CHECKLIST FOR YOUR NEXT SOCIAL EVENT

After reading Guy Kawasaki's book, "The Art of Social Media," I learned how beneficial social media can be at social events. In Chapter 7, Kawasaki gave many tips on how to rock your next social event.

#1: A hashtag is KEY at any social event. A short and trendy hashtag will be successful at any conference or event because it will be in people's faces constantly. You want to use the hashtag before during, and after the event because it's a type of advertisment for the business to get their name out there for everyone to see.

Glacier Awards Backdrop 

#2: There needs to be a place to take pictures. When you come to an event looking your best, people are going to want to take pictures. It's important to have a backdrop so people can show their followers what they are doing. You can put the logo of the event on the backdrop and this acts as another way to promote yourself. A photo section gets people excited and helps the event gain attention when people post it to social media.

#3: Dedicate one person to focus on the social aspect of the event. Having one person focus solely on Twitter, Instagram and whatever social platform will eliminate a lot of stress for your event. The person in charge of the social media areas of the event will have a lot do before, during and after the event. He or she will be in charge of promoting, twitting and taking pictures and sharing articles about the event. (P.S. I would love doing this job at a conference or event).

#4: It is a good idea to livestream the event on social media. Using services during an event will make people feel like they belong. When you livestream the conference, it will provide a way for others to attend even though they can't physically be there. Another way to make people feel involved is by displaying a Twitter feed. This way people can live tweet about the event and use the hashtag created and have their tweet displayed up on screen for everyone to see.

I really encourage you to make sure you have everything on this checklist to produce the best results at your social event. Social media is being used every day and there are always new tips to follow.

"With a little bit of social-media effort and magic, you can make your event look like it was the place to be." (Guy Kawasaki)