social media for festivals and events: texas downtown association
DESCRIPTION
How to use social media for marketing your festivals and special events, presented at the 2014 Texas Downtown Association conference in Granbury, Texas. Tourism Currents does online and in-person training in social media for tourism. Find out more here: http://www.tourismcurrents.comTRANSCRIPT
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:
STOP!
@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
@TourismCurrents #TXDT2014
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
@SheilaS@TourismCurrents
#TXDT2014
Social Media – Before● Blog posts
● Your blog and others● Speaker preview videos● Preview podcast interviews● Photos & video from previous events @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #TXDT2014
Social Media – Before
Don't forget to highlight the venue
& host town@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #TXDT2014
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!
Share
The
Afterglow!
Social Media – After ● Summary blog posts, link posts● Facebook Pages & profiles● Tweets – save on Storify● LinkedIn status updates & Group
discussions● SlideShare for presentations
@SheilaS@TourismCurrents
#TXDT2014
Social Media's “Killer App” is....
year-round discussion & community
@SheilaS@TourismCurrents
#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
@SheilaS@TourismCurrents
#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