Twitter 101 - Using Twitter to promote your events

Twitter 101: How and when to use tweets to promote an event

Florencia Prada

Initiative of the State Secretariat for Education and Research SER Annex of the Consulate General.

Swiss Knowledge Network with outposts in Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore #cfnps

2

What I’ll cover

Why use Twitter?

Integrating Twitter into your marketing strategy

Content & engagement (tested) tactics with examples (at least 3)

3

Why Twitter?It’s real-time!

Informal & spontaneous

Ideal for micro-news

Easy to set up and maintain

Easier to integrate in live events

An incredible ecosystem of Twitter products available

4

BUT…

5

Twitter alone is not a marketing strategy

Make sure you understand Twitter etiquette

Make sure you have the resources (time & bodies)

Twitter should be another tool in your event marketing strategy.

Twitter will not save your event if you have not done your homework

Twitter should complement your event marketing strategy.

Twitter should complement your event marketing strategy.

6

Integrating Twitter: Web

Add Twitter info on our event announcement!

7

Integrating Twitter: Email newsletter

Leverage your existing tools

Don’t underestimate the power of email (email signature)

8

Integrating Twitter: Email reminders

Don’t add the hashtag as an afterthought

Include in your event reminders!

9

Content & engagement tactics for your event

Generate buzzGenerate buzz

10

Before the event

Get others to talk for youCoordinate with event partners to generate buzz

Get speakers to mention event to their followers

Share related news

Provide an advance of event: video interviews with speakers

Give away tickets to event through Twitter

Take advantage of news stories that relate to event to bring attention to your event and share with your followers!

Share photos of event set up, etc.

Pick a good hashtag. No hyphens!

Pitch an event to journalists through Twitter: be careful, considerate, and learn when to stop!

11

Before the event

Share related news

Get speakers engaged

12

Before the event

Coordinate with partners to generate buzz

Leverage their reach specially if they have a bigger audience than you do!

Leverage their reach specially if they have a bigger audience than you do!

13

Before the event

Share photos of the event set up

Give away a ticket or two if you can manage it logistically (make sure you can get ticket to person!)

14

Before the event

Pick a good hashtag

Pick a short (<10 characters) tag that represents your brand and the event

No hyphens

Easy to remember

If you can, try to incorporate your name into it

Not too generic though…

Establish it early

Remind participants every change you get!

Try http://hashtags.org/ to see your hashtag is doing

15

Before the event

Provide an advance of event: video interviews with speakers before event

16

During the event

Get others to join the conversationProvide play by play of what’s going for those that are following event virtually

Respond, encourage, and support tweets

Quote speakers, include their Twitter handles

Ask participants to send questions

Think beyond Twitter: Is your foursquare Mayor present? acknowledge him/her through Twitter.

Visualize tweets: People love to see their tweets displayed.

17

During the eventProvide play by play of what’s going for those that are following event virtually. Remember photos!

18

During the eventRespond, encourage, and support tweets

RTRT

RespondRespond

19

During the event

Visualize tweets: Great motivator & way to give exposure to those who engage!

http://visibletweets.com/

20

After the event

Keep the conversation going

Send thanks

Share photos

Don’t forget #FF

Create a timeline of tweets with Storify.com

21

After the event

Send thanks

22

After the event

Share photos & don’t forget #FF

23

Create a timeline of tweets with storify.com & share!

After the event

24

Keys to success

Start early

Add value

Make it clear, repeat

Share, share, share

Encourage, support

Collect, and share

25

THANK YOU!