Exhibition planning is essential for a successful show. The pre-show marketing you do around the exhibition is key to letting people know about your presence at an event and your exhibition social media campaign should be planned as much as you plan the rest of the event.
Exhibitions are tiring and getting to the show in one piece is often a relief! Commonly for many companies, posting a couple of pictures of the team and the display stand onto Twitter or Instagram is about as much as they manage. If this sounds familiar don’t worry you are not alone but you are missing an opportunity as social media for exhibitions will drive traffic to the show and to your stand.
Social Media Planning
Exhibition social media posts are becoming more and more part of the event and if you fully engage there is a lot to gain. Create a social media content plan in advance to build up the buzz.
Here are some of our top tips on gaining social media presence before, during and after the exhibition:
Post Before the Show
Make sure you start well in advance of the show and hop on the back of the show pre-show campaigns – get stuck in so you are well involved before the exhibition.
Create a Buzz Around the Event!
Create excitement – share your build-up and make delegates feel part of it – give sneak previews using video and images, not just text.
Draw Attention
Give people a reason to find you. In an environment where everyone is competing for attention, work hard on giving people a reason to visit you at the exhibition – exclusive show offers, attractions on your stand, something they can take part in or experience. There has to be something in it for them – try to use video to entice them.
Gain More Followers
Take this as an opportunity to gain more followers. Sharing content is a good way boost your numbers. Comment on other people’s posts. Start following other people to start engaging with them in the hope they will follow you back. Make sure you are using all the hashtags linked to the show – there is often more than one. Send invitations via LinkedIn.
At the Show
Share content of the buzz at the show, record the activity on your stand. If you have a competition or attraction on your stand, your social media to promote it while the show is on.
After the Show
Make sure you follow up and share content after the show to keep your company memorable and in the mind of the visitors. Use social media to connect with people you met on your stand, invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn. Include all your social media links in your correspondence after the show to encourage delegates to engage with you.