March 12, 2024   |   Vol. 23   |   Issue 3
By Caroline Monek, MGI Senior Account Executive

Maximize your Conference Marketing Strategy, and Dive into your Organic Social Media

Effective event marketing relies on a blend of paid campaigns and organic content. While paid campaigns can inform your audience and grab their attention, organic content tends to help foster long-term relationships. Using organic posts for both pre-conference and post-conference engagement helps generate buzz, spark conversations, and amplify the impact of paid digital campaigns.

Elevate your event’s online presence with these five proven tips to leverage the impact of organic social media posts.

1. Showcase authentic stories: One of the most effective ways to engage your audience is to feature authentic stories from previous event attendees. Share their experiences, lessons learned, and the value they gained. Real stories resonate more with potential attendees and create an authentic connection. Consider creating dedicated posts or even short videos where attendees themselves can share their unique perspectives. This not only builds trust but will generate excitement and anticipation for your upcoming events.
2. Engage in conversations: We don’t want to just broadcast information on your social media channels; we want to actively engage in meaningful conversations. Respond to comments, ask questions, and encourage discussions. Build a community where people feel heard and valued. Social media is a two-way street, and by fostering conversations, you create a space where attendees, both past and future, can connect and share ideas.
3. Create behind-the-scenes content: Take your audience behind the curtain and show them what goes into organizing your events. Share sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes moments, and the journey of bringing everything together. Consider using platforms like Instagram Stories to provide real-time updates and exclusive looks at the preparation process. By doing so, you make your audience feel like insiders and keep them in anticipation of your event.

4. Countdowns and Teasers: Create excitement by using countdowns and teasers. Start a countdown to your event, sharing daily or weekly updates as the date approaches. This creates a sense of urgency among your audience. Teasers can include sneak peeks of keynote speakers, snippets of presentations, or glimpses of event venues.

   I recently closed a paid digital conference campaign where 56% of our paid digital conversions came in 1 month before the conference. With audiences waiting later and later to register, start creating that urgency within your organic socials to help amplify your early registration.

5. Post-Event Engagement and Highlights: The engagement doesn’t stop when the event ends; in fact, it’s just the beginning. Share highlights, recaps, and testimonials from the event. This not only extends the life of your event content but also provides valuable material for future marketing efforts. Consider creating a dedicated highlight reel on platforms like Instagram to showcase key moments.

   Remember to keep your social media strategy simple yet impactful. Authentic stories, meaningful conversations, behind-the-scenes insights, and well-timed teasers—these are the tools that will make your conferences not just successful but unforgettable.

Need help outlining your conference marketing strategy? Reach out to the experts at MGI. Contact Jana Darling, Vice President of Account Services, at jdarling@marketinggeneral.com or 703-706-0349.