How Can Social Media Help Increase Event Conversions?
The most effective B2B content marketing tactics are in-person events (cited by 69% of marketers) and webinars (64%). As a B2B marketer, simply getting people to attend your live or virtual event is not enough. You’re asked to provide ROI for the events in order to validate the budget spent on events. In order to increase event conversions, you need to use social media to nurture your attendees and follow up with them post-event. Here are some tactics to use social media to increase conversions pre-,during, and post-event:
Pre-Event
Get creative using social media to gain new followers and get your followers excited about your event. By using tactics that discovers who is interested in your event and brand, start the conversation with individuals.
- Use Facebook to create an event or to get attendees to post “they are attending” your event. This will generate more visibility to your event and get people excited. 70% of marketers use Facebook to gain new customers.
- Create a special hashtag on Twitter to promote the event. You can connect with those attending the event to keep their interest and engagement level high.
- Give an incentive to sign up for the event, such as a discount code or to be entered to win a prize at your booth during the event.
- Take the conversation a step further and try to set up in-person meetings at the event or send them other pieces of collateral that you think they’d find interesting.
During the Event
During the event, take advantage of having their attention and focus on you, whether it be in-person at a large event, a smaller in-person private event, or even online. For 58% of US marketers a part of their real-time marketing engagement strategy includes using social media to engage their target audience during timely events.
- Conduct surveys during the event. This will give you a reason to reach out after the event to provide the results. You can enter them in for a prize as well for taking the time to answer your survey questions.
- Ask for their Twitter handle and tweet live during the event. Use your hashtag and make sure you thank them for stopping by the booth or attending the webinar. Personal touches can help create connections that will lead to conversions.
- Add connections on LinkedIn and add a personal note with a thanks for meeting them at the event.
- Host an online contest and make sure that attendees enter using social media. This gives an excuse to gather their social media pages and also will help you gain relevant followers. You can announce the winner online as well.
After the Event
It’s important not to lose your connections after the event, but reach out with helpful content that will push them through the sales and marketing funnel. On average, it takes prospects an 10 marketing touches from the time they enter the top of the funnel until the deal is closed, and they’re officially a new customer.
- Send a personal message to those who attended your event, used the hashtag or connected with you/your company on the social networks. Send your survey results, a post-event blog article, or a related piece of collateral. Interesting content is one of the top three reasons people follow a brand on social media.
- Craft an email that features a related piece of collateral with links to your social sites. According to Forrester Research, top performing B2B marketers consider email marketing the #1 most-effective tactic for lead nurturing.
- Post pictures from the event as well. A Tweet that includes an image has a staggering 581% increased engagement.
More than half of event professionals say the biggest challenge in social media is using it effectively. By starting your social media event strategy before the event, you can nurture your prospects and increase conversions. Keep the attendees engaged throughout the event and be sure you follow-up with content.
