The Importance of "Live" Posting During Events
Skip the #latergram, why not post in the moment? We know, we know. Posting during events can be stressful! But when it comes to promoting an event, live tweeting, InstaStory, InstaVideo, Snapchat and Facebook Live are all tools that should be used. While we don’t want to promote people being sucked into the digital world and not enjoying the moment, from a business standpoint, it is essential.
Build the Hype
From concerts to wine dinners, the entire goal is to sell those tickets! But after the tickets are sold and the seats are filled, the selling does not end there. By posting live from the event it shows those who did not attend what they are missing, and what they can expect from future opportunities. #FOMO is real, and when people see all of the fun being had, when your next event rolls around they will be one of the first people to sign up!
The Power of the #Hashtag
If you are posting live, chances are your guests will be too! Stay on top of it by creating an event hashtag. Share the hashtag with your guests, so that when they do post about their experience you are able to engage with them. Because hashtags are trackable, you will be able to see how many people are posting about the event. For example, we used #AFJ2017 when we attended the Association of Food Journalists Conference last year. This helped us to engage with the members by allowing us to keep track of who was there, what their social media handles were, and see all of the fun that they were having.
Behind the Scenes
People who are attending the event can see what is going on in front of them, but what about everything else that maybe they can’t see? Creating content with things that aren’t normally seen gives the viewer an exclusive look at the event from another angle. As the host, you do not want to post the same content as your guests. Getting out of the box will give people a reason to check out your feed. This can help to promote your company voice, and connect to your clients. At Whole Hog BBQ competitions, the general public does not get a chance to go around and view each pitmasters hog. By posting live videos of the judging, the public can be engaged in this part of the competition. This gives people a chance to be more invested in who the winners will be and get them excited to eat some BBQ!
Tabletop Tips
Posting in the moment can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Grab a colleague and split up the outlets. Let one person handle Twitter, while the other one takes over Instagram. Keep things fresh by taking different photos and videos of the same thing, so that you are not posting the same content on each outlet. Mix up your subject by posting a video of a cocktail being made on Twitter, and then post a photo of hors d'oeuvres on Instagram. Remember to shout out those who helped make the event happen! Beforehand make sure you are following them and know their handles so that tagging them is a breeze. If there are many people involved, there is no shame in keeping a list with you! When working with bloggers who will also be posting during events, share this knowledge and provide them with the same list before the event. At the end of the day, it is important to have fun with it. This is a time to be creative! It is also a time for external phone chargers ;) Happy posting!
Blog post written by Jorden Yeargan, Social Media Manager for Tabletop Media Group.