: BJMcCray on Flickr

● Cat + beer: pinguino on Flickr

● (all others taken by me)

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Thanks for your time!

Sheila Scarborough

TourismCurrents.com