Social media is a natural fit for nearly every facet of event planning but, all too often, an ad-hoc approach reduces its effectiveness. A sound strategy for managing all social media activity increases attendance, enhances the conference experience for delegates, and improves the overall return on the event. Incorporating a case study from a major USA conference, this presentation addresses the need for a comprehensive social media strategy using several different tools including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Designed for people with experience in social networking, the session will include practical advice, hints, tips and traps to help you manage your next conference from promotion right through to wrap-up.

1. Planning an Effective
Social Media Strategy
for Your Next Event
Sarah Mitchell

2. Introduction
Goal for Today
 Provide an introduction on what to
consider when developing a social
media strategy
 Dispel hype and confusion

3. Importance of Planning
Ad-hoc approach leads to:
 Infrequent activity
 Inconsistent messaging
Firm strategy promotes:
 Better attendance
 Interactive experience for delegates
 Overall return on investment

4. Turning Point:
Consumers Do Their Own Research
Online Publishers – Internet Activity Index
Monthly “Time Spent” in Internet Activity Table

5. Game Changer –
Google Panda
 Google Panda makes
social media
connections a bigger
part of their algorithm.
 Social media activity
= better search
engine results

6. What Social Media Won’t Do
 It won’t close deals with sponsors
 It won’t generate a delegate base if
your conference sucks
 Probably won’t
replace your current
marketing strategy.

7. What Social Media Can Do
 Promote your conference to a wider
(even global) audience
 Establish your Authority
 Expose negative
aspects of your business

8. Two Things
to Remember
• It’s “social” media
• You are representing your
brand

9. Considerations
before you start

10. What do you want to achieve?
Listening Broadcasting Engaging

11. What are you going to say?
You should have a
content strategy,
not a
social media strategy
 Quality
 Consistency
 Frequency

12. Who’s going to own your
social media activity?
 Focus on your
marketing strategy –
not the tools
 Hint: It shouldn’t be
the youngsters in
your organisation

13. How are you going to
handle criticism?
 It’s not a matter of ‘if’
but ‘when’
 The upside of a
healthy network

14. Are you prepared to
invest the time required?
“Those with more years of social
media experience spend more
time each week conducting
social media activities.”
2011 Social Media Marketing Industry
Report

15. Percentage of Companies Using
Specific Social Media Channels
and/or Blogs Who Have Acquired
a Customer From That Channel

16. Usage of Tools for Business
100
90
92
80 87 88 84
70 79.3 77.2 78
75.3
68 70 71 68
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Social Media Success Social Media Marketing Social Media Marketing
Summit Report 2009 Industry Report 2010 Industry Report 2011
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Blogs

17. Twitter Users by Age
Credit: Ignite Social Media based on Google

18. How are you
going to manage it?
 Beware of integrating tools
 Recommended aids:
 Tweetdeck
 Sendible

19. Interesting Facts
People aged 30 to 39 years
are most likely to use social
media for business. (Stelzner) More women, than
men, engage in social media
activities. (55% vs. 45%)
People love to look at pictures.
70% of all actions are related to Women say more.
photos or video. (HBS) Men reference
links. (HBS)

20. Measurement
success/failure
Analytics Engagement Indicators

21. Measuring Influence

22. Recommendations: Before you Start
Pick a hashtag
WiFi Bloggers
Graphic Designer Photographer

23.  Live tweet streams
 Social media Q&A

25. players
 Core team of 4 people

26. authentic

27. blog strategy
Comment
Reply to
comments

28. go big
Multiple
content /
multiple
platforms

29. ask for feedback

30. building networks
Attend and speak Leverage personal
at other events relationships

31. power of partners
More than 17 major partners did
email blasts including:
 Social Media Examiner
 MarketingProfs
Contra and more contra

32. keep it simple
 Make it easy
 Pre-craft everything, leave
nothing to chance

33. the results

34. the day after

35. Be Aware
Social Media
is an asset.
Don’t shut it down
when your event ends.

36. Sarah Mitchell,
Director – Site Content
@MiningOilGasJob
www.miningoilandgasjobs.com