Tips and tricks for establishing a social media strategy around your special events.

1. Special Events Social Media
Presented by Tyler Thomas
Social Media Specialist – University Communications
@UNLincoln | @TylerAThomas
tthomas10@UNL.com
March 27, 2013

2. @UNLincoln | #UNLCCC
Special Events Social Media
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• Identify your audience
– Be as specific as possible
• Identify your message(s)
– Multiple messages are okay
– Keep them specific and limited
• Identify your messaging vehicles

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Establish a Hashtag
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• A specific keyword for your event
• Identified with a # sign in front of text
(letters and numbers) Exmp: #UNLCCC
– No Special Characters
– No Spaces
• Research your potential options (Research Here)
– Keep it short
– Use numbers to differentiate

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Pre-Event
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Include your hashtag on marketing materials
• Event Registration
– Printed Forms
– Landing Page(s)

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Pre-Event
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• Printed materials
promoting the event
– Invitations
– Postcards
– Posters
– Flyers
– Table Tents

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Pre-Event
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• Digital
communications
materials
– Website marquees
– Embedded on images
– Website callouts on
your own site
– Email communications
– Digital Ads/Display Ads
– In videos

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Pre-Event
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• News Releases
– Pitch to relevant blogs/bloggers

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Pre-Event
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• Event details/listings on
other websites
– Create an event on
Facebook (and promote)
– Add your event to the Univ.
Calendar
– Add your event to the Univ.
Announce system
(Today@UNL)
– Add your event to other
applicable calendars
– Add your event on LinkedIn
– Promote your event on
EventBrite

9. @UNLincoln | #UNLCCC
Pre-Event
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• Printed materials at
the event
– Attendee forms
– Notepads
– Swag Items
– Name Tags/Lanyards
– Event Signage
– Digital displays

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Pre-Event
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• Include keynote
speaker and other
event speakers’
Twitter @handles in
bios and marketing
materials

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Pre-Event
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• Create promotional content to promote your
event
– Create event specific content and share it
– Tweets
• Use your event hashtag
• Include event details
• Use identified Twitter @handles
• Identify target audiences/groups and focus your tweets
– Create incentives if necessary

12. @UNLincoln | #UNLCCC
Pre-Event
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Pre-Event
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– Promotional posts on Facebook

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Pre-Event
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– Set up event specific boards on pinterest

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Pre-Event
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– Use the event logo and post on Instagram
– Take behind the scenes photos and post them on
Instagram/Twitter.

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Pre-Event
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– Post on LinkedIn
• Share an update, start a discussion, invite attendees
– Create teaser videos to highlight and encourage
attendance (include hashtag in bumpers)

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At the Event
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– Announce the hashtag at the opening of the event
– Use social channels to make announcements
through out the event
– Use Twitter to “Live Tweet” from the event
– Share photos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
– Monitor the hashtag and Retweet, Favorite &
Respond to the event chatter

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At the Event
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– Host a competition (Trivia, Best Tweet of the Day)

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Post Event
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– Create a Storify story with all of the aggregated
social chatter (example)
– Post speaker(s) slides on Slideshare
– Upload photos to Facebook/Flickr/event website
– Share links to your “post event” media
– Continue to monitor the hashtag for one week
– Follow influential attendees
– Debrief with your team and evaluate

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Social Media Event Services
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– Event Social Media Consultation
– Event Social Media Strategy Planning
– Social Media Content Creation
– Live Tweeting at your event
– Event Signage: Digital or Traditional
– Post Event Recap Facilitation
– Full Event Social Media Management

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Connect With Us: @UNLincoln, #UNL