How to Use LinkedIn, Blogs, and YouTube to Promote Your Event

Linkedin, blogs, and YouTube are effective tools for organizers to market their events to attendees, but using it effectively can be tricky. Here are the specific ways you can start using these sites to drive your event sales, today:

LinkedIn

The “professional” social network, LinkedIn is another way to target your audience and present relevant infor- mation. If your event is industry- or genre-specific, it can easily lend its way to interaction on LinkedIn.

Sharing with your existing contacts is also an easy way to spread your message. On average, people have less personal contacts on LinkedIn than Facebook; therefore, your promotion will be more visible to your LinkedIn contacts due to a less cluttered news feed.

Getting Started with LinkedIn:

1. Set up a LinkedIn event.

2. Share the event with your contacts.

3. Post the event in relevant groups.

4.Search LinkedIn’s database of professionals for those you would like at your event and send “InMail.”

And remember: The more people who mark “attending” for your event, the more visible and attractive it will look to other potential attendees.

Blogs

In a world of social media, content will make or break your strategy. Quality content can be found in all shapes and sizes. You don’t have to create long, drawn-out articles. In fact, the shorter, the better.

Great blogs consist of insightful and creative information. You can share a short article, a cool picture, an interesting video or quote.

There are many different sites that allow you to blog. Here is a list of the most popular. Take a tour of these sites and see how they differ. One may be a better option for your target audience.

Blogspot (or Blogger.com)

• Pros: Integrates easily with Google products including analytics and Picasa Web Albums.

• Cons: Not as customizable as other blog platforms.

WordPress

• Pros: Highly customizable in appearance and ability to use widgets. Allows for multiple authors. • Cons: Requires more time to learn the technology

and features and how to use the platform. Maintenance is more of a concern.

Tumblr

• Pros: Easy to use and set up. A more social way to blog allowing other members of Tumblr to follow your blog.

• Cons: Not as many professional/customizable features as WordPress.

How to Utilize the Blog

• Become a “go-to resource” in your event category. Don’t just pay attention to your own blog or include only content about your event. If you’re going to have a bluegrass act at your event, talk about them on your blog and post videos of past performances.
• Treat your blog as an extension of yourself and your experience planning an amazing event. What do you regularly talk about with attendees? What questions do you get asked the most? Take these topics and produce interesting content for your audience!
• Create a “home base” for your content. A lot of the content you promote with other social media tools will link back to your blog. Make sure your blog or site is in good shape. Websites and blogs are quickly judged by their appearance. A professional-looking blog will add to your credibility and ensure viewers stay and return.

YouTube

From the entertainment to the decorations to the venue, events have great visual appeal. And the visuals can be turned into a cool YouTube video that engages and compels potential attendees. As the second–most trafficked search site on the Web, YouTube gives you huge event-discovery potential.

Step 1: Setup

After building a branded page on YouTube, share it with your other communities and networks (Facebook and/or Twitter) to gain subscribers. Make sure production quality is strong and content is interesting.

Step 2: Discover and Share

Find existing videos that your community will find inter- esting and valuable. Videos don’t have to relate directly to your event. Use them as a means to generate excite- ment. Get creative and have fun; it doesn’t have to be all business all the time.

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