In social media there are few platforms that allow fast and direct contact with audiences than Twitter. The micro-blogging site remains one of our top preferred ways to reach brands: over 80 percent of users tag businesses in their posts.
Most Twitter users in the UK are millennials under the age of 34 and come from households with the biggest spending power, according to a survey by communications company we are Flint. This is the same generation who value experiences over purchases, and you can see the trait in how much the group is spending on attending live events–a whopping £419,556,233 per month.
(source: Social 2018 Main Findings, 2018)
Twitter users are ready to talk to brands and spend on experiences. Here are ways you can tap into that potential to make your next promotional event a huge success.
Create a tweetable, official hashtag
Twitter is the best at giving users an easy way to join and keep track of talk around your event. And you can harness that power easily through hashtags.
Nowhere are hashtags more useful than Twitter. The feature never really took off on Facebook, and on image-centred platforms like Instagram, hashtags are more for curating photos, not conversations.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your hashtag under 18 characters. Any longer and you risk giving your readers a case of “mego”–my eyes glaze over–and cause you to miss out on valuable engagement.
Make a separate account for your event
If you’re like any average brand or business on Twitter, then you’re probably tweeting anywhere from 5 to 50 posts a day. Promotional messages for events can easily get lost in the daily chatter.
Not all your attendees may want to follow your brand account, and asking them to put up with content they don’t really care about (yet!) may turn them off from your business altogether. A dedicated account gives attendees the information they want without asking them to wade through numerous, unrelated posts. Conversely, you can spare your regular followers from a barrage of event-related tweets, especially on the day of the event.
Keep your tweets short and sweet…
Twitter may have increased the limit for each post from 120 to 280 characters, yet brevity is still king on the platform. In fact, the change has had little effect on the length of the average user’s tweet. Keep your tweets under 100 characters. Posts under this limit have 17 percent higher engagement.
…and use “threads” for longer messages
Twitter Threads allow your user to browse a series of posts in one continuous line, removing the need for twitterstorms and frantic posting. Threads also allow you to plan ahead, and build a sense of urgency and excitement. For instance, see how AWAL, a UK-based record label, used a single thread to aggregate pictures of their exhibit as well as promote panels at film and music convention SXSW:
Use a poll to engage–and follow up–attendees
Polls allow you to place your finger on the pulse of the crowd. Brands can also use polls to get attendees involved in the creation process through crowdsourcing ideas for speakers, activities, and panel topics. Or, if it’s in line with your brand, you can also use polls to have a little bit of fun. Last year, E3 polled followers for which game character would make the best Santa Claus. The poll amassed over 15,000 votes.
Live-tweet talks and panels
Attracting new attendees is the top challenge of 64 percent of event marketers. Live-tweeting your presentations is the best way to extend your reach beyond the confines of your event’s location, and cultivate interest for future events.
The frequency of your tweets will depend on the topic at hand. If you’re hosting talks, then highlighting quotes from speakers will be better than tweeting frequently. For product launches and presentations, tweet more often so users tuning in remotely don’t feel like they’re missing out on important information.
Highlight your attendees
Everyone likes a bit of time under the spotlight, and photos and quotes from attendees can make your event look more lively and fun. Post photos and tag fans using the official brand or event account. You can also use testimonials to start twitter chats, or showcase winners if you’re giving away free promotional merchandise.
If you have the extra budget, you can even take this idea further with Twitter walls like CrowdScreen or Tweetbeam, which broadcast a live feed of posts and images. These walls can give your attendees a quick summary of what’s happening around the event as they walk around, and even allow followers at home to join in.
(Source: CrowdScreen.com)
Social media and smartphones are two of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal during a promotional event. And armed with Twitter, businesses get a seamless way to communicate with the crowd and ensure their brand stays top of mind long after the event ends.
About the Author: Steve Hill is Client Director at Promotional Marketing Company Wurlin and their two brands: Bag Workshop and Umbrella Workshop.