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Twitter tips for events

Tara Dulake imageAs we move into the summer and the last half of the year, the property events and award season is definitely coming upon us, with, of course, The Negotiator Conference, Expo and Awards on 1st November (diary date!). As well as an excellent networking opportunity, industry events present a very good opportunity for your brand.

Tweeting imageEvents are a brilliant way to join in with industry conversation, present yourselves as thought leaders and create instant, interesting and interactive content on social media.

It’s the perfect way to engage with an accurate target audience in your industry and show your customers that you keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to industry trends, training and best practice. The thought of tweeting live might fill you or your colleagues with fear, but there are some sure-fire ways to make a success of the day and boost your brand’s presence, followers and engagement on Twitter and beyond.

Swot up on the topics, the speakers and panellists and follow them on social media for better engagement.

Here are a few ways you can use live event tweeting to the best effect. Before the event you should publicise your attendance; if you’re spending time and money attending an event make it worth your while and be sure to let people know you’re going. Ramp up the tweets closer to the event and make a note of who interacts with you, so you can introduce yourself at the event.

Take a look at the agenda for the day and get an idea of the subjects that might make their way around on social media. Swot up and look into the speakers and/or hosts, following them for better engagement. Also look for active industry players that might be attending.

Allocate one specific person to tweet. It should be someone that is comfortable on social media as well as being knowledgeable on the specific topics that will be discussed on the day.

LOOK FOR THE HASHTAG

Most events these days will have a specific hashtag so that the conversation can be followed. Look for the official one and make sure you spell it correctly or your tweets will be lost!

SCHEDULE

Once you’ve a done a little research schedule a few tweets ahead of time to ensure that the content is evenly spread out and continuous throughout the day.

ON THE DAY

Follow the hashtag: the hashtag will be where all of the hot topics and conversation will be going on. Take some time to scan who’s tweeting and what’s worth joining in on. There may be a chance to get involved in some lively debate, which is where your research will really come into play! Check your posts: one of the most important things is to be quick but accurate! Don’t let spelling errors and typos blight your tweets!

Vary your activity: once you’re there and soaking up the buzz of the event, take some time to think about the content you’re posting. If you mix it up by tweeting photos, opinions, quoting speakers/hosts, sharing stats, interacting with other delegates and even (if you’re feeling brave) live broadcast yourself using Periscope, you will be a Tweeter to follow at the event!

AFTER THE EVENT

Tweet the best bits; after the event has finished it’s a good idea to send a few tweets summarising your highlights from the day. Maybe a few photos you didn’t get to post or the key opinions and takeaways that will stay with you. How did you benefit from the event and what will you do with the experience you gained? It’s also good to follow up with the speakers themselves if they have a Twitter account and let them know how much you enjoyed their talk or presentation.

Follow up with those you’ve interacted with: If you find yourself really getting into conversations and interacting with people, make sure you keep a track of who you’ve been speaking with. Follow them and, if they could be a useful contact, drop them a message and arrange a meeting or informal catch up. You could meet a reliable supplier or an advocate for your business!

Blog about it; if you have attended a particularly significant or exciting event then don’t just stop at the tweeting. Take stock of what happened and write a blog reflecting on everything that went on, who was there and what the key points were. Did you win awards, or meet some interesting people? Perhaps you learned things that will help your business going forward? Or maybe you have a strong opinion on a hot topic? This will all make brilliant content for your blog and, if the event if a popular one, may even drive traffic to your website.

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