For Immediate Release:
Dateline: New York,
NY
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Over the past decade, non-profit organizations have increasingly begun embracing social media platforms. These tools give them the opportunity to tell their story and engage supporters. There are several success stories that demonstrate how social media impacts marketing tactics. The structure of a nonprofit presents the opportunity to put social media to good use. The ability to do this without tapping into limited marketing budgets is an added advantage.Several nonprofits have harnessed the power of social media to publicize their events. One of the keys to a successful event is creating awareness and driving people to attend. This article lists some ways of using social media to bring people to your events.Choose the Right NetworksIt is important to identify your target audience and find out where they are active online. You will then be able to focus on these particular platforms. Unless you have a social media team, it’s hard to dedicate time to managing social networks. In this case, it is better to focus on two or three networks rather than spreading yourself too thin.Among nonprofit organizations, Facebook remains No.1, with Twitter taking 2nd place. YouTube is catching up fast, as it is an effective platform to post videos and documentaries. Each of these platforms has unique strengths and tools that you can use to promote your event. Some of these are:Create a Facebook Event page Creating a Facebook event page is one of the first steps towards boosting your visibility. By listing your upcoming event, you can bolster its turnout. It is also a good way to tell your story— the details of the cause, why the event came about, and reasons to support it. You can also invite your followers to the upcoming event. When someone accepts your invite, it will show up on their feed, increasing visibility. Be sure to use a descriptive name and upload a compelling photo, as this will help create interest.Post regularly on Twitter on the days leading up to the event Posting daily updates and a countdown to the date of your event is a good way to keep people involved. It is also helpful to create an event hashtag. This will make it easy for anyone to follow your updates. Include the hashtag on all your promotional material, both online and offline. Monitoring your hashtag will help you keep track of and respond to all the conversation that’s happening around your event.Stream or upload the event on YouTube Streaming the event live or uploading a short, well-edited video can create interest in your cause even after the event is over. It may inspire more people to attend your next event by showing them what they missed. Post frequently and engage your audienceIt is important to create timelines and adhere to them. Each platform can be used in a unique way to promote your event. It is important to plan ahead and stick to timelines.On social media platforms, fewer rules apply. So while your tone may be more formal on other outlets, this is a good place to cultivate a voice that helps supporters feel connected to your organization. For example, humor breaks through the clutter and engages your audience.Get your community involvedWhen you get your followers involved at the early stages of planning, they are more likely to attend your event. Ask them for their input and suggestions on the venue, theme, program, etc. If your followers are fairly active, you can expect some interesting responses and leads. The effect multiplies when they post about the event in their social groups. Provide sample content to your community that they can share on their pages and websites.Cross-Promote Your EventSocial sharing is a powerful way to raise awareness for your cause. When publicizing your event, make sure that relevant links are shared by your followers and other stakeholders. Create content that is worth sharing on your followers’ pages. It is also important to educate them about the best ways to show support. Join relevant groups and public networks with significant numbers of followers. This can bring about a snowball effect, and create more fans for your page.Support with other communication channelsSocial media cannot replace everything you normally do to promote an event. Instead, it should compliment all your other marketing efforts. For example, if you have been regularly sending out mailers and newsletters, make sure you that all your social media links are included. Your offline marketing activities can help your social media platforms gain traction.Share your resultsSharing your takeaways and results will help create dialogue after your event is over. It is important to thank people and give specific shout outs to those who have contributed to the event’s success. Asking for feedback, and making people feel appreciated, will ensure that they get involved in future events. The post Employing Social Media Tactics for Event Marketing in Your Non-Profit Organization appeared first on AdLibbing.org.
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