Most meeting planners don’t design and host events with the aim of keeping them confined in the walls of the venue. Thanks to the power of the internet and social media, making anything – from companies and brands to corporate events – go viral is now easier than ever.
Putting in the effort to make your event go viral can have massive benefits, both before, during and after the meeting itself. A surge in social media presence in the lead-up to the event can boost attendance, while the buzz that lingers after it finishes can pique the interest of potential future guests.
Making your event go viral doesn’t have to involve significant resources and time – it can be as simple as:
1. Choosing the right entertainment
There are few things that generate lively discussion and buzz quite like the element of surprise. By securing an unexpected, awe-inducing entertainment act, you can have guests raving about your event via all sorts of channels.
For example, having highly visual entertainment can encourage guests to take snaps and videos and share them on social media. If it’s something new, innovative and worth talking about, chances are the audience will want to post it on social media.
2. Having a good pull factor
Just like any business needs to have a ‘unique selling proposition’, the one standout feature that pulls customers to its brand, event managers need to consider what it is about their event that makes it irresistible.
A great way to tick this box is by securing a well-known guest speaker. Having an industry authority deliver a presentation (and promoting this fact) is a surefire way to grab attention and increase attendance.
3. Being web-savvy
You simply can’t hope to go viral without knowing your way around the web. From your event’s official website to its social media accounts, make sure you’ve got everything covered to boost engagement.
Even something as simple as having a succinct, easy-to-remember URL for your website can work wonders in helping it stay fresh in people’s minds. If you’re active on Twitter, try crafting a unique hashtag to encourage conversation around your event.
Content marketing can work as well – if you have interesting, clickable and shareable content on your website, this will go some way in helping spread your presence around the internet.
4. Being active and consistent
Finally, it’s important to not let your efforts go to waste by being stagnant or inconsistent with your web presence. Whether it’s posting updates on Twitter or maintaining a blog on your website, maintain consistency to keep the conversation going – and encourage your guests to join in.
Carly Lewis is general manager – Asia, for cievents. This article originally appeared on the company's event management news blog
